Technical Switched Live fuses on Panda (2005) for dashcam

Currently reading:
Technical Switched Live fuses on Panda (2005) for dashcam

Joined
Aug 10, 2017
Messages
16
Points
57
Hi there,
Apologies if this has been answered already, but I am trying to determine which fuses in the passenger compartment of my Fiat Panda (2005) are switched live & therefore suitable to power a dash cam without draining the battery.

Using an amp meter to determine which to use has not helped tbh. I have attached a couple of pictures of the internal fuse banks under the dashboard if that helps.

Thanks in advance for any help with this.

Ant
 
There are two fuses boxes on these and there doesn't seem to be any apparent logic why some are under the bonnet, like the cig lighter/power socket and some are in the passenger compartment, they just appear scattered between the two.

You need to be careful as most modern cars don't just have switched and unswitched lives, but also have inhibited lives (ones that continue to power for a certain amount of time after the igntion is switched off).

I would try the heated rear window circuit as it's a high drain one that will almost certainly power off with the igntion.
I think that's F40 in the box inside the car.

If you haven't the owners manual, you can find an electronic one here
http://aftersales.fiat.com/elum/Home.aspx?id_language=2
 
Why not directly from the battery with an inline fuse (close to the battery as possible.) There's a rubber grommet on the leftside of the car.
And switched + from the lightersocket.
gr J
 
Last edited:
Thank You Goudrons.
Very helpful. Hopefully this will put me on the right lines to get this set-up now.

Best Regards
Ant
 
I know it doesn't help, but the newer Panda's handbook tells you which fuse is switched, unswitched etc which I found really useful.

I presume you are hard wiring your cam into the fuse box so it's worth mentioning some cams struggle powering off (and saving the last file without corrupting it) on those aftermarket wiring kits.

You can usually over come this in the cams setting, just set it to power off after 30 secs or a minute rather than immediately when power is cut or you can wire up a new power socket in the glove box and use the standard fag lighter cable than comes with the cam.
 
Last edited:
Yes, good point re the file-saving after ignition is turned off. I'll check that out on mine.

I have now piggybacked the dashcam fuse onto the heated rear window fuse (F40) in the passenger compartment. Power is now getting to the dashcam when the heated rear window (hrw) is turned on. Does this mean I have to have the hrw on at the same time as when the dashcam is on?(namely whenever I am driving)

Wont this flatten the car battery before too long ?

Thank you again for the good advice.

Cheers
Ant
 
The ciggy lighter socket in the centre panel is dead when ignition is off so pick up from the live side and use a separate earth point for the new feed.
 
Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Seems to be working OK now.

Have piggybacked the dashcam into Fuse position F31 (reversing light) in the passenger compartment & all seems to be working as expected now.

Cheers for that.
Ant
 
Hi
How did you get behind passenger's fuse box. It seems to be attached with no nuts/bolts to remove it. Or how did you get wires cables to find out which one it correct.
If I would get wire colours I would be able to use correct one. It's very tidy there...

I was going to use rear heated window or electric front left window as it's high rating fuses (I'm actually trying to get cigarette lighter to work too as Eco versions haven't got it - and engine fuse box has missing connections under it so even adding correct fuse and relay won't help).
 
Hi
How did you get behind passenger's fuse box. It seems to be attached with no nuts/bolts to remove it. Or how did you get wires cables to find out which one it correct.
If I would get wire colours I would be able to use correct one. It's very tidy there...

I was going to use rear heated window or electric front left window as it's high rating fuses (I'm actually trying to get cigarette lighter to work too as Eco versions haven't got it - and engine fuse box has missing connections under it so even adding correct fuse and relay won't help).
Apologies for not replying sooner re this one. The wiring for the dashcam can be put inside the driver side window pillar adjoining the side window and the windscreen. It just pops off and can be pushed back on again. This allowed me to feed the wiring down between the dashboard and the body work and pull them down by looking up through the internal fuse compartment. Definitely fiddly and lots of grazed knuckles...... :( Hope you managed to get it done.
 
The easiest way to take a wire from the fusebox is to use a "piggy-back connector". This moves the original fuse up and adds a second fuse alongside. It will be pulling power from the original circuit so not suitable for high power demands but should be fine for cameras etc.

The internal "dome light" shuts off after a delay so might be option for a dash cam. You would need to confirm where the time delay is switched.
 
The easiest way to take a wire from the fusebox is to use a "piggy-back connector". This moves the original fuse up and adds a second fuse alongside. It will be pulling power from the original circuit so not suitable for high power demands but should be fine for cameras etc.

The internal "dome light" shuts off after a delay so might be option for a dash cam. You would need to confirm where the time delay is switched.
Hi Dave.
Thanks for the reply.
Yes, the inline fuses as you say would be the way to go.
F31, from much trial and error, I found was definitely dead after the ignition is off so used this one for the dashcam.
Dome light fuse probably just as good !!

Cheers
Ant
 
Back
Top