Last minute confirmation

**DiNASTY** · 04-17-2005, 06:31 PM

Hey all,
I'm minutes away from hardwiring my carputer to the fuse panel and before I begin I wanted to get a last minute check on what I'm about to do. My laptop and lilliput will be hooked up to the fuse panel under the steering wheel. Both have regulated power from the (egg) and the laptop car charger adapter.

I'm gonna use a 10A fuse. The laptop draws 8.5A and the lilliput draws about half an Amp to 1A if i'm not mistaken.

Here is a pic of what i'm doin.

If anything raises a red flag let me know. I'm gonna chill and drink a beer for now and wait for some replys before I take the plunge. Thanks for reading,

-DiNASTY-

**Bugbyte** · 04-17-2005, 08:34 PM

What are you tapping it off of? If there's anything else on that circuit, you've only got 1/2 amp of overhead to work with.

**DiNASTY** · 04-17-2005, 08:43 PM

Yeah,
I've hit a roadblock. My laptop and the lilliput is all that will be in the circuit but when I pulled apart the cigarette adapter on the laptop car charger I found what looks like a 15A fuse. I'm running the positive from an empty fuse that was supposed to be designated for the moon-roof and had a 20A fuse. I think I will probably move up to a 15A fuse but I'm not sure. I'm also having questions about where to ground the negitive wires for my components. I think i'm gonna hold off and do some more searching before I give it a go.

**Change** · 04-17-2005, 08:48 PM

Gaah. I *hate* those splicers. They cut into the cable you're splicing into, and can weaken it.

**Bugbyte** · 04-17-2005, 08:53 PM

15 sounds fine if you've got nothing else on it. Ground the negative wires to the same spot to help prevent engine noise. If you can find a nice bolt to connect it to, that's fine. There's usually one up around the pedals and steering column.

**markopolo311** · 04-17-2005, 10:02 PM

and be sure you splice to the correct side of the fuse...

**DiNASTY** · 04-17-2005, 10:11 PM

well crap,
the damn car uses mini style fuses that are about half the size of a regular automotive fuse. This means that I can't use a fuse tap. I'm about to give up, but I'm thinking of somehow connecting a wire directly into an empty fuse slot and using an in-line style fuse holder for my 15A fuse. I donno if this is safe but I will keep searching. Thanks for the tip on the splicer, I won't use it.

**Chairboy** · 04-17-2005, 10:19 PM

Go to another carpart store, they sell fusetaps that fit the small fuses as well as the normal ones. I had to do this with one of my cars.

**DiNASTY** · 04-17-2005, 10:22 PM

thanks Chairboy, i'll go shopping tomorrow

**DiNASTY** · 04-18-2005, 04:54 PM

Just got back from shopping... These little buggers are hard to find. I tried Kragen, AutoZone, RadioShack and Fry's Electronics but still couldn't find them. However, I did find a Mini add-a-circuit kit but it has a max of 10A and says not to exceed it. I have more than one empty fuse slot so I'm thinking of using 2 add-a-circuits (one 3A for the Lilliput and the other 10A for the laptop. Should I go in this direction or should I stick w/ my original plan and buy a mini fuse tap online?