Thread: Where to tap into +ve for UHF Radio

Want to use a fuse tap to connect up. Reversing camera
intend to use the cig lighter fuse as it only comes on when the ignition key is turned on
Its a 20 amp fuse

question …….should I use a 20 amp fuse in the second slot or a lower say 10 amps or does it matter?

It matters if you want the fuse to protect the device you are installing. Use the same rating as the one supplied, or stated in the paperwork. Keep the 20A one in the other slot. It also matters which slot you put them in. there's aYT vid covering this I'll see if I can find it as it explains it better than I can.

Originally Posted by landoman

Want to use a fuse tap to connect up. Reversing camera
intend to use the cig lighter fuse as it only comes on when the ignition key is turned on
Its a 20 amp fuse

question …….should I use a 20 amp fuse in the second slot or a lower say 10 amps or does it matter?

why not use the aux power fitting which was optional on some of the discos (Pretty sure the wiring is there in the harness even if the outlet is not)

If you're putting in the fuse tap onto the main fuse panel inside the vehicle be wary that you can draw enough power to damage the panel tracks if you overload it (2x 10s at full draw) and have the fuse tap setup just exactly wrong in the right way.

Im assuming that this
jaycar.com.au
is the sort of tap you're looking to use.

IF so, the primary fuse should be the same as the original fuse and the secondary fuse should be the same or smaller than the primary. You need to watch the orientation of installation on some of them, theres 2 types and I have no idea how to ensure which type you get.

the first type power goes through the primary fuse to the normal device and then comes through the second fuse to power the tap line. In this setup if you take out the primary fuse the secondary fuse gets no power.

The second type the power goes from the hot side, through both fuses one to the original device and then to the tap line. in this setup if either fuse blows only the device behind the fuse that blows is effected.

The first type cant hurt your electrical system unless you oversize the primary fuse.

the second type can hurt your electrical system.

I believe, but cant confirm that this is simply an effect of where the connections are made within the plastic moulding and have been told (but never tested) that installing the fuse tap reversed will turn the first type into the second and vice versa.

Good luck.

This isn't the one I meant, but it will probably do.

Also, what Dave said about the panel tracks. Easily overlooked, easily overloaded.

Thanks for all the good advice
I’m doing this on a defender ……but found this thread ….so thought I’d tap into it …

that’s a good video…….I’ll study it so I install the tap correctly

not sure what amps a reverse camera draws ((nothing in the specs ( it’s a gator 500sd)) but I’ll use the 10 amp fuse that came with the tap ….this is less than the 20 amp primary fuse for the defender cig lighter ……which I use for a bilken usb port …to charge my iPhone some times .

btw ……what are panel tracks ? …

Originally Posted by landoman

btw ……what are panel tracks ? …

Coppe or alloy strips laid into the surface of the board to carry current to and from the fuses, rather like traces on a PCB. On lots f cars these are hidden in a kind of sandwich between two pieces of the fusebox. Depending on the age of the Deefer it may not have them. A D2 sure does.

Originally Posted by landoman

Thanks for all the good advice
I’m doing this on a defender ……but found this thread ….so thought I’d tap into it …

that’s a good video…….I’ll study it so I install the tap correctly

not sure what amps a reverse camera draws ((nothing in the specs ( it’s a gator 500sd)) but I’ll use the 10 amp fuse that came with the tap ….this is less than the 20 amp primary fuse for the defender cig lighter ……which I use for a bilken usb port …to charge my iPhone some times .

btw ……what are panel tracks ? …

if you have the screen with optional camera type reversing camera (sometimes used as a replacement rear view mirror) they draw 3.5 amps.

If you have the camera that sends singal to the stereo, the camera has its own dedicated on with ignition power wire a reverse pick up wire and a parklights pickup, the camera draws about 1.5 amps when turned on with the parklights about .5 without them.

IF you have the camera that picks up its feed only from the reverse lights and has a signal wire that runs with the RCA cable, they draw about 1 -1.5 amps depending on how many and how big the infared leds are that give it its night vision illumination.

without knowing what camera wiring you have, I'd reccomend using a 3 amp fuse into the splitter, the wiring that runs to the camera is only about the thickness of headphone wire and a long enough run of that coiled up can be set alight using a 12v5a feed.

Have fun with it.