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MG MGF Technical - power in the boot


Does anyone know where the best place to source power in the boot is?

I have a portable fridge and would like to fit a cigarette lighter socket into the boot so that I can power it.

Any ideas on my best approach?
Neil H

I guess you want a constant-live power feed, rather than one that is ignition-dependent? Or is the fridge purely to keep things cold in transit?
Rob Bell

Oh, and I forgot to ask - what is the power rating of this device?
Rob Bell

For very low power drain you could steal the power from the purple wire going to the boot light.
Will Munns

For hight drain you might try looking for the power lead to the solinoid or the alternator (but do remember to fuse it early!
Will Munns

There's a brown wire which connects to the inertia switch which I think is on the LH side in the engine compartment. This is fed from the under bonnet fuse box by Fuse 2 (30 Amp). You should really install another lower current fuse in the line so that your fridge breaking down doesn't stop the car.

Good luck

Bruce
stay cool!
Bruce Caldwell

>I have a portable fridge and would like to fit a cigarette lighter socket into the boot so that I can power it.

Cut a hole between the boot and engine bay and you'd be able to drop the engine bay temprature. ;-D

Okay.... getting my coat.. though it's far to warm to wear it.... OK ok..... I'm going...
Paul Lathwell

ahh.. just want to keep things cool when driving through France this summer.. wouldn't want to run it when the engines off.

I didn't read this is time to check the power consumption. I will try and look later and get back.
For now, I found a similar one on the web.
All I could find was Maximum power consumption: DC - 38W.


Neil H

which is just over 3 amps
Will Munns

Which wires can take that load then?

Anyone know what load the boot light can support? Or do you think I should go with the inertia switch (sounds worrying to me).

Also, what shall I back it up with? A 5amp fuse?

Neil H

A clean solution (but not ideal) could be connecting it with the plug of the hardtop demister. Makes it able to switch it on and off.... but I guess it will be automatically turned off when stopping and starting the car.
Erik

Yep 5 amp fuse, purple wire on boot lamp is probebly not the best (designed for much lower currents AND you _will_ forget to unplug the freezer and end up with a flat battery!)
Will Munns

I might be tempted to use the White/purple stripe wire that feeds the fuel pump

http://www.mgfcar.de/schedules/sb7.jpg

It would be fairly high power and switched with the ignition.
Will Munns

The window demister wire sounds like a nice solution to me :-)
I will only rarely use the fridge, so being able to turn it on/off from the cockpit sounds great.
but.., I have a hard top and the wire is internal to the cabin.. isn't it?
Does this feed back into the boot?


The fuel pump is a worry.. I don't mind risking a light not working.., but connecting it to the fuel pump springs up images of being stuck halfway round the M25 will just a cold can of Coke to comfort me!!
Neil H

The problem is that you won't end up with a lamp not working, you will cook the loom.

Doesn't the rear screen switch off after a few minutes?
Will Munns

Oh! :-(

Can't I just bodge a fuse on the end and hide it in the cigarette lighter socket?

Neil H

Errm well yes, the fuse for the cigerette lighter is 10 amps, and the wires to it will be able to cope with 10 amps, because they assume that you might plug in a 10 amp device, and draw continiously 10 amps. However the fuse for the lamps is 10 amps (i think) but the wires are only big enough to feed the puney currents for the lamps continiously, they will run 10 amps for a vaery short amount of time (enough for a fuse to pop) because that is the failure mode, they dont expect you to stick some fogs in the boot and draw 10 amps continiously.
Will Munns

How about taking a feed up the centre console from the cigarete lighter as this is on only with the ignition (it is on mine anyway)
J Price

Back to the fuel pump then... Is it a hard job to do?
Presumably I need to splice the wire near the pump and feed is back into the boot..

Ooo! Hang on.., one last thought. I have a CV multichanger in the boot, is there not power I can steal from that.
The fridge would only work if the stereo was on, but I could live with that.
Neil H

How about taking a feed up the centre console from the cigarette lighter as this is on only with the ignition (it is on mine anyway) and the cabling is fairly easy, that is where most of the wires for my amp go :)
J Price

James is probebly right, it is less hastle to run wires thru the cockpit to the cigerette lighter, as to get to the fuel pump you need to get into the cockpit anyhows.

>Ooo! Hang on.., one last thought. I have a CV
>multichanger in the boot, is there not power I can
>steal from that.
Sadly the CD multi is fed power by the head unit, usually only about 2 amps, so using this wire would destroy the cable between the head unit and the multichanger (as well as ruining the sound quality), but you can follow the Cd wires to show you how to get wires into the cockpit.
Will Munns

Just realised my post botched up :( sorry guys

Another idea might be to run a power cable streight from the battery allthough it will allways be on. It sounds complicated but when I put my amp in I was supprised how easy that bit was, it took about 10 mins.

J Price

I agree with James - taking a feed from the ciggie lighter is the best bet IMO.

Regarding the demister - remember that this circuit switches itself off after about 5-10 minutes- far from ideal for a Fridge!!! LOL
Rob Bell

D'oh!

Okay, so to get the power from the original cockpit cigarette lighter.., what do I need to do? How do I get from cockpit to boot?
Neil H

Neil

The ashtray and cybby box in the center console should both come out allowing you to get inside the console to wire it up.

Then if you open the hood as if you were going for the engine bay and remove the padding and carpet.

Then feed the wires up the back and they should come out at the top, you can then cable clip or tie them round the edge of the hood area. I would advise going round the passenger side as you can use the hole in the boot that the cd changer uses.

Then it is just a matter of finding holes to pass the wires through :) shouldnt take too long :)

I am a novice and I managed it :)

James
J Price

ah cool!

I know the holes you mean. I did'nt know the gear linkage holes came out so high up.

Presumably I need to encase the wires in something to protect them from the elements and heat of the engine?
Neil H

Neil

Yeah sorry forgot to mention that, I used some sort of heat reseistant tape that I wrapped the wires in (Cant remember what it was called). I havnt had a problem so far :)
J Price

bag 'o' zip ties (B&Q sell a really big tub that will do you for years) some wire that will do 5 amps (halfords sell reels) a splicer connector (forgot what they are called, again from halfords), 5 amp fuse inline (can be brought from Halfords as well)

Pull the carpet from the parcel shelf, you will find some grommets on the passanger side, feed wire thru grommit alongside the CD cable, lead thru to boot and leave anough to cennect up fridge, zip tie every 6 inches.

In the cockpit follow the cd wire untill level with the T-bar, then zip tie to the underneith of the t-bar metal brace thing, to the centre, feed directly down.

remove the CD cubby box thing (it pulls straight up) and you should see the handbrake cables etc.

Wiggle new wire untill it emerges (twisting with fingertips is a good way of freeing over obstickles)

Pull thru all the slack and zip tie away from any moving parts.

add fuse and splice wire into cigar lighter wire (for removal see instructions to light Ciger lighter ring)
Will Munns

Guess I shouldn't go for coffee whilst replying!
Will Munns

>>> Regarding the demister - remember that this circuit switches itself off after about 5-10 minutes- <<<

Didn't know that the F was that high tech !!
Erik

Thanks Will.

I think I can manage that!

One last question :-)

Should I botch in an additional fuse at the cigarette lighter.., or should I just rely on the existing fuse in the fuse console?
Neil H

And just to put another damper on it - a car fridge/coolbox unit I was looking at in Halfords clearly stated 'not to be used in a an enclosed and unvented area such as the boot' so make sure of the unit you purchase.

And to answer Erik - Yes the rear screen demister does switch itself off after a preset period or at least my factory fitted one does!

Ted
Ted Newman

If your car has the IMS instead of a spare wheel, perhaps the front boot compartment would be a better bet for a fidge?

I know, I know, it's a crumple zone, but a portable fridge is likely to be a lot more 'squashable' than the spare wheel! ;o)

Advantage over boot? It isn't weather proofed, and if the bulkhead trim is removed, you can clearly see the road - so probably is adequately ventilated...
Rob Bell

>Should I botch in an additional fuse at the cigarette
>lighter.., or should I just rely on the existing fuse
>in the fuse console?

Either have a fuse at the cigar ligher end, or uprate the wire to carry 10 amps (i'd use a fuse, but make it easily reachable from the CD cubby)
Will Munns

Excellent responses.. thanks.
I need to investigate Ted's damper next.., could be trying to put the fridge in the bonnet instead.., but what a pain in the a* (^ to get to in a hurry!

Neil H

Beginning to sound like a broken record, but...

Full step-by-step instructions on how to remove all the trim items mentioned above are in the rebuild galleries on the SOS site:

>> http://www.sfforever.co.uk <<

SF
Scarlet Fever

Neil

Do let us know if you succeed as I rather like the idea of a boot/bonnet fridge.

Ted
Ted Newman

In which case get yourself down to Woolworths!

I got a fridge last year for £59.99.
Holds four tins, and a shelf for a sandwich or two on top. Runs on mains or 12v.

Right now they are selling them off at £20!

That's gotta be a bargain!
Neil H

No 'Woollies' in central London any more:-(
Ted Newman

I'll get the make and model for you for tomorrow, then if you want one, I am sure I could pick one up and post it to you or something.
Neil H

Wow, 20 quid is something of a bargain!

What's the fridge's dimentions Neil?
Rob Bell

<panic!>

Erm.., I will get home tonight.., get the make, model, dimensions, output, input etc and post them tomorrow.

Basically I would guess at 12"x8"..
Enough to hold four cans of beer.. or four cans of cold drink and a sandwich on top..

Its not big, but gets cold quickly and is an ideal MGF friend.
I have used t for quite a while, but until now I have kept it in the cabin / strapped it down to the parcel shelf and feared the wrap round the head if I crashed!
Neil H

We got a fridge for the 75 last year, while it sounds a bit bigger than the Woolies one (takes 6 bottles of wine and picnic!) it also had a big warning notice stating not to stick it in the boot. Is it OK to stick the small ones in?

Cheers

Patrick
Patrick Beet

I dunno whether its okay or not..
I will have a good investigate tonight and inform you all tomorrow.

Either way I am going to proceed with some kind of install beit front or back, so I'll let you know.
Neil H

I have to say that the size of the unit that Patrick mentions is what I was thinking about regards the ventilation - have not seen the smaller units, must take a couple of hours out in the next couple of days to get me bike MOTed and then I can have a look in Woolies at the Angel.

Ted
Ted Newman

Would it be possible to put a kind of PC case fan on the side of the boot to blow air out to the engine bay (if you cut a smallish hole)

Just an idea
J Price

Yes, but would you want to (a) cut your car's boot lid to do this (b) expose the boot to the elements (or car wash) or (c) do this without prior knowledge that you'd get adequate air circulation.

It's an option, but the front compartment seems to be a much better bet.
Rob Bell

Defo don't want to mess with the boot since a lot of the time I have no intention of having the fridge in there..

I don't know how easy it is to remove a couple of water plugs from the boot though <hmm>.

Fellow biker eh Ted? what'cha got?
Neil H

BMW Beastie - K1200LT fantastic tourer and very competent commuter - unfortunately a spine operation a few years back stops me riding anything with a 'sporty' seating position.

Ted
Ted Newman

I'll forgive you.., you're still nod-able!

I am GSRX750 boy myself!
Neil H

sorry GSXR!!
Neil H

Well the 'Beastie' passed her MOT without a problem BUT it took twice as long as normal as the garage had not had one in before and they wanted to play:-)

Now off to the Angel and Wollies!


Nod from Ted
Ted

This thread was discussed between 16/06/2003 and 18/06/2003

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.