Auxiliary Fuseboard / always on 12v power for reversing camera

[CurioCT]

Hi all, I am perhaps being a numpty but I can't find the auxiliary fuseboard referred to here in this video -


in case the link doesn't work the way it supposed to it is at 19minutes 50 seconds in, it works for me.

Where else might I find this auxiliary fuse board? (it's not in the b pillar or near it as far as I can tell) or where else can I find an 'always on' 12v supply from the main vehicle battery?

background-
I am doing exactly what he is doing, fitting a camera to a camper van conversion, I am building myself. I will be fitting a wooden 'bulkhead' with a centred hole, where I will place a rocker switch so it can accessed and the screen can be seen from either compartment. Effectively giving me a rear view mirror/ reversing cam/ security cam. I am fully aware of the battery drain and the need to switch it off after every journey and would expect only very sporadic use when parked.

Whilst I would rather locate a fuseboard, such as the one he uses, I have heard some of these vehicles don't have them?


Obviously I can wire directly to the main battery with a small fuse, I have already fitted and tested a split charge relay myself, or I can take power from my leisure batteries. What other options are there? are any of the main fuseboard slots suitable (I have attached a photo of my main fuse board and a diagram I have verified as accurate when dealing with other things, I am just not sure what if anything is always on in there? Ideally I'd like to be able to run it from the vehicle battery whilst I am inside with the doors locked.

Thanks in advance

actual fuse box

[GiveMeABreak]

You need to make your video available publicly, as it's not displaying - change it from private mode.

[CurioCT]

Since it isn't my youtube channel I can't do that, I don't think? but since it is youtube clearly it is safe and the link does take you to the correct time frame in the video

[CurioCT]

None one here has ANY comment?

[GiveMeABreak]

Best to provide your VIN so I can see which vehicle this is exactly - electrical systems on PSA commercial vehicles are not straightforward, given the multitude of cab and van layouts that are highly customised, which makes the electrical layout vary considerably.

Can't say I'll have the exact layout of the fuses, but I'll know better once I have your vehicle data. Please post your VIN in full without spaces - it will be automatically masked from public view after submitting your post & will only be visible to staff.

[CurioCT]

OK my Vin is - VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
Thank you

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, so first off, you may not even have the supplementary fuse box - because as I said it really depends on configuration of the vehicle and intended use (mini-bus for example that will require additional electrical fuses for the passenger cab). I think this is the one shown (if you have it it):

Back to the fusebox in your photo, this looks to be the fusebox in your diagram.



This is the allocation (note the fuse numbers can be seen on the housing in your photo etched in the grey plastic under each fuse.

Click Table to Zoom

[CurioCT]

Ok but this is exactly where I started, my own print of the fuse allocation is identical no? and as I said I had verified it.

I guess you have answered my question on the the Aux fuse board, if it is not at or near the bottom of the driver side b pillar it probably does not exist at all, which again I kind of figured

But I am no closer to the answer I was looking for, namely which of these fuse positions, (if any) would be ALWAYS live? and if it is none of them? is there any reason other than the aforementioned battery drain (if you forget to switch it off) to not wire it directly to the vehicle battery? otherwise where else might you suggest? I would really prefer to have this wired and fully live all the time, with an off switch.

What do terms like not used mean? is this literally just not wired to anything at the back of the fuse box, or is it a live spare fuse point I could use? short of going and poking at everything with the multimeter and a trial and error with the various states of ignition to fully locked....

by trial and error I have determined, for example, that the driver side electric window motor appears to be always on? but this is a twenty amp fuse, I have tested my piggy back back on this and it seems to to work, though sometimes with odd combinations of locking and ignition. I am wondering if there is also a timing element to this? i.e. it might not work if I have been locked in the van asleep for a number of hours?

What's an optional relay supply? and would central locking or central locking battery be a better option?

Thanks in advance

[GiveMeABreak]

It won't be easy to answer that due to the very nature of multiplexed electronics. Some equipment is live after ignition off - but is BSI controlled and therefore timed after a set period or based on the energy management in force.

You'll need to test the available fuses after ignition off to find a live, but then wait say for 10-15 minutes and test it again (without having turned the ignition on) to see if it remains live - then use a piggy back fuse with an independent fuse for your intended equipment of the correct rating.

[CurioCT]

ok thanks for the advice