The Almighty Power...

As with my Crossfire, I wanted to put in switched and un-switched fuse panels to support the need for the hands-free phone, drive + play iPod controller, XM radio and GPS, and a couple open accessory plugs.  I priced Painless Wiring fuse panels and opted to replicate them with parts sourced locally.  Here's a list of the parts used in the event you wish to order them online and save gas and a trip to the store.

Product	Mfg	Part#
ATC Blade Type Fuse Panel	Buss	BP/15600-06-02
Automotive Wire 12 gauge red	ElectroForce	89325
Automotive Wire 12 gauge black	ElectroForce	89324
Automotive Wire 10 gauge red	Painless Wiring
30 Amp Circuit Breaker with Mounting Bracket	Buss	BP/CBC-30HB
Fuse Assortment ATC Blade	Buss	AK-6
Repair Tape	SealWrap	http://www.sealwrap.com/tapedata.html
4 Pin 30 Amp 12 Volt Relay	Conduct Tite	84601
Fuse Tap	Buss	BP/HHA ATC Fuse Tap

This provides auxiliary power options for these and future devices.

 

The wiring plan takes power directly from the battery, through a 40 amp circuit breaker. 

This reduces the risk of fire from the hot lead from the battery passing through the firewall.  Even with fuses for the components inside the cabin, the run of wire from the battery to the firewall could fault and cause a fire without a breaker of some sort.

The un-switched fuse block provides power at all times no matter the car is on or off.  I like to use this for the GPS, XM Radio, and is required for one terminal in the Drive+Play.  After a few generations of changes, this is a typical arrangement of connections to the auxiliary fuse panel.

The switched fuse block is controlled by a 30 amp relay that is activated by a switched lead (terminal 86; terminal 85 is grounded to chassis) from the original fuse box.

When the car is on, the activating lead (86) switches the relay to provide power to the fuse box (power supply connected to terminal 30; terminal 87 provides power out when relay is "on").  This relay does not provide terminal 87a which would give power out when switch is "off".  When the car is turned off, the switch lead power drops, allowing the relay to disable power from the battery.

The leads come through the firewall using a factory-installed plug that has provisions for wiring to pass through. 

Here, I added the fuse tap to the existing auxiliary fuse panel.  I removed the 15 amp fuse from socket 10 (the switched power lead to the stereo), put the fuse onto the fuse tap and added a second fuse for the new lead it adds (not shown in picture for clarity), then put the cover back on the fuse panel.  That was easy!

 

Next I put a spade connector on the positive battery terminal and installed the 40 amp circuit breaker between the battery and the hot lead that goes through the firewall into the passenger compartment.

This info may be useful in wiring the "always hot" connection or "switched" connection - need to check car first. 
 

This lead provides power to both new fuse panels - one directly and the other through the relay that is switched by the lead attached to the fuse panel as just described.  This approach provides safe power to a number of accessories without modification to any of the car's fuse boxes or harnesses.

Each accessory is added by putting spade connectors on the end of the hot wire(s), and an eyelet connector on the ground wire.  The hot wires are connected to available fuse rows in the panel ("always on" or "switched").  The ground wire is connected to a suitable chassis ground.

I placed the auxiliary fuse box behind the panel under the steering wheel (it snaps open)...

I undertook a marathon install of all my usual electronic components starting with the fuse panel.  It went smoothly from start to finish and by the end of the day I had everything up and running!

 

MINI Cooper Electronics Marathon Install | MINI Cooper Auxiliary Audio Input | harman/kardon drive + play | Garmin V GPS | Motorola HF 850 Bluetooth Hands-Free | Delphi Roady XT XM Satellite Radio | Factory Radio

Here's the final configuration:

 

   

   

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