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Adding a circuit or two

Messages
15
Likes
7
City
Sherwood Park
State
Non-US
Country
Canada
What I Drive
2011 SE 5dr 5sp
#1
Hello,

I have 2 circuits that I want to add to the car.

1. for the dash cam. It is currently in the cigarette lighter which is always powered, so it needs a new point of connection.
2. for a pair of aftermarket USB ports. Total maybe 20 watts at a time.

Both circuits should only power on when the car is on.

I prefer easy, but even more so, I prefer to do the job just once, the right way.

I understand that running 2 new circuits means putting a fuse in line. If I do it this way, do I go direct from the battery?

All tips and pointers appreciated. I'm an apprentice electrician, so I understand a bit and looking for an intermediate explanation if there is one.
 

scotman

Well-Liked Member
Messages
1,926
Likes
1,627
City
Grass Lake
State
MI
Country
United States
What I Drive
2011 Fiesta SE hbk Blue
#2
I would tap into the wiper circuit to power the dash cam using a “tap a circuit “ fused connector.
If the other circuit is going to be a continuous feed I would just use a soldered connector from the battery and feed it into the cabin through the access point under the a pillar window. There’s a body plug visible when you open the door. I ran a good sized cable through it and back to the cargo area to run a 2000 watt sinewave inverter and also a 12 volt power point to run an onboard air compressor. The power points that are in the center console are not rated for anything but a phone charger. I did add a switch and inline fuse back there to prevent issues. I can add some pics if you want them.
Welcome to the Fiesta forum!
 


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