Would like to make use of the space over the radio and mount a panel with a volt meter and a few other things. I need to run an new +12 and -12 lines so to get a true reading from the battery. It will be fused and on a switch.

I'm used to much older cars where finding a way from engine bay to inside is as easy as shining a torch.

Noted a large loom going into the bulk head just below the battery. is this a good spot to piggy back a couple of cables with a threading tool?

Any help as always will be most helpful.

Hi TheDutyPaid,

not meaning to disrespect your desire to read directly from the battery, but would a reading from the loom inside the cabin do?

I use a simple cigarette-lighter-plugin voltmeter, whilst not perfectly accurate it is good enough to give an indication of the battery charge (stopped) and state of the charging system (running). As a bonus it can also give an indication of the state of the wiring loom- which is not really good in my case given trying to activate 3 electric windows simultaneously produces enough of a voltage drop on the loom (down to about 10V) to almost stall the engine at idle.

If you went this way then for your panel you could simply take off the cigarette lighter power, in which case it's both switched Ignition) and fused (fuse box).

Just a thought,

[b]Patrick[/b]

That would probably be the best way and use the power line from the lighter socket. Needing to run a satnav sometimes and dash cam all the time the socket is useful.

For years I always put my smokes into the gap, but now smoke free for a year. I fancied a project to fill that space and have no need for a double din radio.

Just on another note, does anyone know if the bulkhead is single or a double piece of steel? It case I do fancy getting the drill out.

Don't know about the bulkhead, sorry.

But you could either wire your camera and/or satnav power directly by tapping into the cig ligher line. You could also partially fill the DIN cubby hole with one of those 3 cigarette lighter "powerboards" to give you the extra plugs you need?

Cheers,
[b]Patrick[/b]

Pull away the front passenger wheel arch lining. At the bottom where the sill is there is a grommet. Remove this and you can pass the wires into the sill. On the inside of the car you need to remove the triangular plastic cover to the bottom left of the glove box. Once removed you will see the access to the sill to pull the wires through

Just above where the main loom goes in that you've spotted there's another grommet I've fed my amp cables through there. Just remove battery and you'll see it

That big grommet over the main loom is for aircon, so if you have aircon, as I do in the V6 then you can't use it, but I did use it on meanie to run the power feed for my sub.

Paul, I never knew that grommet existed, nice find mate

Is it not in a pretty water prone place though?

Pretty sure the bulkhead is single thickness steel