Finding power behind coin holder?

[billyfw]

hey guys -

I've removed my coin holder following others great posts (like this one), and am modeling my own snap in connector to connect to a magsafe charger.

I'd like to find an accessory power line inside the dash I can use, so there's no external wires. So, I have 2 questions:

1) Is there a name/part number someone can help me with for the female socket to the unused trailer brake harness (the plug just sits dumbly behind the coin holder)? I'm hoping there's power in there that I could use, but I'd rather not cut the wires or plug to tap into it)?

2) If not, any tips to find a 12V or acc power line I could use, through the coin holder hole?

Thanks!

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[Whammy Bar]

What if you look about 13 inches to the right hand side of that coin holder? What's over there?

 

[billyfw]

I'm not sure if you're kidding or not. Do you mean the usb ports below the big primary screen?

I'd like to connect power to the magsafe from *inside* the dash -- just so there's no wire going from the new part I will print (to fit in the coin holder slot) visibly to use the usb port.

Sorry if I misunderstood and you're directing me to a harness behind the dash somewhere?

 

[Mach Turtle]

Hmm, looks as if those Magsafe chargers can use quite a bit of power. You might want to consider giving the thing its own fuse and running a line from one of the fuse boxes. I've read posts where people said they used power from spare fuses in existing boxes such as the one to the left of the driver's clutch (?) foot. Haven't tried it myself so can't say much more.

Seems like a cool project and good use of space; hope it goes well and would like to read more when you've got it working.

Edit: Oops. that's the passenger's starboard foot, I think... well there's a fuse box in there somewhere! And another one near the frunk.

 

[billyfw]

Hmm, looks as if those Magsafe chargers can use quite a bit of power. You might want to consider giving the thing its own fuse and running a line from one of the fuse boxes. I've read posts where people said they used power from spare fuses in existing boxes such as the one to the left of the driver's clutch (?) foot. Haven't tried it myself so can't say much more.

Seems like a cool project and good use of space; hope it goes well and would like to read more when you've got it working.

Ok, thanks! I'm going to have to do some reading -- I've never done anything like that before, so I'll see if I can find where all that would be and how to get the wire there. I'll update here if nobody has any other ideas! Thanks for the thought!

 

[broncoaz]

The 12v system in the Lightning is very sensitive to additional draws. Even on switched power I would occasionally get a popup on the app about too much 12v draw with only my radar detector and dashcam installed. The radar detector was pulling power from a Dongar adapter plugged into the rear view mirror, the dashcam was the Ford OEM unit plugged into the ODB-2 plug.

 

[billyfw]

The 12v system in the Lightning is very sensitive to additional draws. Even on switched power I would occasionally get a popup on the app about too much 12v draw with only my radar detector and dashcam installed. The radar detector was pulling power from a Dongar adapter plugged into the rear view mirror, the dashcam was the Ford OEM unit plugged into the ODB-2 plug.

hmmm, that doesn't bode well. Hard to believe a magsafe would affect it though, since there's already a Qi charging mat that I'm not using...

 

[broncoaz]

The truck’s body control module is looking for specific parameters from specific circuits, of it sees a draw that is outside of design specs it may cause issues. Perhaps if you are pulling your power from that Qi charging mat circuit it would be ok, but I don’t know if the Qi is communicating back to the BCM if it’s in use or not.

Back in 2020 when I bought my Raptor guys were having issues with simply trigger a relay for a light bar off the high beam circuit, the additional draw from the relay was causing the BCM to permanently disable the circuit in some cases.

https://www.fordraptorforum.com/threads/special-lighting-hookup.78464/page-3#post-1530068

 

[billyfw]

thanks for the color! that makes sense. hmm. maybe i can try to tap the power feeding the usb port, which i know is available and spec'd correctly. thanks!

 

[Whammy Bar]

I'm not sure if you're kidding or not. Do you mean the usb ports below the big primary screen?

I'd like to connect power to the magsafe from *inside* the dash -- just so there's no wire going from the new part I will print (to fit in the coin holder slot) visibly to use the usb port.

Sorry if I misunderstood and you're directing me to a harness behind the dash somewhere?

I meant the 12v cigarette lighter port. Tap tap and you're good to go.

 

[21st Century Truck]

I meant the 12v cigarette lighter port. Tap tap and you're good to go.

I'd use PosiTaps instead of the common, crappy foldover ScotchTaps.

 

[RaspPiDude]

That coin slot is where the OEM trailer brake controller goes. There isn't a wiring harness back there with power for the controller?

 

[Whammy Bar]

I'd use PosiTaps instead of the common, crappy foldover ScotchTaps.

Those look like the taps you use for janky outdoor lighting.

Where do you get the Nega-tap? They look like they only sell the Posi one.

 

[billyfw]

I meant the 12v cigarette lighter port. Tap tap and you're good to go.

OH! That's such a good idea and now 13" makes sense too. Should have realized. Thanks!

Any tips/links you've got on removing/tapping the cigarette port in the lightning would be awesome, if you've got them.

thanks again

 

[billyfw]

That coin slot is where the OEM trailer brake controller goes. There isn't a wiring harness back there with power for the controller?

There IS a harness, but I couldn't find a diagram to explain the colors for what's there -- and I'm not sure of the type of connector it is to find a female version to get access to the cables without splicing. Any ideas on figuring that out?

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