Splicing iTronics 100HD pwr/gnd as cig lighter alternative?

minaviggen

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I have an auto-dimming mirror/HomeLink system installed aftermarket, and was done so by removing the interior dome-light wiring and splicing the power/ground wires into the wiring for the interior dome lights.

This ensures power when the car is on at all times, but turns off once the keys are removed. You can see what I mean here (to see the cabling and the bite clamps used to splice the wires in the installation instructions)
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20993

What I'm wondering - can I take the power cable for the iTronics 100HD, remove the 12VDC cigarette lighter connector, and splice the power/ground wiring into the same dome lighting circuit and wires as with my rearview mirror? That way, I could power the unit without plugging in to the cigarette lighter, it would turn on when the car is on, and will turn off immediately when the keys are removed.

Would there be enough power across the circuit for the dome lights? If not, is there another similar option to splice the power cable into other powered devices in a car?

I know they make other adapters to hard-wire the camera for "always on" parking monitoring, but I don't need that. Really just wondering if I can circumvent the need to run these cables to my cigarette lighter and instead wire it up like my rearview mirror.

Thoughts? Anyone tried this?
 
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Re: Splicing iTronics 100HD pwr/gnd as cig lighter alternati

Er... Yes. Perhaps.

First, I have not looked at the "always on" adapters, but I'd bet a traffic fine that it mostly consists of an inline fuse holder -- if you disassemble the power point plug you'll find the value it should be.

Second, why the dome light? You may be better off doing it through the power point (cigarette lighter), although you would have to route the wire down the windscreen pillar etc. The power point has heavy wiring to take all sorts of gadgets, so there's no chance of overloading it. Do remember to use an inline fuse ("first" above), though, in addition to the power point fuse -- you would not believe the surges you get when some equipment is hot-plugged in! And don't forget to put the fuse on the "hot" (red) wire...

Gordon.
 
Re: Splicing iTronics 100HD pwr/gnd as cig lighter alternati

Hi minaviggen,

You could hard wire to the fuse box. Some circuits in the fuse box receive power all the time, others receive power only when the car is on. If you want parking mode, you hardwire to a circuit that always receives power. If you want it on only when the car is running you can hardwire to a circuit that receives power only when the car is running.

Many people have hardwired to the dome lights as well and haven't had a problem. Not sure if the cam + rear view mirror would overload the circuit in your case.
 
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