[turbopete1]

Hi folks
as some of you might remember i have been toying with adding a socket to the boot of my ST line X hatch (2017 reg) but really dont fancy trying to pull the centre console apart to join to the wiring of the front or centre console sockets. i have one of those 3 way adaptor things which i would just attach to the side plastics, under the rear parcel shelf, if that makes sense?

so, my next thought was to go into the fuse box, use one of those piggy back things (take the fuse out, put in the addition, then fit the fuse to that, as per dashcam hardwire kits) in the fuse box (the one in the passengers footwell) then run the wires along the inner sills (under the trims) and through to the boot, and join to the socket im planning to use.

now heres the problem. the handbook (i only have the online one) doesnt tell me what fuse does either socket. a search online says fuse 10 for drivers aux power point, fuse 16 for the console one (i presume this is the one in the rear of the console) and if fitted, (estate only) fuse 17 for the boot one.

clearly i dont have the boot one as its a hatchback (hence part of the issue) but according to the manual my fuses are 'dual micro fuses', so i am assuming (as ive not taken one out) that they have a live centre pin, and each side leg is fused side to a different circuit (in which case my lighter sockets only seem to be fused at 5A, assuming the online info is correct)

so, are such piggy back things available (i havent found them on ebay etc yet)? could i (somehow) tap into the official power supply for the boot socket somehow (the wire isnt in the side panel as far as i can see) OR do i really HAVE to pull apart the console to get this job done? (trying to avoid that if possible)

sorry for the wordy post, but think ive got most of the details covered. for what its worth its to run a fridge/coolbox. tried to feed the cable through to the rear socket yesterday, as id done previously in the mk4 and the tape (same roll id used previously) came unstuck and legs were getting tankled up in it. thanks in advance

 

[PURPLE_2L_LX]

How many amps will the fridge/coolbox use? My estate rear socket is always live not ignition fed. You could tap off the main
fusebox feed and use a battery saver relay to protect the battery from being discharged. They come with a little trim pot
so you can set the lowest voltage you want.

The fusebox wiring between hatch and estate probably differs due to not needing a rear socket etc. Same as they use
the same fusebox for petrol cars just wired differently.

 

[turbopete1]

just been and looked at the fridge and when running on DC (it will run on mains too) it says for cooling (it can be used to keep things warm too, and uses less power) it needs 42W. it runs fine off the rear socket in the car but the issue is that the kids trip over it or the tape comes loose and sticks to their legs. its not in all the time, just when going on trips (keeps drinks and sandwiches etc fresher) but having it on an ignition feed would have been handy in case i forget to unplug it at some point (as much for safety as to preserve the battery charge). had the fusebox not had these fuses that cover 2 circuits with 1 fuse (essentially) i couldve just powered it from there, but im trying to avoid scotchlocks or hacking into the wiring where possible. the lighter socket on the mk4 facelift i had was relatively easy to access, something that doesnt seem to be the case on the mk5. front socket is used for dashcam power and phone chargers. rear one seldom used, but one in the boot would be useful. to be honest im not sure why they never offered one on the hatch but did on the estate.

 

[turbopete1]

so, have been looking again at this, looking in at the online owners manual (the only one i have) and it seems that some of the info ive read online MIGHT be incorrect. it seems that the fuses for the 'auxiliary power sockets' (drivers and console) are actually powered from the power distribution board, by 20A fuses, NOT the dual purpose 5A fuses in the fusebox in the passenger compartment (passenger footwell) as had been first suggested on another website, BUT does the power go from the distribution board to smaller fuses in the car? i HAVE now found a 'fuse tap' type item that works with 3 leg fuses (it says) with a spur off one side, BUT these are for a 'micro3' fuse and the only reference in the online manual for my car refers to a 'dual micro fuse' which (im guessing) is the same thing?
the fuses which im led to believe power the lighter sockets (from the footwell fusebox, if the info is correct) are labelled in the owners manual as being for the Power decklid module (fuse 10, 5Amp rating) or for Child lock. Decklid release (fuse 16, 15Amp rating). how likely is it that either of those would also be tasked with powering the lighter sockets on the same fuse? im guessing i would need something in the region of a5Amp fuse JUST to run the fridge?
fairly certain my car doesnt have a 'power decklid' (im assuming that its the electric opening/closing of the boot lid?) but it does, of course, have electric boot release and child locks. any suggestions? i really DONT want to ruin the car.

 

[PURPLE_2L_LX]

Power sockets are usually 10amp to 20amp. 5amp is too low, possibly a USB socket fuse?

A 5amp fuse will be fine for the fridge if it draws 42 watts. But you will not want to tap into a 5amp fuse
that is already used for something else. You need a circuit with enough overhead to be able to supply
another 5 amps. Does it have an initial surge current also is it 42watts max even for a split second at power on?

Fan/Motor startup current can be double the continuous wattage, but its usually only for a very short time.

 

[turbopete1]

not sure if thats peak or constant. im only going on the info i have which is on the sticker on the back of the fridge/heater unit itself.
struggling to work outwhere i can tap into now. centre console looks a nightmare to get out to go to the back of the sockets. the 20A fuses for the console sockets are in the under bonnet fusebox and id imagine getting into them and running a cable into the car would be a nightmare without chopping into things too much. im trying to make it so that its easily reversible.

 

[turbopete1]

back again. been looking again at the in car fuse diagram and ive seen that the owners manual says there are numerous fuses 'not used'. if that were the case, why are they there? do they actually fuse circuits that owners arent wanted to know exist? (can bus for example)
also, if theres a segment with no fuse in that has a live feed into the fusebox (but no outward terminal as its 'not used' like the space for fuse 1, from memory, in the in footwell fusebox) assuming its switched, (either delayed shut off or with the ignition/wake up circuits for the purpose of my needs) then would it be safe to assume that theres no reason why i couldnt use that output (with inline fuse of some sort) to power what i need to, using an appropriately sized spade terminal to push into the terminal in the fuse box?
also, i know its a big ask, but does anyone know if any of the unused connections are appropriately switched? (i can run tests but if anyone knows it would be easier than running test lights into the car etc)
thanks.

 

[PURPLE_2L_LX]

They make one fusebox whether its petrol or diesel, low spec or high spec. They just populate the required
connections for the engine fitted and trim spec. Sometimes its just cheaper for them to populate things that
may not be fitted.

Bit like finding the floor loom fitted for electric seats on a base spec car that would not have had electric seats.

 

[turbopete1]

They make one fusebox whether its petrol or diesel, low spec or high spec. They just populate the required
connections for the engine fitted and trim spec. Sometimes its just cheaper for them to populate things that
may not be fitted.

Bit like finding the floor loom fitted for electric seats on a base spec car that would not have had electric seats.

true but then again my car seems to be prettyhigh spec to start with, plus any options it has (i think theres only Vignale above it spec wise) and its not like the fuses arent physically there, its that the online manual says its 'not used' for a number of fuses (some are the 3 legged things covering 2 circuits with one fuse) which begs the question, if it does nothing (according to the manual) then why put a fuse in the fuse box?

anyhow, theres a gap where fuse 38 should be (one of the ones that says 'not used, spare' and one of the few that DOESNT have a fuse in it, unlike fuses 4,5 6,7 and 9) and that powers up with the ignition , so assuming its live with the engine running i might just plug into that for the live, including an inline fuse, and use that for fridge power in the boot. the socket i will use, is one i already have, a triple adaptor with a single USB socket as well. i dont plan to use it for anything other than the fridge, certainly not at the same time (already have a charger in the car that will run my dashcam and up to 3 phone charger cables at the same time, and the car also has 2 USBs if i really needed to charge more items at once) in addition to the rear socket in the car becoming free. im assuming a 5A fuse will be adequate for what i plan on using the add on for? and i presume twin core cable with a similar capacity (no idea on actual sizes) would suffice?