Car battery question

stranger12

Hi guys

When you tap into ignition or any other wire for a new system you are installing in a car which is used to signal the device for instance tracker the car is about to be switched on , does it draw amp from that cable leading to overload situation?

I am installing dashcam and tracker which need ignition accessory wire and also have a permenant positive and negative

I assume the permenant positive and negative is used to supply power and ignition key just a signal thus amp loading is on the positive negative pair right?


Second question is how can i work out what a cable max amp is so if getting power from it i will not kill it?

Many thanks

thescouselander

I wouldn't tap into the ignition key wiring directly - better to tap into something that is switched on when the acc/ignition is on. I'd suggest trying the supply for the cig lighter first although it's worth checking the power actually goes off when the key is in the off position.

Another way to do it might be to pick up a feed from the fusebox and that way you can put the appropriate fuse and wiring in yourself.

What car have you got?

stranger12

My question is things that come with ignition , how are they wired ? Are they wired to ignition or start motor as signal?

thescouselander

The wire back from the ignition switch sends a signal at low current that is then used to switch on power to various devices using relays. Most stuff will come on in the acc position but other feeds might require the ignition position to be set.

I expect for the device you mentioned the power will be drawn from the perminant feeds and the switched feed let's the camera know when to come on.

stranger12

So what I am doing is same really as the device must have some sort of relay builtin so using ignition as signal

So i guess that means what said above and does not pull any current

I could tap into ignition or any other acc wiring for that matter

thescouselander

Probably. It's possible to buy piggyback adapters so you can easily take a feed from the fusebox for this sort of thing. Might be worth looking at.

bluesnake

most car electric should be able to power low current devices like cameras etc.

Think your first point of call is to look at the electrics from the fuse box, and they even may be some spare fuses built in for extra connections.

there are many connections that only become live once the car is started like indicators, lights, windscreen wipers and radios???, just often the circuit is broken by another switch.

Cigarette lighter is most peoples favorite. max cable ampage is determined by the fuse box. Most usb devices draw under 1 amp.

Dont tell us your care make and model as it takes the fun out of general guesswork, and rather than people suggesting specific answers that would benefit you, we just make vague assumption that many benefit everyone

pappa_golf

stranger12 wrote: »

My question is things that come with ignition , how are they wired ? Are they wired to ignition or start motor as signal?

they are wired to the ign on position , nothing to do with (in most cases) the spung start position**


** in this position (starter) power (low currant ) is sent to the starter solenoid to start the car