What is the best place to get positive (+) power. I need to install a cigarette lighter and gain access from the drivers seat in order to power my satnav, phone etc. I don't want to run from the ignition switch or the light switch.

you *should* run a new wire to the fuse holder - it saves headaches later on

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Installed an under dash USB socket, purchased from Jaycar. Like Simon suggested, ran a new cable to the fuse holder under the bonnet. Has an inline fuse, 12V input and 5V, 2A output. Used to power phone, etc. Less obtrusive than a cigarette socket, but not 12V.

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Clive G
1969 Mk II Cooper S
1970 MK II Cooper S
1963 Triumph Spitfire
1982 RX-7 Series 2

Cooperess
I run a power (and negative) lead from the battery for all of my extra gauges and crap and USB sockets.
-my battery has extra screw terminals so that makes it easier.
-Jaycar sells inline blade fuse holders and 7.5 amp (power and negative) wire with heavy black pvc coating
- use a grommet from boot to under back seat
- put USB or 12 volt socket under passenger seat or up to bottom of dash via floor mats.
- remember that power will be on permanently and can flatten the battery (I have a thin switching lead from the ignition wiring back to a relay under back seat so that my power is only on with the ignition)
Dave D

Thank you simon k & cgo

Just wondering which terminal on the fuse box should the positive wire attach to and should it be on the engine side or cabin side.

It sounds like you want it to constantly have power. If so connect it where the brown wire goes and add a fuse close by. You could put it on the other side of the fuse but obviously there will be more current through the original fuse than designed.

Ideally you'd run a new wire from the solenoid. The amount you are adding will be fine over the factory brown wire though.


Since we are on wiring now, I recommend fusing the park light wire at the switch. I've seen multiple cars now where it has melted and damaged surrounding wires in the harness.

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1986 Mayfair (998 auto), 1974 S, 1974 Van, 1972 PMG Van

Too many minis

I installed a 3 amp Dual USB power adapter ($15 ebay). The USB outlets sit behind the lip on the dash shelf.. making it entirely hidden but very easily accessed. There are holes conveniently either side of the switch panel to pass the USB plug through and the unit itself is screwed in under the dash.

I ran a 4mm wire from the switched side of the fuse box in the engine bay, to a new 6 way fuse block inside the car. Also added a relay to remove the load from the ignition switch. The new fuse block is mounted directly under the dash. The benefit of the fuse box was that it had a bus bar for ground and seperate fuses for each 12v device - meaning that any 12v devices are easily added and are separately fused. Lots of places sell them but I found Autobarn Warners Bay was the cheapest locally (bonus that one of the managers is a classic mini guy .. Ben?). See https://autobarn.com.au/ab/Autobarn-Cat ... /p/EL33067

If you're just looking at a cigarette lighter output, you *could* take a +ve from the ignition switch... but I would recommend running a new wire from the fuse box.

I guess the first question to ask yourself is "how much power??"..

For a gps unit or mobile phone charger just take a feed off the unswitched side of the ignition or light switch (or anything else under the dash that's live with the ignition off. Feed it to an aftermarket accessory plug (inline fused if that makes you comfortable).

Some accessories may use a USB plug while others (my gps for example) are configured for a standard cigarette light/accesory plug. Fitting one of those USB units would preclude the use of other units... And accessory plug to USB adaptors are readily available.

If you're looking to use a boom box ..or a hand held spotlight then you will need to be more selective in your wiring and source of power....to accommodate the increased load...

Cheers, Ian

Thank you all for your input. Maybe I haven't explained it correctly.

I want to install a cigarette lighter I have from an Applause, one use is to light cigarettes. The other appliances I want to use it for is my sat nav that uses a cigarette type of plug in lead and a charger for my old Panasonic lap top.

The fuse box looks like this. From memory one fuse will have constant power (the one with the brown wires). The other will have switched power (white wires). You can take it from either side depending on what you want

You can also take it pre-fuse and then add your own fuse for your accessory circuit or
Take it from the fused side - but then potentially you will overload that circuit

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Cooperess
In my Subaru I run a "double adapter" pair of sockets.
One is just a 12 volt cig lighter socket. The other is a Jaycar USB type 3 and a type c socket which can output different voltages depending on the demand from the appliance. (MP3621). It has an on/off button so you can run it from an always on supply.
It also has a voltmeter around the rim (saves one gauge) but you might get a shock when you see how high and low the voltage goes in an old Mini; particularly if you have a generator.
Many older laptops require more than twelve volts, at several amps. This needs a special power supply in a car and quite heavy wiring to a fused supply. A real cig lighter socket is 5+ amps and will put a heavy load on your car's original wiring. As 68&86auto suggests, you could wire it from the solenoid.
Dave D