C4 Picasso (2011) - Fusebox Shunt

[Old-Guy]

I'd like to be able to make the 'lighter' socket live all the time. The (sadly missed) Xantia had a shunt in the fusebox which could make various circuits (like radio and socket) 'live' in the AUX position. The GC4P only has 3 ignition key positions (Off, On, Start). One of the under-dash fuse panels has a SHUNT in F16 but apart from listing it, the 'Handbook' provides no explanation at all. The photo below shows that it does have two positions and the legend 'PARKING/[unreadable]

Does anyone know what the difference is between the two positions, please.

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes that is the Park Shunt - intended for disabling some of the electrical systems where the car will be parked up for long periods of time so the battery does not discharge.

You'll find on the newer vehicles that the BSI also controls power and timings - including the cigarette lighter. I had an issue where I did NOT want permanent live (for my dash camera) as I kept forgetting to turn it off and I ended up with a depleted battery several times. I believe that the cigarette lighter will work for a short time, but the BSI will switch it off after some time - and the time may depend on whatever 'Economy Mode' timing is in effect on your car - which itself is variable.

[Old-Guy]

Ta muchly Marc

The opposite of what I had been hoping for then, but at least I now know what it's for. Could be relevant if we ever leave the car at an airport car park for a couple of weeks rather than our usual week. I have once come back to a flat battery (didn't slam the hatch properly so the boot light was on for a week) very unfunny on a frosty night after a delayed flight and travelling light with only a featherweight waterproof jacket for tropical downpours! Ever since then, I always leave a fleece jacket in the boot when flying - even in summer.

I know that the lighter plug is switched off with the 'ignition' as near instantly as makes no difference. Switching off causes the Sat Nav (with dead internal battery-charging circuit) to do a cold boot so I then have to find somewhere to pull over (with engine running) in order to go through the whole rigmarole of safety warnings, choosing vehicle, then route... Of course I could buy a new Sat Nav, but difficult to justify with a annual mileage of about 7k.

Economy mode is enabled (switches everything off) after a few minutes if any one of a number of auxiliaries, like the audio system (not lighter plug or USB socket) is on when the ignition is switched off. That means that, unless I leave the engine running, I can't listen to anything while I wait in the car while SWMBO is picking up something. Pointless asking why it can't work off battery voltage.

[GiveMeABreak]

The same happened to me in my XM - came back from 2 weeks in Kenya, arrived Manchester Airport and the XM was dead as a Dodo. Waited another 2 hours at 3.00AM for the AA to arrive and then had several hundred mile drive home - whilst trying not to fall asleep - was really concerned that if I switched her off it wouldn't start again!

Economy mode on my X7 is almost a permanent feature I'm afraid, never more than a minute max before everything powers off. I have an AGM battery and I'm suspecting that the Battery Charge Status Module that is fitted on the X7 does not like it. I'm going to reconfigure the battery type to a lower spec. in the BSI and see if that makes a difference, as the battery I have fitted is higher than the spec. of the highest available battery option out of the designated 3 levels allowed. I'm thinking the BCSM is therefore not playing ball.

However, back to the fuses - there should be plenty of permanently live ones there - the issue I had was finding one that was switched with the ignition - so I had to take a piggy back off my Electrochrome Mirrors, Additional Heater Unit (Diesel) and Auto Gearbox. See my Dash Cam post:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=56750&hilit=front+and+rear
You might want to consider one of the 'piggy back' fuse kits that I used in my post - flaming brilliant. Nextbase do the hard wire kits and that will allow you to power your Sat Nav on all the time.

[RichardW]

The rear acc socket on ours is live all the time... if I get the chance later then I'll see if I can find a wiring diag to see where it's fed off.

[GiveMeABreak]

Looking at your picture of the BSI fuses - not sure if this helps - but the central locking (F2) would seem to be permanently on. If you got a hard wire kit - they usually contain a smaller amp fuse for the piggy back.

fuse---------- Amps ---------- supply---------- matching
F1---------- 15A ----------+ batterie --------------------rear screen wiper motor
F2---------- 30A ----------masse --------------------locking - unlocking
F3---------- 5A ----------+ APC --------------------airbags and pretensioners unit supply
F4---------- 10A ----------+ APC --------------------fuel additive pump - photochromic interior rear view mirror - suspension ECU - driver's air conditioning control panel - multimedia assembly
F5---------- 30A ----------+ batterie --------------------driver's rear electric window control unit - passenger's electric window control unit - electric blind motor
F6---------- 30A ----------+ batterie rear --------------------LH electric window control unit - rear RH electric window control unit
F7---------- 5A ----------+ ACC --------------------refrigerated central storage lamp - glovebox lighting switch - radio
F8---------- 20A ----------+ batterie --------------------steering wheel switch module - telematic transmitter receiver - independent telematic unit - multimedia assembly - deflation detection ECU - anti-theft alarm volumetric control unit - anti-theft alarm siren
F9---------- 30A ----------+ ACC --------------------portable boot lamp - front cigar lighter - multimedia assembly
F10---------- 15A --------+ batterie --------------------suspension control unit
F11---------- 15A ----------+ batterie --------------------ignition switch - brake dual-function switch
F12---------- 15A ----------+ batterie --------------------rain/sunlight sensor - passenger's seat adjustment relay - parking assistance ECU - lane departure warning system ECU - audio amplifier
F13---------- 5A ----------+ batterie --------------------supply of connector fusebox - fusebox PSF1 - seat memory control unit
F14---------- 15A ----------+ batterie --------------------instrument panel - air conditioning ECU
F15---------- 30A ----------+ batterie --------------------driver door lock assembly - passenger door lock assembly - rear LH door lock assembly - rear RH door lock assembly
F16---------- ----------shunt shunt -
F17---------- 40A ----------+ batterie --------------------heated rear screen