# 12v wiring !



## cathvangirly (May 25, 2009)

sorry if this has been asked before ( I have tried searching but couldn't find what I was after !!)

Most of my 12v stuff have a ciggy plug on the end eg cool box, 12v tv, phone chargers etc. - does this mean they have a fuse in them ? If not do I need to have a fuse? 

For the things that don't, how do I work out which type of wire to use ? ( I have looked on maplins site and there are several I thought might be right  - Twin Power Cable > Maplin ) how do I work out which 'A' I need ?

How do I know what size fuse to put in? eg my lights are both 12v 8 w ?

Sorry for so many questions just don't want to set fire to all my hard work !!

Thanks in advance !

Catherine


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## Deleted member 5759 (May 25, 2009)

Hi Catherine.

Power leads using the cigarette lighter socket rely on the fuse for the socket which is in the cab/chassis fusebox, individually they are not fused.

Peter


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## Pioneer (May 25, 2009)

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> Hi Catherine.
> 
> Power leads using the cigarette lighter socket rely on the fuse for the socket which is in the cab/chassis fusebox, individually they are not fused.
> 
> Peter



Hi, some of my leads have 5amp fuses inside, these an be changed to a different size if the Gadget being used, recommends it. Usualy the glass type, if this blows, it saves the vehicle fuse. Never had one blown, yet!

Happy Camping


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## cathvangirly (May 25, 2009)

thanks for the quick replies !

so if I am running things straight from a leisure battery I will need to have a fuse between the battery and the appliance ? How do I work out how big a fuse ?

Catherine


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## Pioneer (May 25, 2009)

cathvangirly said:


> thanks for the quick replies !
> 
> so if I am running things straight from a leisure battery I will need to have a fuse between the battery and the appliance ? How do I work out how big a fuse ?
> 
> Catherine



Hi, any labels on the appliances? usualy would tell you on here.


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## cathvangirly (May 25, 2009)

tv says input DC12v = 1.25A there is nothing on the cig plug !


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## ian81 (May 25, 2009)

Generally if a cigarette plug has a fuse the tip end will unscrew to allow replacement of the fuse. Although they used all to be 32mm /1.25 in fuses recently some appliances I have bought have a 20mm glass fuse in them. 

Generally a fuse should be a few amps more than the stated running current so would suggest a 5amp for a 1.25 amp load -this allows for any surge on initially powering on the equipment.

Ideally all equipment should fused: if you are plugging into a fixed socket there will be a fuse somewhere if it has been installed properly -e.g. a vehicle mounted one.


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## cathvangirly (May 25, 2009)

thanks ! I was going to use a lighter socket with crocodile clips to the battery (or those fixed type connectors) so there won't be a fuse there . .  (I think) so do I need to put one in ?
I'm still not sure about the right wire to use for the lights as they will be coming straight from the leisure battery !

sorry for all the questions !

Catherine


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## Pioneer (May 26, 2009)

cathvangirly said:


> thanks ! I was going to use a lighter socket with crocodile clips to the battery (or those fixed type connectors) so there won't be a fuse there . .  (I think) so do I need to put one in ?
> I'm still not sure about the right wire to use for the lights as they will be coming straight from the leisure battery !
> 
> sorry for all the questions !
> ...



Hi, 
if your using your TV from the vehicle cig socket, then the cig plug on your TV will need a 5amp fuse in the end of it, or an inline 5amp fuse on the live feed to the TV. This wire can be (red, brown or black with a white line on it).

You want to connect lights to your leisure battery? then use the fixed battery connectors, 2.5mm flex cable to a fuse box(hidden) and from the fuse box, use 1.5mm flex cable to the lights.
In the fuse box, a 5amp fuse (spade type) should do the job.   
The fuse boxes can have 3or4 fuses, so you will be able to put other caravan type 2pin sockets in your van for other appliances, using the reccommended fuse for the appliance

Hope this is OK for you, you sound totaly lost. Do you know anyone who would do this for you? 
Good luck.

Happy Camping


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## cathvangirly (May 26, 2009)

only a little lost - but isn't that the fun of wild camping !!!!!!

I've been camping for years in a tent but never had to deal with electrical items ! Wood work is a dodle but I feel if I get the electrics wrong I could be in trouble !

Maybe I'll try and ask around to see if anyone can do it for me !!

Thanks for you advice !!

Catherine


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## runnach (May 26, 2009)

Well Catherine if you are slightly lost you are not on your own 

Something you cant see, or smell, but can kill you ..TBH I am well wary of !!

Channa


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## Pioneer (May 26, 2009)

Hi Catherine,
read your PM service. May be able to help if your near.


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## pavo (Jun 25, 2009)

*Fused ciggie lighters!!!!!!!!!!!*

Nice to see a dealer talking a load of tosh again!!!!!!!!!! Some, not all ciggie power leads have a 3A/5A fuse in them. Most vehicle fuses are rated at 15A so could cause a problem when using smaller appliances if they have a electrical defect.


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## Belgian (Jun 25, 2009)

cathvangirly said:


> sorry if this has been asked before ( I have tried searching but couldn't find what I was after !!)
> 
> Most of my 12v stuff have a ciggy plug on the end eg cool box, 12v tv, phone chargers etc. - does this mean they have a fuse in them ? If not do I need to have a fuse?
> 
> ...



Hi Catherine,
No fuzz for phone chargers.... these are light consumers. No need for fuses.
It will be an other matter for all appliances producing heat ( coffee machines...) then you'll need a fuse (glas-on, in line; 10>20A).
Allways connect to your leisure battery (never to the ciggie-lighter: this is on your start battery, and you could have a dead battery the next morning !)


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## Airecraft (Jun 27, 2009)

*Calculating fuse size*

You can estimate fuse size by dividing power in Watts by Voltage (~12V off a battery) so for an 8 Watt appliance current is 8 watts/12 volts or 0.66 amps, so you would fit a 1 amp fuse.


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