UncleDannie

I decided that I wanted to add a 110-120v converter to my 12v system, so I bought a 350w unit with heavy cables. I wanted to permanently mount the converter in my truck area, so I pulled out my trusty Owners Manual, where I found out that there was little or no info about the battery (at least useful to me). I have placed a couple of pictures in My HHR gallery but here is the best shot of the battery and pigtail.



There appears to be a pigtail that I don't know what for. Maybe this is where those cars that have the accessory power unit in the back compartment hooks up? Anyone? Also, while rummaging around back there, I accidentally found two plastic lids that open up to disclose two rather large compartments. Wow! I never noticed them before. Pictures are also posted in My gallery - Uncle Dannie.

Anyone have a service manual page about the battery hookup? Any help would be appreciated.

Sno White

Pigtail?

If by pigtail you mean the 50 Amp fuse - it feeds the BCM directly. This fuse is not documented well and took me some time to trace down what it feeds. The BCM is fed by two other fuses from the under hood fuse box as well.

catdaddy137

if you got the rear power supply,-the cigarette lighter in the rear-, maybe you could connect to it , behind the panel it's mouted to. ....why not just connect to battery??? sorry , if i misunderstood you.

UncleDannie

Thanks Sno White, I thought that the red do-hicky was to plug something into. And to catdaddy137, that was going to be my final solution, just put the correct copper lugs on the wires and attach them to the battery. The unit already has a built-in breaker switch to protect the unit, and another cigarette lighter plug in the back would be nice, so that is the route I will take.

Before I go 'hacking and cleaving' on the electricals, I wanted to touch base and make sure. It is always better to commit a terrible mistake when there is a consensus among other people to spread the blame.

catdaddy137

you know if you got that oem thing in the back , it is rated at 40amps...you may think also about just pluging into it.... let us know how everything turns out. .it looks like a nice mod that others may want to consider.

Jeff®

Those two secret compartments are even more secret with a carpet over them. Wife and kids will find them anyway. Wish they locked.

UncleDannie

Exactly. I pulled the carpet out to get to the battery, when I discovered the two compartments. Locks can be bought at any RV store that will work on the compartments, but since they are so small already, the locks would just eat up more space.

catdaddy137

there is a pretty good sized "dead" space under the dash , in the middle , on top of the hump , behind center controls. it is not totally secret , but it may make a convenient place to mount something like a converter.

Jeff®

Been stabbing with that Q-Tip again?

catdaddy137

the thread is about mounting a converter. if you open the pas side front door , you can almost see the gas petal thru that space. if you wanted to use the convterer for something in the front seat , it should be good place to mount and to plug into ,but it would take a bit of wiring..it would also take a bit of wiring if you mounted the converter in the rear but wanted a plug in the front....or, it could take much less wiring by mounting in the front and conecting to a hot wire in the front......i ran out of qtips.