Hardwired 12v socket fried a phone charger/blew fuse in plug-in..

Damn Dirty Ape

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So.... I got an add-a-circuit, put in a 10a in the bottom slot, 5a in the upper slot. Pulled the heated mirrors 10a fuse, all seems ok so far. I used the heated mirrors due to a lack of space under the fuse lid in virtually any other slot.

I ran the power to the power lead of the 12v accessory socket (noted it has on it, not for lighter use) to the power from the add-a-circuit and the ground from the socket to a bolt that is grounding a circular connect for about 5 other ground wires.

I did use crush-type connectors but they are nice and tight.

I started the car, plugged in the car-charger accessory for an A118C and the red light did not come on, took a cellphone charger that lights up when power is applied, nothing.

Didn't have the A118C plugged on the charger when the fuse went.


So here I am, a 1 amp glass fuse in the car-charger accessory blown and a non-operative usb car charger now. I pulled the add-a-circuit until I can figure out what the heck just happened. Neither fuse in the add-a-circuit blew.

FYI it is a 2014 Infiniti Q50S.

Thoughts?
 
Pretty sure - wire from the AAC to the power-in wire for the socket and the ground (had a ring connector already) wire from the socket to a community ground bolt.
 
Odd. If something were wrong with the wiring, the 5A fuse should have blown. That is, if you have the 12v socket connected to the load side of the add-a-circuit. If you have the add-a-circuit installed backwards, the output is wired to the hot side and you have no fuse protection. STRIKE THAT. If you have the add-a-circuit installed backwards, you would have no power to the second circuit. I just double-checked on my car to be sure.

You might try plugging the adapter in before you start the car. I had issues blowing fuses when plugging in my phone charger and radar detector when the car was running. I keep some spare fuses on hand in case I forget. :(
 

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Odd. If something were wrong with the wiring, the 5A fuse should have blown. That is, if you have the 12v socket connected to the load side of the add-a-circuit. If you have the add-a-circuit installed backwards, the output is wired to the hot side and you have no fuse protection.

You might try plugging the adapter in before you start the car. I had issues blowing fuses when plugging in my phone charger and radar detector when the car was running. I keep some spare fuses on hand in case I forget. :(


On the AAC there is only one wire coming from it, a red 12 gauge wire. I'm going to have to find some 1a fuses for the charger. The worse part is the dual use charger is dead too. It's non-serviceable as far as I can tell. I'll try plugging in the charger once I get a couple of new fuses and see if that changes anything.
 
Ok ready for this? The socket was wired wrong! They had the ring connector (used for ground screw right?) on the power wire (red). I DID have it wired backwards based on this.

HOWEVER, correcting this now shows no power to the socket. I'll check the fuses on the add a circuit. I don't see that the socket itself has a fuse though.

Love that Chinese quality assurance.
 
You can choose to lay blame elsewhere, or as I've always done it even with domestic products, check my work after I complete it, then check again before plugging something in that I might regret losing. With something like this, I would've done a continuity check on the wires & socket and caught it before even walking over to the car. A $5 DMM would've saved you time, money and unnecessary frustration.

KuoH

Love that Chinese quality assurance.
 
You can choose to lay blame elsewhere, or as I've always done it even with domestic products, check my work after I complete it, then check again before plugging something in that I might regret losing. With something like this, I would've done a continuity check on the wires & socket and caught it before even walking over to the car. A $5 DMM would've saved you time, money and unnecessary frustration.

KuoH


Well I've not much experience in wiring, but when I see the ground ring I know what that is supposed to be. A company that made this item as this obviously had no check before packaging. So if I had known more about it I would have double-checked but letting it out the door is a major fail. How many others got out or was mine the only one? I'm going back today to see if the others on the peg are the same way.
 
black is always ground, I've seen lots of these with a ring terminal on the red wire, that's why I asked if it was wired the right way around earlier
 
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