What Gauge Wire

[Jayton]

Hi All,

 

The time has come to run some wire from the battery to the ciggie lighter, and what I want to know is, what gauge do I need? and which the best route to run it would be? how many feet would I need? Obv, I'll be adding an inline fuse.

 

Unless someone can help diagnose why both the aux power supply's in the boot and the ciggie lighter do not work? I've checked and replaced the fuses etc

 

I'd like to get it done tomorrow as the trip to the Valley's has crept up on me like a tiger in the jungle! ;)

[chrispb123456]

Hi J

Have you got the fuses under the drivers seat for the rear sockets? and have you tried for power on the back of the sockets and cig lighter.

If you need to run a wire from battery if you look behind the ABS valve block and down a bit in the bulkhead there's a rubber grommet, inside the car it's just under the heater blower.

Edited June 19, 2010 by chrispb123456

[RADIOTWO]

Hi All,

 

The time has come to run some wire from the battery to the ciggie lighter, and what I want to know is, what gauge do I need? and which the best route to run it would be? how many feet would I need? Obv, I'll be adding an inline fuse.

 

Unless someone can help diagnose why both the aux power supply's in the boot and the ciggie lighter do not work? I've checked and replaced the fuses etc

 

I'd like to get it done tomorrow as the trip to the Valley's has crept up on me like a tiger in the jungle! ;)

 

Hi Jayton

 

As the other member has not mentioned which cable, this is poss about the best,28/0.30mm, 2mm2, 17.5amp

 

Radiotwo

[Jayton]

I pulled the plugs off the back of the aux sockets and tested them with multimeter, there was no power between them, however we had -ve when touching the chassis with the -ve from the sockets (via the multimeter) but no +ve.

 

I've had a look for these fuses under the drivers seat a few times and can't see them, so think I don't have them (also my fusebox is the MK2's where one of the fuses in the row with a load of fuses is the fuse for these).

 

 

I'll crack out the multimeter again and check the ciggie lighter's power, maybe it's a broken or the socket itself is knackered.

 

If all else fails and I don't get these working I'll use the laptop to power the satnav on our last leg of the journey. It's times like these you think you bought a Ghia to have all the toys, but only realise that you've got a few of them and wonder why you paid extra for the Ghia ;)

[Jayton]

Right... We pulled the gear shaft gaitor off and tested the connections on the plug - no power.

We pulled the #7 use, white 25amp, and stuck the prongs in there to see if we could get power... no power at the fuse box!

 

What to do now, other than rig up a cable from the battery?

[chrispb123456]

Hi J

You said fuse 7 power supply is dead also check 8,9,10,11,12 see if these are also dead, they are fed from the fuse box next to the battery.

[Jayton]

Thanks Chris, I'll check that tomorrow if my multimeter at work has battery life still <_<

 

 

If it is that (Which at this point I'm inclined to think as the read sockets do not work either and they are powered by different fuses to the ciggie socket) what would be the 'cure'?

 

A loose connection in the fusebox next to the battery be the most likely cause?

[Jayton]

Good news:

Multimeter at work has batteries.

 

Bad news:

I worked late and didn't get a chance to check the others fuses.

I didn't test the ciggie lighter fuse socket properly, I put the probes across the fuse folder but ofc with nothing attached to the ciggie lighter to engage it... DOH! :rolleyes:

I had a quick look at the fuse box next to the battery while filling the screen wash up at the garage, the 3 fuses looked OK but I'll replace anyway.

 

I also noticed 2 very thin wires coming off the battery and going behind it and disappearing in what looks like OEM loom wrap stuff... both these wires have fuses, anyone know what they're for?