This is the perfect sub-forum for this topic... I want to route an extension cord from the Interior to the Exterior as a permanent installation. A retractable 120v cord spool that pulls out from the car and retracts back into the car when not in use.
Why? I want a space heater in the cabin that doesn't use battery when parked and I have a 12v battery minder to charges the 12v via cigarette lighter socket. The heater would be located in trunk area with a seat knocked down for circulation. And hey! My car just hit 80,000 yesterday so I'm off warranty now and time to play.
Ideally, I'd like the spool to be in the rear of the car.. it's about 1 foot / 30cm diameter by 5" / 10cm thick. It would easily fit in either side flanks of the lower trunk, or anywhere within the lower trunk area. My car is also just RWD with huge frunk... so I could locate the spool up there with cord exiting to the front but I'd need to get 120v through the firewall and routed to back of car... so that's a pain. Rear preferred.
SO I'm looking for advice on an exit path to reach the outside of the car going through the "weather tight envelope" somewhere... in the rear.
I'm thinking of running the cord through a semi rigid plastic tube (think big soda straw) from the spool through exterior envelope to where the plug "hangs out". To facilitate retracting I'd think this path needs to be fairly straight, but could tolerate a slight bend.
At the exit from the car, behind the panel I'd have a housing "cup" for the plug. Recessed behind the panel, flush, and with a cover that conceals the whole thing. A little "pull" on the cover takes it off, and is tied to the plug so it pulls the plug and cord out behind it. The spool retraction spring is what keeps all this pulled back in and cover on tight when plug is not in use.
Prefer a low exit point on the car, not drilling any exterior body metal.. but coring a 1/2 inch hole through interior metal panel to get the cord through is fine because it's hidden. Reaching down to pull the cover straight down from the underbelly would be fine, maybe ideal because it's unseen modification. I don't mind coring a hole in a plastic covers down there and mounting the cup down there with the cover.
Anybody taken their car apart for
And hey, thanks for listening!
Why? I want a space heater in the cabin that doesn't use battery when parked and I have a 12v battery minder to charges the 12v via cigarette lighter socket. The heater would be located in trunk area with a seat knocked down for circulation. And hey! My car just hit 80,000 yesterday so I'm off warranty now and time to play.
Ideally, I'd like the spool to be in the rear of the car.. it's about 1 foot / 30cm diameter by 5" / 10cm thick. It would easily fit in either side flanks of the lower trunk, or anywhere within the lower trunk area. My car is also just RWD with huge frunk... so I could locate the spool up there with cord exiting to the front but I'd need to get 120v through the firewall and routed to back of car... so that's a pain. Rear preferred.
SO I'm looking for advice on an exit path to reach the outside of the car going through the "weather tight envelope" somewhere... in the rear.
I'm thinking of running the cord through a semi rigid plastic tube (think big soda straw) from the spool through exterior envelope to where the plug "hangs out". To facilitate retracting I'd think this path needs to be fairly straight, but could tolerate a slight bend.
At the exit from the car, behind the panel I'd have a housing "cup" for the plug. Recessed behind the panel, flush, and with a cover that conceals the whole thing. A little "pull" on the cover takes it off, and is tied to the plug so it pulls the plug and cord out behind it. The spool retraction spring is what keeps all this pulled back in and cover on tight when plug is not in use.
Prefer a low exit point on the car, not drilling any exterior body metal.. but coring a 1/2 inch hole through interior metal panel to get the cord through is fine because it's hidden. Reaching down to pull the cover straight down from the underbelly would be fine, maybe ideal because it's unseen modification. I don't mind coring a hole in a plastic covers down there and mounting the cup down there with the cover.
Anybody taken their car apart for
- sound deadening insulation
- speaker upgrades
- lighting options
- trailer hitch
- ..whatever ??
And hey, thanks for listening!
Last edited:
