Hey guys,
Quick DIY for those of you looking to hardwire a V1 via the fuse box. You can use the same methodology for other devices as well (GPS, headrest DVD players), obviously making the necessary fuse adjustments based on the device's power requirements.
Goal: Tap an existing power source in the car that is hot when the key is in the ON or ACC position but unpowered when key is off.
Tools used:
- Fuse tap + new low-amp fuse for V1
- wire crimping tool to connect fuse tap wire to V1 power wire
- V1 provided direct wire power adapter
- screwdriver to secure ground
- flat head screwdriver to help push the telephone wire into headliner/rubber molding/cracks
1) Initially I was looking to just tap a 12v wire from the sunroof console, but unlike my BMW I couldn't find any wire that had 12v with key in the ON/ACC position and NO power when key was off. Checked each wire twice w/ my multimeter. Closest I found was a sunroof wire with 8v, but that wasn't enough. This is in the sunroof console when it is removed, but it was no help.
2) Plan b was to tap directly from the fuse. This is a pic of the connected V1 with the fuse box cover removed from behind the glove box. This pic is before I zip-tied the writing and replaced the scotch tape w/ electrical tape to secure my crimped wire connection. Fuse tap is on the left, with red wire leading out of it connecting to the power wire for the V1 and into the V1's adapter. From the adapter one black wire comes back out and gets grounded (see step 3). The other black wire is standard telephone cable that goes to the V1.
3) I tapped the front cigarette lighter fuse with a fuse tap (bottom right of fuse box) and grounded to the metal bracket to the left of the fuse box. The fuse tap has the cigarette lighter on its original 15A fuse w/ my V1 on a 5A fuse
4) Telephone cable runs from the V1 module in the glove box, along the seam of the two plastic pieces in the middle of the pic, to black rubber molding, up along the A pillar, across where the A pillar plastic meets the headliner (2nd pic), and then across the headliner to the V1. No wires visible.
5) Finished product. Turns off when key is OFF and on when key is ON/ACC.
I'm def not an electronics pro but this was relatively straightforward. Hardest part was driving around to find a store that had a fuse tap (Autozone finally did). Would appreciate any advice from pros on anything I did incorrectly or could have done better.
thanks.
Quick DIY for those of you looking to hardwire a V1 via the fuse box. You can use the same methodology for other devices as well (GPS, headrest DVD players), obviously making the necessary fuse adjustments based on the device's power requirements.
Goal: Tap an existing power source in the car that is hot when the key is in the ON or ACC position but unpowered when key is off.
Tools used:
- Fuse tap + new low-amp fuse for V1
- wire crimping tool to connect fuse tap wire to V1 power wire
- V1 provided direct wire power adapter
- screwdriver to secure ground
- flat head screwdriver to help push the telephone wire into headliner/rubber molding/cracks
1) Initially I was looking to just tap a 12v wire from the sunroof console, but unlike my BMW I couldn't find any wire that had 12v with key in the ON/ACC position and NO power when key was off. Checked each wire twice w/ my multimeter. Closest I found was a sunroof wire with 8v, but that wasn't enough. This is in the sunroof console when it is removed, but it was no help.
2) Plan b was to tap directly from the fuse. This is a pic of the connected V1 with the fuse box cover removed from behind the glove box. This pic is before I zip-tied the writing and replaced the scotch tape w/ electrical tape to secure my crimped wire connection. Fuse tap is on the left, with red wire leading out of it connecting to the power wire for the V1 and into the V1's adapter. From the adapter one black wire comes back out and gets grounded (see step 3). The other black wire is standard telephone cable that goes to the V1.
3) I tapped the front cigarette lighter fuse with a fuse tap (bottom right of fuse box) and grounded to the metal bracket to the left of the fuse box. The fuse tap has the cigarette lighter on its original 15A fuse w/ my V1 on a 5A fuse
4) Telephone cable runs from the V1 module in the glove box, along the seam of the two plastic pieces in the middle of the pic, to black rubber molding, up along the A pillar, across where the A pillar plastic meets the headliner (2nd pic), and then across the headliner to the V1. No wires visible.
5) Finished product. Turns off when key is OFF and on when key is ON/ACC.
I'm def not an electronics pro but this was relatively straightforward. Hardest part was driving around to find a store that had a fuse tap (Autozone finally did). Would appreciate any advice from pros on anything I did incorrectly or could have done better.
thanks.
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