Interior Decorating

A

acolwill

Member
I'm thinking about doing an internal mod centred around the front light cluster.

Using Magnets to secure my sat-nav holder to the front light cluster

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I've dismembered a cig-lighter charger which drops the 12v down to 5v and should be easily able to mount this under the cluster with a little wiggling. However, how can I safely draw a 12v from the light cluster input (or somewhere nearby) without damaging anything/everything?
 
it could be slightly high, hence magnets and not a permanent fixing.

the reasoning behind the move is to not have a completely visible sat-nav holder on display, and to hide the cabling.
 
Sat Nav

I stick my sat nav using the suction cup over the revometer, as I can live without seeing it now and then. If I am going on a long trip, I can thread the cable down the left side of the steering wheel, slotting the cable into the join between the bottom and top parts of the dash. this then neatly goes down the small crack between the dash, and centre dash panel, before snaking it to the cigarette lighter.

Will try and do a pic, as very compicated to explain!!

I have a Tom Tom and the cable is plenty long enough. Its also easy to read, as you look in a normal area you are used to for checking speed etc, and the cable does not get in the way!
 
I thought about that, however, I've got a Navman S80 which has a nice large screen.

Does anyone have access to the wiring diagrams for the center cluster?
 
There is +ve supply to the lights so it should be a simple case of busting out a multimeter to see where the +5V wire is on the light switch!

I would think it is very high to mount a satnav there too. Your head will have to look away from the road for quite some time just to glance at the nav unit. The best place to mount with hidden wiring would be the right to the steering wheel where the wires can be hidden along the pillar trim panel.

Where as I've choosen to mount on top of the centre dash panel http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13796 But I haven't started to work on the wiring yet. But when i do, i'll be getting the switched power supply from behind the headunit.
 
phil pk said:
I stick my sat nav using the suction cup over the revometer, as I can live without seeing it now and then.
Click to expand...

Genius! I tried this on my way home from work at it's great. You can nearly get away with putting it between the dials (I don't have full DIS), but then again if a fault started beeping I'd want to see what it was pretty quick.

Also I'm just about to fit a new cupholder that I broke bodging the TomTom in there before, no need to break the new one now!

Thanks!
 
Well, I'm disappointed and fairly annoyed with myself for not fully checking the components I was using.

The rocker switch I had intended to use (and have already chopped a hole for) has too high resistance...

I've also since found out the DC-DC converter I had intended to use is fairly heat sensitive so housing it where the light cluster is wouldn't be a smart idea :(

Time to shelve this for the moment whilst I rethink my strategy.
 
I'm thinking along the lines of Apple's brilliant MacSafe connector used on their laptops. It uses magnet to hold the plug, which the magnet mounting already provides that, all i need is some exposed metal (copper?) strip on the mounting point and at the mount itself.

The only way would be to drill holes... but you don't want to do that on the dash which is a £££ replacement. If you trust your craftmanship, I suggest drilling holes in the ridge of the square, so you can make 'legs' on the base of your mount that snaps into place (if you follow me).

However, if I was to experiment drilling holes, I would try mounting on top of the instrument hood! That is a replaceable piece of cover, not sure how much, but surely can't be as expensive as whole new front dash! There, all the wires can be routed behind the instrument clock too!
 
hi friends

i have mounted my little gramin nuvi on glass-bracket(right translation??).i have used "strap"double-sided tape.i have put the power cable under seat and between seat and central console.not have problem whit radio control.
for me is good solution.look the pics(not comments about the sexy leg:D):
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cheers

antonio
 
Modifications complete!

I had a rethink of my strategy and have successfully implemented my switched sat-nav power feed.

Items purchased were:

USB & Mini USB In-Car Charger £9.99
Gold-Plated Insulated Crocodile Clips [Red and Black] £1.98
Equipment Wire (24/0·2) [White and Black] £4.98 (no red available)
Solderless 2.1mm Plug £3.79
Solderless 2.1mm Socket £3.99
Double Pole Miniature Switch £1.29

The pictures are pretty self explanatory. I stumbled upon the USB in-car charger by mistake and am quite satisfied that it will do the job I expect it to do.
The entire modification has been done in such a way that the car can be returned back to a pre-mod status (less the hole in the centre light cluster) and as such, be quite simple for those whom aren't great with electronics/modifications.
Wiring is colour coded for simplicity (stupidity), however, due to the lack of red shielded cabling from Maplins, I opted for white as positive.

Anyway. Now for the pictures!

I apologise for the size/quality, they have been uploaded direct from my phone!

From the outside of the car, looking in.
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From the inside of the car, looking out.
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The switch!
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The wiring.
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The wiring a bit clearer.
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Plug to USB.
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As the USB charger is fused, I just looped the -ve around the outer connector and taped it with insulating tape. For the +ve connector I pinched the end with a pair of pliers and looped the wire to the inside, wedging it in with the fuse and again, wrapping it in insulating wire. This in theory should keep the wire in place and safe from shorting out and still let me change the fuse if required!

Feedback please!

Aaron.
 
Surely using croc clips to link wires to a circuit board isnt the most secure way of doing it??

A few rough roads and they'll slip and short something - not very safe!!
 
It's been in for a few days now and no issues so far. The clips themselves are very strong, one of the reasons for choosing them.

The -ve clip is wedged between the plastic and doesn't move freely. The +ve clip won't move without a _lot_ poking.
 
my slight concern is the location of the satnav. Wouldn't you block it off when you need to use the sun visor?
 
Feeds are taken from the common ground in the light cluster, and what I believe to be switched positive feed to the center light (before it gets switched).

Being unable to physically disassemble the light cluster without doing some fairly serious damage, I was fairly unwilling to permanently solder direct to where the clusters wiring clips in.


As for positioning and the sun visor, yes it does get in the way on the odd occasion that I actually use the sun visor. However, you should be listening to the woman ordering you around instead of glaring at your sat-nav screen IMHO.
 
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