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Adding a power outlet (front)

217K views 251 replies 113 participants last post by  ivwshane 
#1 ·
Has anyone considered putting in extra 12-volt outlets? I would like to add some to my E but would rather go with a cleaner stock look rather than those you can buy at Wal-Mart. I haven't gotten into the dash but it seems maybe there would be enough space on the driver's side, opposite the hazard blinker or maybe in the floor console? Any ideas would be welcomed.
 
#207 ·
I never thought about relocating the one from the rear. Great idea seeing as I NEVER use that thing.

Also, if anyone knows the answer to this question: Why can't you use the 12V outlets when the car is off. I know some cars have this capability. Is there any way to modify the E to make it so that the outlets are usable with the car turned off?
 
#3 ·
An "Add-a-Fuse" would serve quite nicely. See my post on hardwiring my Wayfinder for more information.
 
#4 ·
I have had the same though but to have a constant 12v not ignition hot.

HB
 
#5 ·
Hello, I've been lurking for a few days since I got my Sunset Orange Element this past Saturday! I love it! I've already gotten a few "Wow"s and "Nice truck!" and everyone thinks that it cost around $30K!

So far I've installed the Thule Roof Rack rather than the factory one - easy and solid, more versatile, and cheaper! I ordered at <A Href = "http://www.orsracksdirect.com/thule-car-roof-racks-base-systems-components.html">ORSRacksDirect.com</a> and got everything including the fairing for about $210 but of course I had to order the Kayak mount to get the price above $250 to qualify for free shipping.

I've also lined the shelves with some black rubbery liner I got at target for $1.99 using the templates posted in this forum.

The exciting one, however, is the 12 volt accessory outlet - I also wanted the rear outlet to be always-on and I wanted another outlet up front that was always on. I used the instructions <a href="http://gaia.ecs.csus.edu/~joel/fun/Element/RearOutletWire/rearoutletwire.htm">that I found on the forums here</a> to rewire the rear outlet to always on, then I wanted an easy, non-warranty-voiding way to put another one up front. There are a few posts on detailing tapping into a wire behind the fuse box, wiring directly to the battery, or using an add-a-circuit to do this.
Here's what I did:
$2.99 add-a-circuit from an auto parts store, $5.99 12 volt accessory outlet from Radio Shack, plus a few bucks for a little more wire and an assorted box of wire crimps/connectors and some electrical tape.
I installed the add-a-circuit to the rear accessory fuse like so:

Then I ran the wire down the side pillar by squeezing it between the seal and the moulding after gently removing the bottom doorjam moulding and the center console. I ran the wire under the moulding then pulled it through under the plastic flooring under the center console with a coat hanger.

I used the bracket included with the outlet to trace a circle in the corner of the center console and cut out the hole fairly easily with my B&D Wizard tool and it popped in perfectly and solidly! I attached the ground to a bolt under the center console as shown, and crimped the blue wire that I ran to the + terminal of the outlet.

I reinstalled the center console and viola! Here's the finished product!

Actually I did this prior to jumping the rear outlet to always on and it had power without the key as well. The only damage I did to the vehicle was the hole in the center console which is perfectly covered by the outlet.
Hope this helps!
Hmm. . .what shall I mod next?
Hopefully the pics are uploaded properly, it's the first time I've done it but they are uploaded to the EOC uploads folder.
 
#6 ·
I picked up my 2004 EX just yesterday and have already purchased the Radio Shack outlet. Having th e utmost respect for plastic parts, I don't want to break any by forcing things - so. What's the best way to get the parking brake/cup holder console off the floor? How is it attached?

Thanx,
 
#7 ·
I think that I pulled up on it from the rear and it popped up pretty easily. there are 2 plastic clips in the front and the back and it's a little difficult to pop them back in. If you push in the plastic in the back of the console while lifting up you shouldn't risk breaking anything. I haven't checked for other posts describing taking off the console, but there may be. Good luck!
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
[Moderator's note: Photos in this and some other posts in this thread have been lost, but other illustrated posts follow.]

One of my biggest annoyances about the E. was that there was only one 12V socket in the front. Isn't it standard to have two nowadays? I would expect to have three up there, because the E. is so cool, you know? And being a smoker (I know) it just seemed weird to me not to have a lighter. Plus, I have wanted a Dremel for a while. ;)

I basically followed cslaughtermd's plan except for my socket I ran the hot wire down the left of the sub and straight back to the console under the rubber flooring. It was a pain to stick the coat hanger under from the console side until I unbolted the sub (two bolts on each side) and moved it aside. I stuck the Add-a-Circuit into the #3 fuse: DRL's, since I'm not a Canuck, I'm Nanook. :roll:

Here's a pic of the finished product:





The lighter I got from Pep Boys has a clear green plastic ring around it (matches!) with a light bulb that is supposed to be powered from the running lights wire so it comes on with them. For the life of me, I couldn't find the damn black/red running lights wire under there, so I discovered on another thread that the right of the three posts in a socket for the fogs was hot with the running lights. I used a female quick connect terminal to stick on there, and to make sure it didn't touch the middle post I stuck a small length of heat shrink tubing (white in the picture) on the middle post and wrapped the terminal in electrical tape. It's dead center in the picture.





I didn't take a picture of the ground, but if you have your head in front of the fuse panel and you look to the right, you'll see a bolt with at least three wires grounded to it. I used that one. No hum on the stereo. Oh, I used fuse #2 for the Add-a-Circuit, the rear accessory, moved its 15A fuse to the lighter and put a 10A in for the rear socket.

Here's a pic of the lighter, and my first ding. I didn't expect to give myself the first one, but my car is not perfect anymore. I forgot to turn the Dremel off before removing it from the hole and put a nice gouge in the dash. It's thankfully obscured by the steering wheel when I am driving, along with half of the gauges. I wonder if that little piece of green vinyl/rubber (?) is replacable...?





The worst of it was lying on my back under the dash, trying to screw the two halves of the lighter together, one from the front and one from behind. A word of warning, plastic can be sharp!





And finally, I found the perfect place for my Tomy 1:60 GGM E. Bought on eBay. Hasn't budged yet. I figure a really big speed bump taken fast might move it.


 
#9 ·
Thanks for the reminder of this mod, nanook. The morning I left for the EOC meet, I drilled out *two* holes in the center console. One on the passenger side of the front cupholder (like yours) and an additional one on the driver side of the front cup holder. A 1&1/8" drill-bit was what I needed (for the marine sockets, see below).

Unfortunately, for the first hole, I "measured once and drilled twice", that is, I screwed it up by using a 1" bit. DOH.

Needless to say, drilling a 1.125" hole into the spot that a 1" hole already exists was not very fun. :) Then I installed two of the following sockets, cleverly covering up the butchering job on the first holel:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=265-274



They're the generic versions of the Marinco boating sockets (which area also available from partsexpres). The sockets accept standard 12V DC plugs, but if you use Marinco plugs, they interlock and are water-resistant as well. That seemed appropriate for low-lying 12V DC sockets in the hose^H^H^H^H sponge-out-able E.

Anyway, today I finally finished the mod...

Thanks for the tip on the coat hanger. I used the unravelled coat hanger's twisty part to keep the wire in place. Still, I had to get creative...I had to pull up on the flooring between the center console and the middle column to give the coat hanger enough play to pull through. Three or more hands would have made this part much easier. What a pain in the tukus.

Since I was running *two* sets of wire, I chose to use the removal of the coat hanger to pull the second wire back through. I'm one clever monkey!

I routed the wire behind the wiring looms on the center column making it nearly impossible for the wires to come loose in the way of access to the gas or brake pedals.

Unfortunately, I used 10 gauge wire, thinking "hey, you never know when you might end up needing to rewire these for 20 amps. This ended up being amusing, since most of my connecting hardware, including the Littlefuse mini add-a-circuit wire endings, have connections for 14-16 gauge wire. Some snipping, part modifying and parts scrounging and I made due. Perhaps I should have stuck with 12-14 gauge wire...

For power, I used fuse locations 3 (DRL control unit) and 18 (front socket) to attach the add-a-circuits. The end result is that the driver's side socket is *always* powered (via position 3), and the passenger side socket is powered when the key is turned in the ignition (via position 18...). I like that combo.

For grounding, I used a bolt below the middle console to ground both sockets.

Lastly: have you noticed that the console seems a bit too easy to mistakely pull loose when removing plugs from the sockets? Hrm

I was going to post pics, but...damn, the interior of my E is DIIIIIRTY.

-brendan
 
#10 ·
>I wonder if that little piece of green vinyl/rubber (?) is replacable...?

Look here. $2.21. $2.95 list price if you want to avoid Majestic's shipping and handling ($5).

>A word of warning, plastic can be sharp!

Ha. My wife knows well that any project I work on will not be successful until it is lubricated by my blood. The time I did the clutch on her Miata was really successful!

Good job, BTW. Inspires me to do something similar.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
First of all, I'd just like to say thank GOD someone replied to this post already. Not even a "you know, smoking is bad for you" reply! ;)

Anyway, brendan re: the drilling mishap. I know the feeling. The cig lighter is just slightly off center and only I notice it, but damn. Drilling a bigger hole where one exists already really sounds like a pain no matter which bit you used. I just bought a Dremel.

10 guage? For your 12V hair drier?

Funny, *both* my Add-a-Circuit sockets are hot when the car is off. Maybe has something to do with the orientation of the AaC bypassing the relay?

And yeah, the floor console is a little too easy to remove once it's been done once.


MikeQBF: THANKS! That's a load off. Never knew the color was "field green."

"Lubricated by my blood." lol
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
Anyway, brendan re: the drilling mishap. I know the feeling. The cig lighter is just slightly off center and only I notice it, but damn. Drilling a bigger hole where one exists already really sounds like a pain no matter whick bit you used. I just bought a Dremel.
Yeah. I tried moving to the 1.125" bit, but the way the bit works (it's more of a blade) requires that the center 1/4" of the blade be sort of anchored in the material to be drilled. So, I swapped that out with a regular old 1/8" drill bit and just shaved away additional material. Sloooowly. It was essentially dremeling work.

10 guage? For your 12V hair drier?
Hey, never know when I might install some sort of permanant inverter setup there. :)

Funny, *both* my Add-a-Circuit sockets are hot when the car is off. Maybe has something to do with the orientation of the AaC bypassing the relay?
What positions did you use for your AaCs?

I'm trying to visualize the add-a-circuit positions I used, but the fact that I was upside-down at the time of working on it is making it difficult. I *remember* that I used positions 3 (always hot) and 18 (hot on run), but my visualization is failing to verify that, due to the odd cortortions I used to get my head under the dash facing upward. Hrm. Now I have to go check again.

And yeah, the floor console is a little too easy to remove once it's been done once.
I guess I'll just warn my passengers.

-brendan
 
#13 ·
Great. Now I can't get the Ghostbusterstheme out of my head.

Joe, yeah you got an extra 2 hours' drive each way, too... Well, here are the parts for the "SD Meet."

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=270-1556
The trapezoidal black part is an extra piece only if you mount it under the dash. Any kind of 12V socket will do, although the install of this one couldn't have been easier; it just pops in. Brendan's one is a little beefier, but it looks like it screws in. [insert joke here]

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=071-580
These are available at Pep Boys. I'm sure other auto parts stores will carry them, but I couldn't find 'em at Kragen. Make sure you get the mini fuse version.

An assortment of wire, I used 14 guage, butt connectors and a crimping tool, although pliers will do in a pinch. Oh yeah, the 12V socket requires, IIRC, a 1 3/32" hole. Try finding that size spade bit. I just used a 1" and Dremeled out the hole a bit. I think that's it.

As far as the contortions necessary to get at the fuse panel, I have fond memories of balancing on my belly over the driver's seat, lying on my side by the pedals, and for getting behind the dash, lying on my back with the top 1/3 of my body by the pedals and my feet scrabbling for purchase on my dirty garage floor.

And brendan, if that was you with the pony tail in the picture with who I can only assume to be honowcb, we apparently shop at the same store. Spitting image right down to the sandals. Except my pony tail was replaced by a shaved head 10 years ago.

And I still have a dot matrix printer for some strange reason in my closet. Does that count?
 
#14 ·
[Add-A-Circuit]... These are available at Pep Boys. I'm sure other auto parts stores will carry them, but I couldn't find 'em at Kragen.
They're only available at stores that carry the Littelfuse line of fuses and fuse products. There are two major brands of fuses - Littelfuse and Bussman. The parts chains carry one or the other, and never both. Bussman does not make an equivalent part.

Known to stock Littelfuse (and Add-A-Circuit): Pep Boys and AutoZone.

Known to stock Bussman (no possibility of Add-A-Circuit): Kragen and AdvanceAuto.
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=071-580
These are available at Pep Boys. I'm sure other auto parts stores will carry them, but I couldn't find 'em at Kragen. Make sure you get the mini fuse version.
Unfortunately, I didn't trust that the AaC at partsexpress was not the ATO (larger) version, so I ended up finding the closest PepBoys. Man, was that place run down. The electrical section looked like a tornado had gone through: 1/2 of the stuff was lying on the floor under the hangers, and the stuff left up there only filled up about 1/4 of the space.

Luckily, the *fuse section* was on the other side of the store from the *electrical* section. So strange.

An assortment of wire, I used 14 guage, butt connectors and a crimping tool, although pliers will do in a pinch. Oh yeah, the 12V socket requires, IIRC, a 1 3/32" hole. Try finding that size spade bit. I just used a 1" and Dremeled out the hole a bit. I think that's it.
As mentioned above, the socket I used from partsexpress required a slightly different-sized hole (1.125"). It pops in the hole and has a plastic nut on the back to tighten it in place.

As far as the contortions necessary to get at the fuse panel, I have fond memories of balancing on my belly over the driver's seat, lying on my side by the pedals, and for getting behind the dash, lying on my back with the top 1/3 of my body by the pedals and my feet scrabbling for purchase on my dirty garage floor.
At least you weren't outside in the parking lot next to the stinky dumpster. Ugh. :) I tried the lying-over-the-door-sill approach and it was way too uncomfortable.
 
#16 ·
In finishing-up a foglight installation, I realized that the fog circuit took its 12V from a single-pin connector in the inside fusebox - a connector that is nothing more than a standard 1/4" spade (male). It attaches to one of the full-time-on power busses coming from the battery, this bus protected by a 50A fuse.

If you don't have the factory fogs installed, here's a great place to pick-up battery power with nothing more than a standard female spade-lug connector. From what I can tell, this bus is only shared with one other circuit, which is fused for 20A (exc. for Canada vehicles - there's also a DRL circuit). You will need to separately fuse your own device(s) if you tap here.

Here's the location:

 
#17 ·
That looks like where nanook tapped into power for his console 12V socket, I think...
 
#19 ·
>That looks like where nanook tapped into power for his console 12V socket, I think...

Close. He picked the lead for the glow ring around the cig ligher from the next connector over. I'll betcha he's slapping his forehead about now for missing the lug right next to it.

:wink:

Sort of a post-surgery footnote - the under-dash harness for the fogs is a real piece of work. How could something so simple in function be made so complicated? If Honda was serious about the fogs as an accessory, the relay socket, fuse, and interconnects to the lights control would have been built into the main fusebox. As it is, there must be $50-60 in connectors alone in the harness. Go figure.

:roll:
 
#20 ·
What is the sound of one forehead slapping?

That's good to know, MikeQBF. I'm still satisfied I used an Add-a-Circuit, though. Rather than adding an inline fuse holder, or turning my cig lighter into an arc welder with 50A. ;)
 
#22 ·
>Or we talking heavier-duty applications?

Heavy-duty stuff. Maybe even as a source for an auxiliary fuse panel.

I'm planning to tap into this via the fog lead (looks to be #14 wire) as a source for two or three 12V outlets slated for the center console.
 
#23 ·
In my conversations with Brendan, now two weekends ago, I shared that I'd discovered that the unused slots in the interior fuse box wouldn't accept a plain spade lug (for use with an in-line fused circuit) which dictated that I use a Tap-a-Circuit for whatever it was I needed to power way back then (memory fails!). And when I say "wouldn't accept" I mean there is nothing to keep the spade from just falling out. There's no "grip" in the empty sockets, that I could detect anyway. If you've just put a probe in there to detect power, that's one thing. It's something else again, if you can get a spade lug to actually stay in place. In contrast, a spade lug worked just fine in an unused slot in the under-hood fuse box. Go figure. :roll:
 
#25 ·
>if you can get a spade lug to actually stay in place.

This particular lug appears to be standard thickness, Colin. If not, I've maneuvered around this in the past by a careful squeeze with needlenose.

>THREE? ? ? :shock:

You call yourself a ham and you're questioning this? :lol:

Seriously! One for the iQue, one for whatever HT I've just run the batteries down on, and one for the iPod or cellphone or laptop or whatever else is going along on the day's mission. Don't forget I've already put in that biga$$ Optima battery for stuff like this.

Putting multi outlets in the console is going to cut way back on the cord clutter, too. The stock outlet location is not all that great, and then there's the power-off factor (as the discharged battery on my iQue is reminding me right now... grrrr!).
 
#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
Seriously! One for the iQue, one for whatever HT I've just run the batteries down on, and one for the iPod or cellphone or laptop or whatever else is going along on the day's mission. Don't forget I've already put in that biga$$ Optima battery for stuff like this.

Putting multi outlets in the console is going to cut way back on the cord clutter, too. The stock outlet location is not all that great, and then there's the power-off factor (as the discharged battery on my iQue is reminding me right now... grrrr!).[/quote:df90774a79]

Heh. I was more reacting to the fact I'd just installed two on the floor console already in relatively spill-resistant locations (rubber covers, not on a flat area) and you're already upping the ante!

For three(!!!), I'm not sure where I'd put the third in the floor console...

I'm also thinking of installing a hidden one under the dash on the left side for my cell phone which currently "floats" magnetically on the driver side A column using the handa honda magnets. Then two more in the rear-seat mounts for passengers...then...

...yawn, ok bedtime.

-brendan
 
#27 ·
>I'm not sure where I'd put the third in the floor console...

Depending on what's underneath, I'm thinking either horizontal (socket facing upwards) immediately behind the parking brake lever, or on the front wall of the back pocket, facing towards the back.

I'll know more this afternoon. The big brown truck (Daddy!) should be dropping by a box of supplies from H&A, which should include an "official" Honda 12V outlet (the one for the DX rear). I figured for $10, why not make the sockets a stock part?
 
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