Thread: Mystery Defender Multi-plug

Hi all. I have an 2002 Defender 110 into which I am installing a new tunnel tray from Mud-UK that includes a couple of pre-installed 12v sockets. My aim is to only have these sockets active when the ignition is switched to AUX or better.

I was digging around in the passenger compartment fuse box this afternoon looking for an unused 12v feed that would be suitable and came across a multi-plug connector to which I can find no reference in the circuit diagrams or workshop manual. I am hoping that someone can identify what this connector's purpose is.

It is a three pin multi-plug with a fairly thick brown wire on the horizontal top pin. The two vertical pins are thinner white/green and white wires. I stuck a multimeter between the brown pin and earth and it appears to have 12+ volts available at all times. The green/white pin also has 12+ volts but only when the ignition is in AUX.

Does anyone know what this connector is used for? It was tucked in behind the metal fuse holder frame that is screwed to the firewall.

Cheers,
Hamish

Thank you to both JC and DL for the quick responses and the valuable info.

I have finally managed to get some time today to look further at wiring up the MUD tray. The plug appears to be spliced into the A/C wiring loom and the colours seem to match a bunch of other wires in that area. It is still not apparent what it is used for as the A/C works fine. I have put it down as being an undocumented feature and left it at that.

Ultimately, I decided to take a new 30A fused feed directly off the battery into a relay on the underside of the MUD tray. The relay is switched in parallel with the existing cigar lighter circuit. This way, if I blow the cigar lighter fuse or the new 30A fuse, I know that everything else should continue to work.

Happy days - I have finally chucked out the useless double adapter that would never stay in the lighter socket.

Thanks again,
Hamish