Powering a RoadAngel

[Vertigo1]

Ok, I currently use a PDA running Tomtom 5 for navigation and have the speed camera database loaded onto it too, which is very useful.

The new card will have nav so I won't be using my PDA anymore but I don't really want to be without the speed camera warnings so I was thinking of getting a RoadAngel.

Now the problem is where to put it and how to power it. Powering anything in the A3 is a pain as the power socket is mounted by the handbrake but even if the socket was on the dash I'd not want cables running around everywhere.

I've seen a RoadAngel mounted in an A3 at the far right edge of the dashboard, which seems a perfect location for it but the guy in question had a power cable trailed all the way along the footwell to the socket which isn't acceptable.

What I want to know is whether it's possible to get power to this location? Could I possibly run a cable from there through the bulkhead and into the engine compartment and if so, were should I tap power from.

Bear in mind that this is a lease car which can't be damaged in any way. Any advice appreciated.

 

[Dandle]

The fuses are at the end of the dashboard(you get to them with the door open). Not sure which side though but you could wire directly into there and then run the cable tucked down between the windscreen and the top of the dash to the centre of the screen.

 

[benw123]

Or, although a bit long-winded, you could open up and tap the handbrake power socket and run a wire under the centre console, up into the lower half of the dash above the driver's feet and then up to the right-hand side of the dash. It should be easy to hide the wiring behind the interior plastics, as you can push it behind the carpet.

In my old Focus ST170, I installed a Nokia hands-free car kit and also tapped the 12V connector for the power (although it was located close by). It's ideal as it's permanently live and already fused so no further messing about.

 

[jdp1962]

Why not do what I did & hard-wire the RA power cable to an ignition-live? Mount the RA on the far right of the dash, & hide the cable down the side between the dash end & the lower windscreen pillar.

 

[marriedblonde]

I've got my RA hard wired. It's located in the centre of my dash. The fuses are at the end of the dash on the drivers side. I juse tapped into one of the switch ones for my power. Make sure you tap the correct side of the fuse thoughso you have it protected!

J.

 

[jdp1962]

I didn't do it myself, I got an ICE installer to do it. I asked him to add a concealed in-line switch, mounted under the cubby hole to the left of the steering column. That way, if I'm stuck in slow-moving traffic when it's triggering, I can kill the bleep.

 

[Vertigo1]

I'd not thought about the fuses - brilliant idea. Are they definitely on the right hand side of the dash? If so then running a small cable down into there would seem the easiest option.

 

[marriedblonde]

It's a nie and easy install, the fuses are on the drivers side of the car. There's a removeable cover - you'll notice a finger cut out to remove it.

J.

 

[Vertigo1]

Is there an easy path up behind the dashboard for the power cable? I'm not about to start dismantling the dash to get the cable through so if I can't get it through easily I'd have to run it out of the side of the fuse cover on the side and then up along where the dash meets the A-pillar.

On the subject of RoadAngels in general, which ones do you lot use? The compact looks the best bet as it's the GPS side of it I want, the laser detector doesn't interest me. Is the Compact the best option?

Also, do you all remove yours from the car when you park it or leave them there?

 

[marriedblonde]

There is space infront of the dash to run the cable between that and the windscreen. At the end of the dash you can poke the cable through. You will need to remove the fuse cover and the front cover part of the dash to hard wire it.

J.

 

[alfiejts]

Just what I've done. There are plenty of spare live and ignition feeds on the fuse panel. I bought an in-line cigarette lighter socket from my local accessory shop and wired this into the fuse box.

You'll find that a normal "blade" connector will push into the sockets where there are no fuses and you can use an "inline" fuse to protect the circuit you're installing.

The new cigarette lighter socket just sits hidden behind the drivers dash panel, so that you can plug in the PDA or raod-angel power supply as you need it, without it being in sight.

As mentioned above, there's a gap at the front of the dash in the corner by the A-pillar trim, where you can poke down the power lead for any device you have.

I have my wired GPS receiver sat on top of the dash, with its wire going neatly down the gap behind the dash.

There's a nice gap in the corner of the fuse cover near the light switch that's just right for feeding another wire out neatly and I use that to feed the power and GPS signal into my PDA....

So I just have the GPS receiver sat neatly on the dash with its wire going behind the dash by the A-pillar and a short wire coming out from the front corner of the fusebox which I connect to my PDA.
Everythng else is behind the fusebox inside the dash.....

 

[Vertigo1]

Sounds neat alfiejts, got any pics of the install at all?

 

[A3_3.2_S-Line]

I’m thinking of going for the RoadAngel Plus! ( but its £100 more)

Its last 8 hours on the rechargeable battery which means no wires and no removing of panels.

You need to take the road angel in doors anyways (well you don’t have to you) at night for security so just place your road angel charger next to your mobile phone charger so that you remember to charge it...

You get a back up charger for the car anyways for long journeys…


My only problem is the mounting of the sucker thing, it’s a advert for car thefts to check to see if you left the road angel in your glover box! I’m dreading having to remove the thing every time I leave the car! I bet it will leave circles where the sucker has been as well.

 

[alfiejts]

This is a nightmare Vertigo1. I've tried to post some pics here but failed. I tried to PM you some pics, but failed in that too. I tried to post some pics in the gallery but failed there too.

If you (or anyone else who's interested) PM me with your email addresses, I'll mail the piccies back....

 

[alfiejts]

Here are some piccies...

[URL="http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mail.graham@btopenworld.com/detail?.dir=/b759&.dnm=22acre2.jpg&.src=ph&.tok=phf0tjFBfuv8XUzz"][/URL][URL="http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mail.graham@btopenworld.com/detail?.dir=/b759&.dnm=22acre2.jpg&.src=ph&.tok=phf0tjFBfuv8XUzz"]

[/URL]

 

[Vertigo1]

Sorry to dig this old thread up again but I've been giving more thought to this.

Firstly, does anyone have any pics or details of where exactly they've wired things into the "side" fusebox? Alfiejts, I never saw the pics you posted, sorry

Secondly, I tried getting the cover off the fusebox but it really didn't want to budge and I didn't want to break anything. How exactly do you get it off, is there a clip somewhere I'm not disengaging?

 

[alfiejts]

Its a right ****** to clip the fusebox cover off. Mine ended up flying four feet across the drive when I eventually levered it off!
I'll taqke a piccie of the fusebox and PM it over. Can you get to my pics using the link in the thread above or doesn't that work?

 

[DriveByShooters]

Go for a Roadangel Navigator 6000, there only £250. Its a nav unit and speed camera detector in one neat box.....AND its cordless!

 

[Vertigo1]

Yeah actually I can if I click on them but it was more the wiring inside the fusebox and up behind the dash I was interested in. If it's major bother to get the fusebox cover off and you don't already have pics then don't bother.

Out of interest, how did you find out where to wire things into in the fusebox? Trial and error?

 

[chrisleathem]

I have hard-wired my RA in to my mk4 golf...took about 30 mins and followed a PDF guide that I have. Married Bonde sent it to me I believe. The guide is for a TT so should be straight forward. This isn't hard to do at all

 

[a3guy]

hardwiring is a 10 minute job

use one of these http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=42727&criteria=crimp&doy=19m11

on the 12v find a switched fuse socket

and one of these on the ground http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=32718&criteria=crimp&doy=19m11

secure the ground on the bolt behind the fuse cover

 

[alfiejts]

As I remember, there are two obvious sizes of fuse in the fusebox.

The smaller ones are all "ignition on" fed and the larger ones are "perrmanent live".
I used a voltage tester to check.

A male "blade" connector will just push nicely into one of the empty unused fuse positions.

(On each unused fuse slot, only one side is live, as the other goes out to whatever missing accessory your car doesn't have (if you see what I mean...)).