alternative 12V outlet...

[squidmotion]

guys,

i need to install an alternative 12V outlet in my speed3. for some reason, the ones that are in the car now seem to handle minimum amperage, and use a circuit breaker that kicks over every time i try to plug in my inverter (converting 12V to 110V to charge my laptop).. i like having the inverter available... can be very convenient.

here is what i plan to do.. rather than rework the stock locations, i plan to add another 12V outlet on the car somewhere (i'll pick out my location this weekend). i want to run as much amperage as i can to this outlet (fused of course), as the inverter needs 20amps.

is there a convenient spot to tap clean 12V power under the dash for this?

or do i need to go under the hood to where the power goes into the main circuit breaker box?

i refuse to use 'wire taps' or connect directly to the batters (yuck) and would prefer either a spot on the fuse box, or a place to bolt a terminal onto.

i guess one could look at this as the same as routing power to a high-powered amplifier... so where is the best place to get power for this on these cars?

 

[icspots]

Well the best place to get power is from the battery. That being said you don't need to attach something directly to one of the posts.

If you open up the engine compt. fuse box there's a smaller section towards the firewall (I believe it has another small cover) that has several flat fuses in it. One side of those fuses is attached directly to the positive terminal on the battery, the other side to whatever they're powering. There are one or two spots empty on that power bar. So you'd just need to pick up a couple specific fuses to fit it, run the power wire of the inverter to the lead side of the connection and Viola! You'll have fused power directly off the battery in a way that looks completely stock.

 

[squidmotion]

excellent!!! that is exactly what i will do...

if i think about it, i will post photos of the installation...


thanks for the quick reply, ic!

 

[Rotus8]

Here's a picture of the install I did for my air horns using this place.

 

[squidmotion]

thanks, guys... gonna try to make this happen this weekend... going to dallas tuesday, and want to be able to car charge when needed.....