I had been itching to do some DIY on my car. A while ago, I had bought a Novatek dashcam from AliExpress. It has been about a year and the device has been working well so far. I am quite happy with the dashcam as it serves the purpose although the fit and finish are far from desirable. When I started installing the dashcam, I realized that the power interface for the camera was using Mini USB and the hardwire kit I had bought had the micro USB interface. As a consequence, I was using the 12 Volt socket to power the dashcam details are in this thread in earlier posts. This was obviously taking up one of the power sources and anytime someone had to charge their cellphone, I'd have to disconnect the dashcam. I had also been contemplating installing a tyre pressure monitoring system TPMS considering that I drive out frequently and a method to check tire pressure was something I could use to ensure optimal pressure before and while on a long trip. Given this, this was the DIY project I wanted to take up. Their narration is were so clear that anyone should be able figure out the basics of car electrical system and have fun with their own DIYs. Arun was also very helpful with advice and review of the work in progress TPMS considerations. I wanted a TPMS system that gave an OEM look. I am a sucker for anything that looks OEM or elegant. Sadly in my search I found no real good TPMS which gives OEM like look and function for Suzuki cars, the ones available were only for Toyota, Honda, Nissan and others. To the right side of the steering, next to parking sensor switch was an empty slot and I wanted to use that. I found none suitable on Amazon. Worse, the available ones were severely overpriced. Searching AliExpress showed a lot more options and cheaper. After much considerations, I zeroed in on CAREUD U912 TPMS. I opted for a variant with internal sensors. For the length, width and height specifications of the target location, it should be a near perfect fit. All other models were either solar powered, big in size or not to my taste and liking. I wanted the TPMS system to be small and placed in one corner, and not look like an after market fitment. I have ordered the device, CAREUD U912 TPMS from AliExpress and its been about two weeks. It monitors temperature of the tyre pressure in addition to pressure. In the meantime, I decided to add an additional 12v Socket to power TPMS as well as the dashcam while the shipment arrived. The 12v socket idea is due to the fact that if I decide to do away with the dashcam in future, I could use it to power something else without much rework. CAREUD U912 TPMS To begin with, I made up a diagram on how I wanted to wire the setup. I also spent some time dismantling the glove box and examining how the wiring will be placed, where I will ground the devices etc. After much deliberation, I decided to place the 12 V socket right next to the entertainment system, behind the dash. This is the model of 12v Socket I ordered from Amazon. I liked this because it came with connectors and the necessary wires with an inline fuse. And here's the wiring diagram Summary of my Approach a. Made a mental map of how to go about wiring. Read the car manual to clearly understand the location of internal fuses, and how to dismantle things like glove box and covers. Researched on equipment I needed. Checked to ensure I have the tools needed. Watched several YouTube videos of DIY projects similar to what I was about to undertake. Considered backup plans if I end up with surprises. Fuses that were not connected to the battery, alternate location for 12V socket etc. Sourced all the tools and equipment I needed. Wiring Plan: My wiring plan was to use a 12 V socket and then tap an additional powerline right after the inline fuse of the socket to power the TPMS system. Both devices together only needed less than 5 Amps and the fuse protects at 10 Amps. I will also add a 5 amp inline fuse for the TPMS when it arrives. The fuse box in S-Cross is not in an easily accessible position. It's right behind the glove compartment to the left on the passenger side. The only way to work easily with it is by removing the glove box and the soft insulation under the foot well. With the socket being in the center of dashboard and the TPMS on the other end of the dash, I had to account for enough wire length to ensure I could connect the systems. I used a measuring tape to account for the length of wires required. Fuses location in S-Cross 1. This was a bit of surprise to me. Thus, the default choice then was to use the blank socket. Tests using multimeter showed that the socket is powered only when ignition switch is on. This was good enough since I wanted these devices to be powered on only when the car was running. I always prefer to use a minimum number of devices when the engine is not running. This practice, I believe, has greatly helped conserve battery with all my previous cars. I never had a battery change before 5 years of ownership. Now having figured out how to get the power, the next was to consider how to get the ground wire done. Looking behind the dash, I located a place where I could add a nut and bolt to hold the ground connectors together at the same spot. I was lucky to find a nut and bolt in my toolbox that matched exactly with the hole on the internal hardware. Placing the 12V Socket - Since there was no real holder, my plan was to use zip ties to hold the 12v socket to the internal hardware and then plug in the adapter for the dashcam. There's plenty of space behind the dash, so routing the wire was easy. The socket came with proper connectors and also insulators. Cost was reasonable too and quality is very good. You definitely can do better with additional pair of hands. Wiring the hardware Solder Joints - I believe I did it pretty well for a first timer Final Output. If you follow the wire from fuse tap, you will see that right after the inline fuse for the socket, there is an additional branch off to the LED connector. It's soldered properly and every solder joint is insulated with heat shrink tubing and insulation tape. Installation Procedure This should be a no brainer, but before you start, ensure that the accessories or ignition is not on. This is very important or you could cause a spark or short circuit. Step 1: Remove the glovebox. Clear instructions are given in the manual on how to remove the glove box. Armed with this information, I removed the glove box, foot well cover and the fuse cover. Step 2: Position the 12V Socket and ensure that the wires have enough length to connect the devices. If you planned this well and did your homework, then you should be good. The picture below shows a hardware just behind my dashboard center console Step 3: Fix the 12V Socket using zip ties. I had to chain Zip ties together to ensure a strong fix against the internal hardware. Routed the wires over and below the cabin air filter housing and secured with zip ties. The positive wires go to the fuse tap and the connector portion opposite direction to the other side of the dashboard LED connector coming out of the other side of the dashboard. This is currently not in use and will be connected when TPMS arrives. For now its just tied up well and insulated. Connect the fuse tap to the blank fuse socket or the one you designated as the power source. Electrical wisdom says always connect positive first, although you could get away without it also. Step 5: Connect the ground wires to a body frame Smoke Testing We do this in software too! Once you have wired up everything, turn on the ignition and try to use your nose and ears to check if you hear any burnt smell or sounds which indicate sparking. If everything looks good, plug in your dashcam into the socket and check if it powers up. Also check if turning off the ignition powers down the dashcam. If everything is good so far, ensure your ignition is turned off and continue below: a. Use zip ties to tie up the wires so that they are well secure and not interfering with other equipment and your legs. Close up the glove box and the foot well cover. Check your little tray to see if you missed adding any screws or anything back. In my case, the fuse cover could not be put back, so I placed it in my manual holder for future reference. Potential Pitalls in this DIY a. If you are rookie at soldering, then chances are you will execute a bad solder. As a consequence, the soldering may not be strong or will increase resistance. Solution: Watch YouTube videos on how to solder properly. Ensure you use a proper gauge wires so that you don't risk overheating of wires. A bit higher gauge is better. For such DIYs you can consider any gauge from AWG c. Vibrations could cause the adapter to dislodge from the 12V socket after sometime. I need to check this and do something about it if that happens Learnings a. Plan for enough time with the DIY. Do your homework well - I bet a lot of us haven't been so enthusiastic about homeworks when you were a child. The learnings are great for satisfaction especially rookies in this field like me. Upcoming DIY - TPMS Installation TPMS Location is given below. It's about 1 inch by 1. The difference might be off by a couple of mm's only. If the gap is too much, I'd have to add some packing or some glue or tape to ensure the fit is tight. Given that I only need to solder my connector, this should now be an easy plug and play. The only major work will be to install the internal sensors. The govers shop Banaswadi that does tyre works is very good. That guy even told me that if the weight of the sensor is off only by a couple of milligrams, all they need to do is deflate the tyre, cut out the existing valve and fix the sensor and valve. Balancing may not be required as long as the tyre position does not change. Thinking about it, I think that could actually be true. TPMS Location Dummy currently in the position NOTE: This is a continuation of the post at Tyre Pressure Monitor Installation TPMS on S-Cross 1. Sometimes, I also end up going through some bad patches of roads. Change of tyres every 5-6 years Including shelf life or at 35,000-40,000 KMS. Tyre pressure check every time I complete a full tank of diesel, before I start a long journey or once a month. Check for nails or any lodged objects every 1-2 months. These checks, I believe, have helped me in not getting stranded and also have a comfortable drive everytime. Correct tyre pressure is one of the things that can give a comfortable fatigue free drive. On the S-Cross, I usually keep it at the manufacturer recommended pressure of 33 PSI during winter season and 32 in summer. So given this, one of the equipment I decided to install is the TPMS. My experience selecting, ordering and installation is described below Choice of TPMS System My first choice of sourcing equipment is locally in Bangalore. My requirement was specific - The device had to be small, gives an OEM look and feel and preferably have pressure and temperature monitoring. Most of the options I had were either brands that were not well known, had very few customer reviews and expensive. I also checked Amazon. They'd occupy the cigarette lighter socket and the power interface for the ones I liked were integrated into the monitor, like a T shaped Pad. See this link for e. That wouldn't fit into S-Cross because the socket is placed inside the center storage where there is little room for a device given the interior side panels of the console. There were also a few models which had a cell phone app to monitor the pressure, which I didn't prefer either. Next up, AliExpress - AliExpress has lots of options and if you wait for their sale, you can get some good deals, the only problem being the long wait time for delivery. I had already decided that I wanted a model with internal sensors because the external sensor had to be removed everytime using a supplied spanner if you had to top up nitrogen or air. I felt this was an inconvenience and a lost spanner would make things worse. Aesthetically, it didn't appeal to me either. There were some solar powered models too which had a big monitor unit. I finally zeroed in on CAREUD U912 TPMS with internal sensors. This model is available for Toyota, Honda and a few other cars. The device fits neatly into one of the dummy sockets in the car, but being 23mm x 34mm meant it would not fit into the dummy socket in the S-Cross. I then found that the one for Honda came with a rubber padding and locking that fits more or less perfectly in S-Cross. A few days went by before the order was placed as I was in the middle of other work priorities as well as wiring up the 12v socket for use with my dashcam. When wiring up the 12v socket, I also
