[Che]

Having got my new headlights working a treat, i've got a bit cocky and wired all my 12v sockets direct to the battery with an on/off switch so I can kill the power drain if I want to.





In dash cigarette socket works fine, but i'm having no love with a 2 x 12v socket in the back. It's getting power, but for some reason nothing is being powered. There's an LED on the socket casing which should light up when power is on. I also have the earth properly grounded, so not sure what the deal is. I'vr tried switching the power/earth wires, but still no love.

Any troubleshoots to offer me?

[want33s]

Throw away the test light and get a multi meter....

[TZAR]

turn the switch on

[Taylor74]

Looks like if you are touching the side of the socket and getting power you have the wires arround the wrong way should only get power in the centre pin.

[89_tintop]

If you use the test light just on the socket.... One enf between the centre point and one on the edge point (if that makes sense)

what happens??

[Che]

After a quick drive to get some lunch, i've re checked and not getting any power at the back at all now. test light is reading nothing off the centre or side of the sockets, and my socket-->USB thing isn't working anymore (it had an LED in it so it'd light up if working, but it's now not working at all). I just killed the circuit fuse checking the dash 12v socket so I gotta get some more before I can try anything else...

Wiring is the right way round - I think I just took a photo as I was testing the polarity of the circuit to see if I had that wrong, wanted to show power was getting to the back. Using 4mm wire and the sockets in the back are good for 10A. Switch is good for 30A.

Annoying... a ghost in the system.

[the-ninja-kid]

4mm wire. . . . how long is the Run of wire? Id be checking for voltage loss at 10a or more though. I ran 8gauge to the auxiliary socket in the back of my Vitara today. most cigaret sockets are only 10a anyway. but I ran the thicker wire so when i wire in a second and possibly third socket I have more than enough current to the back of the car.

as far as your polarity goes. the center of the socket is + and the outside is -

Id say a loose connection or something somewhere?

[Che]

Yeah - I don't think the earth is properly connected inside the socket housing.... time to pull it off and have a look.

[the-ninja-kid]

is it a cheapo socket? I used ones out of a VE commodore. get em from a wrecker. have a nice cover and all just drill a hole with a spade bit the size you need and they clip in. already have a plug on the back.

[Che]

It's a $15 job from SCA. I had a single socket there and working fine, but really shoulda installed a double from the get go - one just isn't enough for me. I'll try sorting again in the daylight tomorrow

[the-ninja-kid]

Yeah I need to wire another socket in as well. thats why I ran 8 gauge. so i could run a few sockets and things without running multiple wires. but for now a single socket an a 12V power board works fine. I don't know how Im going to wire for my Inverter though. . .