How many items can you put on the 12v socket?

[fearthisinc]

I was just curious how well these boats can handle 12v items. I know and have seen guys have cigarette lighter adapter that have like 10things plugged in and they dont blow a fuse... My personally.. I have had about 4-6 strobe lights hooked up to a single cigarette lighter in my patrol unit.. But with boats I am all new so not sure how it works.. What I am looking to do here is basically tap the power/ground from behind the cigarette lighter adapater.. items I am looking to install is a horn and a VHF radio... I take it as everything is fused so even if something did go wrong the fuse would blow before any damage was done, correct? I know I dont really "need" these items.. but would be fun to have.. first off wouldnt have to worry about keeping the whistle near by and as for the VHF.. well it would be nice to have some backup in case something happens to cellphone or even to talk with other boaters or friends on the water.. also keep up with weather and whatnot... Thanks for any input..

 

[RFoster130]

Honestly, I wouldnt tap anything on to a new boat under warranty. That is where they will get you. It is very easy to just run a new power wire to the battery.

 

[fearthisinc]

Yea.. I didnt wanna tap anything either but its the 12v adapter which usually always fused so basically its a prewired fused power line... I just dont know how i would run the new power line.. i was going over the boat and it all just looks so enclosed lol.. plus at least i know all power will be killed when i turn off the battery switch... which reminds me.. could you just tap power from the battery switch?

 

[RFoster130]

Save yourself the headache and just run a new wire. Very easy to do. Run it from the front compartment where you want power, drop it down in the ski locker. Run it way up in the side and nobody will ever see it. Pull it into the engine compartment. Put it on the side of the battery switch that gets power when on. Dont splice on to anything they WILL void your warranty. Use wire loom to protect it and it will look factory.

 

[fearthisinc]

You have me a little confused lol.. You say to pull it to the engien compartment but then say to run it to the battery switch... My battery switch is located where my right knee would be under the steering column area.. its not in the engine compartment.. unless there is another part of the switch in the engien compartment.. (New to boats lol)... I mean I could easily run it to the battery switch without much effort.. but getting it to the ski stoarage locker will be an issue.. i dont see any easy way of getting down into that..

 

[RFoster130]

Well that shows you how much I know about the neweer boats. Should be a very easy job then. Snake it through to the switch and put it on there and you are done.