Installing new accessory power outlets.

[93XLTfromOhio]

Hi folks. I am interested in installing new power outlets. All the time I have friends in my Ex for long trips and they always complain about having to take turns charging their phones on my one power outlet, which isn't even an outlet its a cigarette lighter. anyways I'm thinking of installing one on the center console facing the backseat and maybe one on each wheel hump in the back cargo area. My question is can I simply wire these off an existing power wire or would it be better to run the wires to the fuse box. Last time I replaced the Turn Signal Flasher I noticed I have a couple fuse slots that are unused, Can i simply use these or how dose that work, I have never had to wire anything to the fuse box. If I can get away with wiring them to say the rear windshield washer pump that seems the easiest but i also don't want to stress things out. Any wisdom you guys want to share with me or any ideas, I would be more than happy. Thanks guys.

 

[arco777]

I added an outlet to the removable panel covering the rear window washer reservoir and jack storage. I have a fuel transfer pump and a small inverter I run from it. I ran 12ga wires right to the front cig lighter outlet. That way the circuit is fused properly. Added one to a friend's 05 Explorer the same way, to the left of the steering wheel.

Most devices you plug in to these outlets won't draw much current, so you could get away with a power tap from wherever. But some like large inverters and such could overtax circuits not made for them. The right way for a high draw supply would be a tap from the battery itself. You may be able to use an unused circuit from the fuse panel. But who knows how good the wiring behind it is. When in doubt I run my own power wires.

For small devices like mobile phone chargers, tapping the stock cig lighter circuit would be fine.

Just make sure to always use an inline fuse.

 

[93XLTfromOhio]

great idea arco. Never thought of that. My local AutoZone carries medium sized spools of wire so running it that far wouldn't be to big of a task. What do you think the max amount of outlets i could run off the current cigar lighter would be, remember I want to run three if possible, could they all run off that circuit or should i just hook the front one to the lighter and the back two to washer pump or something like that?

 

[arco777]

You could run as many as you want to the stock cig lighter. The issue is how many devices are running off it at one time. Most cell chargers use less than 2 amps so you could conceivably run 4 at once safely. Stock circuit is likely good for 10 amps continuous.

I wouldn't suggest running them to the windshield washer circuit or others. Besides, the pump is only powered when the switch is depressed. Grabbing power from any random circuit may be fine for one or two phone chargers, but if someone plugs in a high draw device and blows a fuse or damages a circuit, you'll wish you'd just run the extra few feet of wire.

 

[$$exploder$$]

Hey man u can get an adapter that plugs in to your cigarette lighter that splits off to three cigarette lighplug instead

 

[Jason94sport]

And you can get them with fuses already installed. However as stated you'll have to watch what you plug in as you will overload the 1 12V socket. If it's just for phone chargers, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Maniak]

I'd run my own fused wire from the battery. I have added a small fuse "block" under the hood for all the new accessories in the X. That way I'm not relying on the myriad of extra connections and factory wire.

At one time I did try to run extra stuff off the cig lighter fuse but I would blow the fuse. In my case we were trying to run a small inverter to keep a laptop powered (150 watt inverter) AND run the GPS and charge a cell phone.

It really comes down to how much power do you want to be able to pull. IIRC the cig lighter fuse is 15-20 AMP on a 1st gen. Depending on how many 12v power plugs you add to the circuit you could go over and pop the fuse. Its not the end of the world, but it will be annoying.

~Mark

 

[93XLTfromOhio]

Thanks for all the help on this guys. Mark I ended up doing exactly what you did. I needed to fix a botched battery cable from the last owner anyways so at the same time as that i pulled a fuse panel out of a wrecked 88 Taurus. I ran new 10 guage power wires to the rear window washer/jack storage area and mounted the Taurus fuse block there. Then I started hooking any new assesories into that fuse panel. This way I have plenty of slots to hook up anything I want. I put two power outlets in the back right on the wheel humps and two in the center console, one inside the center storage area under the lid and the other on the backside facing the rear seats. My ashtray is now closed and seeings as how I don't smoke, it has no reason to be opened. Sorry I cant post any pictures as im not a elite member yet but hopefully you guys get the idea.

 

[bronchole]

Did you put a fuse near the battery for the 10ga wire you ran? You need to. Probably a 50A fuse would do. I just don't want to see you burn your rig to the ground!

 

[93XLTfromOhio]

See, I have a amplifier and two 10" subwoofers. Their 8 guage wire has a fuse holder with a fuse, its a 60amp I believe. This wire was the mess I was repairing, the connection at the battery. The previous owner "wigger rigged" it to say the least. Anyways I cleaned up that connecton at the battery and then added a splice for my 10 guage wire right after the big fuse. Everything seems fine so far. Its been a few weeks since I did this project and a overhead console install. My nose has been on high alert, and so far hasnt smelled anything besides burning oil. Ah yes, that engine, its going to be a hoot to fix I imagine.

 

[bronchole]

60A for a 10ga wire might be pushing it a bit, I will let others comment in more detail.

The primary issue is that over time wires can chaff against all sorts of things and if it wears thru the wire insulation it could arc to grounded metal. If that arcing happens long and intense enough it could heat the wire to the point where it could melt and fully short out. If the fuse is not rated low enough for a particular wire gauge the wire could heat up to something hot enough to cut thru the insulation of other wires and hoses and potentially cause a fire. Most of this will happen months to years down the line, when you are not thinking about it any more.

If there is any concern, simply add an in-line fuse holder with another smaller fuse in it for your wire.

 

[93XLTfromOhio]

Acctually when I wrote that I couldnt remember the amps of the fuse. I went out and checked and its actually a 40amp fuse not 60. The only place i could see the wire chaffing was where it passes through the firewall. For some reason I had a hard time finding plastic or rubber gromets so as a project at my machinists school i made some two peice aluminum gromets with extensions on both sides of the wall to keep the wire strait through the wall. Hopefully everything should be ok. I really wish I could post some pictures but hopefully everyone gets the idea.

 

[Maniak]

Acctually when I wrote that I couldnt remember the amps of the fuse. I went out and checked and its actually a 40amp fuse not 60. The only place i could see the wire chaffing was where it passes through the firewall. For some reason I had a hard time finding plastic or rubber gromets so as a project at my machinists school i made some two peice aluminum gromets with extensions on both sides of the wall to keep the wire strait through the wall. Hopefully everything should be ok. I really wish I could post some pictures but hopefully everyone gets the idea.

Assuming the fuse is right by the battery, that 40 amp fuse is fine. It is big enough for the draw you might have but small enough that if the wire does short out somewhere that the fuse will still blow. The real (bad) issues comes in when the fuse is too big and the wire burns before the fuse pops.

BTW.. Here are a couple good links about posting pics on EF when your not elite.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147920
and
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=359901

~Mark

 

[93XLTfromOhio]

yeah its by the battery, id say 10 inches behind it. I didn't want a fuse just dangling in mid air so when i put the wire for the sub woofers up there i made a little bracket and mounted it against the fuse box that comes from Ford. Thanks Mark for the tips on posting pictures. Next time I do anything Ill use those tips.