third grey wire in top 12v socket

[monkeytrumpet]

Morning all, I'd like to replace all the 12v sockets with USB ones, and 2 new USB in the buttons for android auto etc. Basically following dellmassive's guide, excellent as always. I'd like to take a 12v supply for my usb hub, but I dont have any of the fuse tap off devices. There should be 12v to the back of the 12v lighter sockets which I'm taking out but I can't seem to measure 12 at all, ignition on or off. There are no fuses blown, and there is a third grey wire to the back of the socket. Is this some kind of current sensing circuit to switch it on? does anyone know how to bypass it so I can use the supply for my hub?

Cheers

Phil

 

[Ads_Essex]

Morning all, I'd like to replace all the 12v sockets with USB ones, and 2 new USB in the buttons for android auto etc. Basically following dellmassive's guide, excellent as always. I'd like to take a 12v supply for my usb hub, but I dont have any of the fuse tap off devices. There should be 12v to the back of the 12v lighter sockets which I'm taking out but I can't seem to measure 12 at all, ignition on or off. There are no fuses blown, and there is a third grey wire to the back of the socket. Is this some kind of current sensing circuit to switch it on? does anyone know how to bypass it so I can use the supply for my hub?

Cheers

Phil

Is it grey with a blue streak? If so it could be the ambient illumination supply.

Ambient lighting feed from headlight switch, grey/blue wire?

Without a wiring diagram to hand, which grey/blue wire do I connect to for ambient light feed. The slightly larger grey/light blue (left of plug) or the thinner grey/dark blue (middle of plug)?

www.t6forum.com

 

[monkeytrumpet]

No, it's solid grey

 

[Dav-Tec]

Hi Phil. The grey wire is an illumination wire if the socket has a light fitted on it. The grey wire should only become live when you turn your lights on matey

 

[monkeytrumpet]

Right, sorted it, the top socket was dead but the socket down by the ash tray was live so I took that one. Lovely! USB everywhere! Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Ads_Essex]

Right, sorted it, the top socket was dead but the socket down by the ash tray was live so I took that one. Lovely! USB everywhere! Thanks for all the advice!

The top-dash socket is fed from the leisure battery, if one was factory fitted (the bottom socket from the vehicle battery).
If yours did have, it may be a disconnected cable or bad fuse - both being underneath the pax seat (usually). See:

Top Dash 12v cigar socket fuse locations [Updated]

Depending on what options you have and whether you have a factory second battery etc. the top dash fuse can be in different locations. This first location is below the centre socket by the tray is highlighted below. The empty slot just below it is one of the Top Dash socket fuse locations...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Paynewright]

Just be mindful USB sockets usually have a parasitic load if they are live all the time.

 

[monkeytrumpet]

Hmm, I hadn't considered that, I think I'll measure it before I call it job done!

 

[Dickie W]

Additional update regarding the grey wire:
I was getting no voltage between the grey wire and negative, with lights on or off. I traced it back to the coupler and found there was no feed to it on the middle pin.
I'm fitting an illuminated cigarette lighter socket as I'm going for a retro look, even though I'm not a smoker, and wanted the surround to glow red when the lights are on. As there is very little space behind the panel edges; fitting an illuminated socket is not possible. I achieved what I wanted using several heat resistant red LEDs connected into one of the feeds for the climate control dials just above the tightly fitted cig socket panel.
Getting that panel out is a pain, I did it with a protected pair of pliers pulling on the panel, in the hole where I had removed the original socket, and levering the edges with trim tools.

 

[Dickie W]

I'm not sure if anyone would want to illuminate their lower 12v socket surround, but here are the pics from the installation I have completed (just because I wanted too!).
I used four red 12v. LEDs secured around the inboard face of the socket panel. Standard illuminated sockets will not fit behind this panel, hence the LEDS. For the front I had a clear, acrylic 2mm washer laser cut, with the OD 34mm and the ID 23mm. I tied in the lighter heater element to the permanent live red wire, the housing to the brown. The LEDs are fed from a live Teed off from the climactic control panel above, so they are not permanently powered.

 

[CamperBadger]

The top-dash socket is fed from the leisure battery, if one was factory fitted (the bottom socket from the vehicle battery).
If yours did have, it may be a disconnected cable or bad fuse - both being underneath the pax seat (usually). See:

Top Dash 12v cigar socket fuse locations [Updated]

Depending on what options you have and whether you have a factory second battery etc. the top dash fuse can be in different locations. This first location is below the centre socket by the tray is highlighted below. The empty slot just below it is one of the Top Dash socket fuse locations...

www.t6forum.com

Hello - I have the lower socket fitted with a USB. If I wanted to also have a USB in the top dash socket (blanked off at present) could I simply tap in to the lower USB? Or would I be better going into the fuse box with a piggy back wire?

 

[roadtripper]

I'd put it's own circuit in, USB supply rarely expects to supply that much.

Keep in mind that a USB socket is a device that is active and consuming some power even when nothing is plugged in, you might want to consider a switch or go with a 12 socket and plug in USB you can remove when parking up for some time.