Help With Extra Power (12v) From Fuse Box

[Bobbie]

Hi Guys!

I recently bought a T6 and I want to install a gas alarm (the cars runs on LPG).

I`m thinking to use a fuse box tap (also know as a "piggyback" fuse). Can anyone help with pointing out a fuse slot that delivers constant power?

The gas alarm needs constant power to stay on at night when I`m sleeping in the van.

It would safe me time (measuring) but more important I rather don`t use the tap on a safety item fuse.

Thanks!

Pic of my fuse box;

 

[Dellmassive]

the center column is ignition switched and the outer sides are full time power.

be careful that gas alarm doesnt drain the starter battery over time.

(the van monitors the battery power via a sensor on the neg post and it will get upset if it sees additional drain from the starter battery that it is not expecting)

it might be better to run it from a leisure battery via a fuse.



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[Bobbie]

Thank you for your quick reply.

So the outer rows are the ones to go for, are any of them related to a safety item?
Is there a better option to go for, smaller or bigger fuse slot?
Is any of the open fuse slots providing power or just dummy slots?

Unfortunately, I don`t have a leisure battery. Still considering to install one (my electrical knowledge is limited, this is holding me back). Now I use a power bank (Goal Zero) as power supply when I`m out for camping.

The gas alarm can be switch on and off (I will only use it at night) and uses 100mA in standby (180mA when active/in alarm). So this should take a long time to drain the battery. Maybe I will add an additional switch the be 100% sure...

Thanks for the membership suggestion!

 

[Dellmassive]

Thank you for your quick reply.

So the outer rows are the ones to go for, are any of them related to a safety item?
Is there a better option to go for, smaller or bigger fuse slot?
Is any of the open fuse slots providing power or just dummy slots?

Unfortunately, I don`t have a leisure battery. Still considering to install one (my electrical knowledge is limited, this is holding me back). Now I use a power bank (Goal Zero) as power supply when I`m out for camping.

The gas alarm can be switch on and off (I will only use it at night) and uses 100mA in standby (180mA when active/in alarm). So this should take a long time to drain the battery. Maybe I will add an additional switch the be 100% sure...

Thanks for the membership suggestion!

The expected quiescent draw the van is expecting should be under 50mA (when sleeping) so adding 100mA ontop will trigger the power draw warning after a while, and could cause starting issues after an extended duration of the van not being used if the gas alarm was left running.

the empty slots dont have any power pins, so use a pigtail fuse holder for now and a switch would be a good idea to switch it off when not needed.

have a look at @travelvolts https://www.travelvolts.net/

they do some plug-and-play leisure battery setups that might be worth looking at in the future. (Martin will advise you best)

even if you just go for a stand-alone leisure battery/battery box just for camping - that you can remove from the van to re-charge and not the fully fitted system.

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[andys]

And if you do use a piggyback fuse, make sure you orient it so that you take the feed from the fused side not the live side, as that will bypass the fuse.

 

[Bobbie]

The expected quiescent draw the van is expecting should be under 50mA (when sleeping) so adding 100mA ontop will trigger the power draw warning after a while, and could cause starting issues after an extended duration of the van not being used if the gas alarm was left running.

Even when using the alarm for a couple of nights with a full battery will trigger the alarm? Am I understanding it correct, when adding a source that uses more than 50mA this will trigger the warning system? Is this a light on the dashboard?

have a look at @travelvolts https://www.travelvolts.net/

they do some plug-and-play leisure battery setups that might be worth looking at in the future. (Martin will advise you best)

I would love some advice.

@andys Thanks for the tip!

 

[Dellmassive]

Even when using the alarm for a couple of nights with a full battery will trigger the alarm? Am I understanding it correct, when adding a source that uses more than 50mA this will trigger the warning system? Is this a light on the dashboard?



I would love some advice.

@andys Thanks for the tip!

No, not a light on the dash but a fault code stored in the vans ECU`s and possibly a flat battery is it was left connect for a week and forgot about.

i have seen messages pop-up on the radio about powering-down to save battery power etc.

as far as the 50mA that is the max expected draw from the van, it monitors the power in/out of the battery via a shunt on the neg post. if the van sees more than the expected current draw it assumes there may be a fault.

I've had error codes before when i have left a Carista OBD2 scanner left in the comms port, or left a dash cam running over night, or left anything not OEM running from a battery supply.


best thing to do is just fit-it-and-see, you might be fine over a long weekend if your van is a daily-driver and the battery is fully topped up every day.