Fitting an additional 12v Socket to a 2013 Puma 90 or 110

[ShortTimers]

Hi Hope you can help.  I've read the threads I can find about additional 12v sockets which have all helped but I'm still a little confused being new to electrics.  I get the whole Watts/volts = amps.. thanks to one of the earlier posts for explaining how that works.  

What I'm actually trying to do is fit an additional 12v socket which is a Blue Sea Systems double USB socket.  I wanted to know can I just splice into the original 12v lighter socket cables...  I think I spotted on a different site that Green is ignition live, Black is Earth and I can ignore the Red/orange cable as thats the illumination cable.  But I imagine I'll need to put in an inline fuse that feeds the live on the slave unit... what kind of size fuse should I use... its says maximum output 5v/2.1Amp so 2A fuse?  Also will this method of piggy backing work as I need both the original lighter socket and the new 12v USB.  I'll only be feeding an iPhone and a Sat Nav at most.                                                                

thanks for your help in advance.

Shorty

[nickwilliams]

I have done exactly this myself.

Yes, you can wire the USB adapter in parallel with the lighter socke and yes, you would be wise to put a lower rated local fuse in series with the USB adapter. A 5A fuse connected via 1mm sq wires will be fine. 

Bear in mind that on early vehicles I think the cigar lighter is always powered, on later (300TDI or later, so far as I can tell from a quick look at the diagrams) the lighter socket is switched off with the ignition. 

[ShortTimers]

Thanks Nick... really appreciate the help... its a later model and the power cuts off to the lighter socket the moment you turn the key off so it looks likes a live ignition feed on the later models as you say.

So.... a question, can I use Scotch snap connections as its behind the dashboard rather than soldering or am I just asking for trouble and I should solder as a more permanent solution...  you said you were looking at diagrams do you have a wiring diagram, for the later models?

Also when you say 1mm Sq wire... could I get away with 16/0.20mm, 0.5mm2 which is rated at 11amps continues carrying capacity?

Thanks

Shorty

Edited July 17, 2017 by ShortTimers

[nickwilliams]

On older vehicles with bullet connectors then it's fairly easy to double up on connections. On later vehicles with more sophisticated connectors it's not so easy. 

Scotchloks are generally seen as a bodge by people in the know, and I have none of them in any of my vehicles. However, they are widely used in the trade and are probably better than poorly done soldering. In truth, if properly fitted they will be fine so long as they are inside the car where they won't get wet. Smothering the metal part with silicone grease before assembly will help. They have the advantage that they can be removed, which is more difficult with a solder joint. 

I would advise you to use 1.0mm wire, especially if you are using Scotchloks - it's not a good idea to mix the wire sizes in them. 

Wiring diagrams for all but the most recent Defenders are widely available on the Web. 

Edited July 17, 2017 by nickwilliams
Add note about wiring diagrams

[ShortTimers]

thanks I'll use 1.0mm and I'll give the soldering a go as you said its a more permeant fix and I need the practice as LED lights to do next.

Yep I've found loads of wiring diagrams for the older models but none for the 63 plate trucks.  The closest I can find is 2012 and I got the link form this site so might try and use that as it will at least give me a good starting point.

going off topic for a moment what's the best place to get torque setting from?  I've got the 1400 page manual that on here but was wondering will a Haynes manual have these kind of measurements in it as the other document is a real chore to try and go through to find the torque measurements.

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

[Mo Murphy]

Of course, though, this is no substitute for putting in a simple, fused, dedicated supply from the battery ?

Mo

[landroversforever]

What Mo says. I'd be looking at adding a small additional fusebox and feeding it from there. That way you've got some spare spaces for future upgrades and additions. 

[Snagger]

I don't like the idea of piggybacking off the wiring to the lighter - while you shouldn't have any safety problem if you keep the original fuse rating for that circuit, human nature leads people to cut corners and sooner or later you could end up overloading the circuit running an accessory from the lighter socket (or using the lighter itself) while also using the USB sockets.  It also seems folly to risk a single failure causing all power sockets to be unserviceable.  I'd run a separate feed from the battery, with a fuse as close to the battery as possible.  That'd also have the advantage of allowing a phone to be recharged without leaving the keys in the ignition, so a flat phone can be hidden and recharged without you remaining with the vehicle.

[Peaklander]

It's good to see you are fitting a USB outlet rated at 2.1A as this is required for an iPad whereas an iPhone is a lower rating (other makes of tablet and phone are also available).

I'm curious as to why you want to retain the cigar lighter unless it's for the obvious reason. Aren't most devices that might have used that form of connection now using a USB cable anyway, meaning that you can ditch the adapter and plug the device straight into your new outlet?

[Anderzander]

As Fridge Freezer would say:

[Snagger]

On 21/07/2017 at 2:15 AM, Peaklander said:

 

I'm curious as to why you want to retain the cigar lighter unless it's for the obvious reason. Aren't most devices that might have used that form of connection now using a USB cable anyway, meaning that you can ditch the adapter and plug the device straight into your new outlet?

Only personal electronics.  Things like tyre pumps, camping equipment, radio chargers and so on still use the cigarette socket plugs.

[Peaklander]

Yes fair enough I guess that's true, In actual fact I moved my lighter socket to the back corner of the tub and I use it for an occasional connection to the inverter I use for my PC charger. I did have a rechargeable torch that used it too but I've discovered cree leds now and the torch is redundant. So I guess I've just blown my own theory and concur with you. 

[Snagger]

I have a good tyre compressor that uses battery clamps, but all my other gadgets use the cigarette lighter sockets, including the Tesco sourced (club points, so free) double bed air mattresses with rechargeable air pumps which make camping so much more tolerable!  Likewise the camping lights, styled to look like kerosene lamps but using LEDs.  They are not good connectors, far less reliable than the DIN sockets I also installed, but few accessories have DIN plugs, and I'm wary of swapping the fittings because I managed to buy two telephone chord like extension cables with male and female cigarette sockets, and I haven't yet found female DIN sockets that aren't mounted.

[ShortTimers]

On 20/07/2017 at 0:16 PM, Snagger said:

I don't like the idea of piggybacking off the wiring to the lighter - while you shouldn't have any safety problem if you keep the original fuse rating for that circuit, human nature leads people to cut corners and sooner or later you could end up overloading the circuit running an accessory from the lighter socket (or using the lighter itself) while also using the USB sockets.  It also seems folly to risk a single failure causing all power sockets to be unserviceable.  I'd run a separate feed from the battery, with a fuse as close to the battery as possible.  That'd also have the advantage of allowing a phone to be recharged without leaving the keys in the ignition, so a flat phone can be hidden and recharged without you remaining with the vehicle.

Thanks for all the advice, really helps a newbie to wiring like me.....  I've piggbacked off the lighter, dumped the Scotch lock option and soldered them properly with an in line fuse....  for the short term but will put in a dedicated separate wire when I next run the cables from the battery box to the front dash... I'll need to run some wires when I put a sub in behind the central storage box anyway. 

Couple of questions what gauge wire would you all suggest running into the extra fuse box, and any recommendations for any fuse boxes that I can mount in the battery box?

Ok this might sound like another stupid question... I understand that you have to earth circuit and I keep reading that this should be done on the body of the truck.. but does this need to be on a bare bit of metal with no paint on it?  or is it worth me tracing the cable back from the battery neutral as that must be attached the truck at some point?

Just to answer the question Peaklander asked... I've got a fan for the dog box in the back and thats runs from a lighter socket.  and I use the USB in the radio front panel to charge the SAT NAV... so just wanted something extra for the iPhone :-) 

[landroversforever]

I'd try and run earths back to the battery. It will make the Ali panels last a lot longer as it will reduce the galvanic corrosion.

[FridgeFreezer]

Should it be useful, I wrote a thing to calculate watts/amps/volts and cable/fuse sizes:

http://fuddymuckers.co.uk/tools/cablecalc.html

Anderzander has already posted my other contribution to vehicle electrics posts