Switched +12vdc In Cargo Area?

[CV428]

Despite cranking the AC and parking in the garage or shade as much as possible, we are finding that the interior temp in the back seats of our 4dr Bronco is too high for our toddler in sweltering SC heat, even on a short drive. I bought a nice 12v fan and mounted it to the upper crossbar to help circulate air towards his car seat (still rear-facing) and it helps tremendously. But, the 12v power is constant, not switched. I don't want to have constant power to the fan. I have heard the cargo +12v is timed- is that true? (I have not tested it).

Are there any switched/ignition +12v points near the cargo area or up along the top (maybe lighting) that I can splice into? I'd like to keep the wiring as clean as possible without having to add switches and relays. I only want it to be powered under ignition-on state, to prevent battery run-down.

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[RagnarKon]

I have heard the cargo +12v is timed- is that true? (I have not tested it).

Yes, all of the 12 V ports and USB ports are timed and controlled by a microcontroller.

If you have the Aux switches, there is also wiring in the back passenger side that you can use to connect your fan to the Aux switch.

 

[brkdncr]

I don’t have a 4dr but I think there are 3rd party ducts that move air to the back seats a lot better.

 

[CV428]

Yes, all of the 12 V ports and USB ports are timed and controlled by a microcontroller.

If you have the Aux switches, there is also wiring in the back passenger side that you can use to connect your fan to the Aux switch.

Do you happen to know what the time delay is, and if it can be controlled in Forscan? I don't have any aux-switches.

I don’t have a 4dr but I think there are 3rd party ducts that move air to the back seats a lot better.

I have heard mixed reviews on them. Some people say they work great, others not so much. I'll test out airflow on them and see if redirecting with some high-quality prototype cardboard will work first haha

 

[B22-2023]

Do you happen to know what the time delay is, and if it can be controlled in Forscan? I don't have any aux-switches.

The FORSCAN spreadsheet tells you how, you set it for the number of seconds you want the power point to run after engine off.

Open up the cargo panel though and replace the outlet with something decent that can handle continuous current. The OEM one gets hot and melts over long run times well below its rated current.

 

[brkdncr]

Re: ducts I think they are like $25 and I thought I heard Ford is now doing the same on new 4dr models.

 

[B-rad351]

I saw a previous post about this.
The cigarette lighter will switch off after an hour of being parked. I tested it on mine and it’s true.
Also, I have the Mabett air extensions on my Badlands for the rear seat and there is still very little to no air coming out, not enough to make any kind of difference. I also went into manual AC and switched all air to come from the floor vents only. No better. Someone said those floor ducts might not have been connected under the dash from the factory, which sounds plausible to me. I haven’t looked yet.

 

[JediMcMuffin]

Take look into these: https://www.amazon.com/Mabett-Deflectors-Accessories-Conditioning-Directional/dp/B0CLJMY4MX/

Also, if you're using auto, you may want to force the floor vents to be on so that these receive air.

Although, maybe something else is wrong? Our children don't complain when its 110 in the Desert here.

 

[Brian_B]

Although, maybe something else is wrong? Our children don't complain when its 110 in the Desert here.

How do you accomplish this without using duct tape? My child complains if I give them ice cream and it’s 70F and sunny out

 

[NC_Oak]

keep in mind if you're running the AC on max (at least in the non-auto temp HVAC) the floor ducts aren't open in the rear. so no air going back there.

I live north of the border and my kids are fine with AC on soft top windows removed. just gotta make sure you got air going to the back. I considered the ducts to redirect up but have realized it is not needed. Would help while wheeling tho if shit is open.

 

[B22-2023]

Despite cranking the AC and parking in the garage or shade as much as possible, we are finding that the interior temp in the back seats of our 4dr Bronco is too high for our toddler in sweltering SC heat, even on a short drive.

On the other hand rather than wire 12 VDC, we use a variation of this for camping. Clamp on USB-charged fan. Runs for hours. Clip to your headrests or secure to the roll bar. And you can charge or keep it plugged into the rear seat charger.

 

[Big Red Rocket of Love]

On the other hand rather than wire 12 VDC, we use a variation of this for camping. Clamp on USB-charged fan. Runs for hours. Clip to your headrests or secure to the roll bar. And you can charge or keep it plugged into the rear seat charger.

I have that exact same portable fan, purchased from Amazon a couple of years ago (although the brand name on mine is different - but exact same fan). They work great! I originally bought it to clamp onto the handle of my golf push cart for the hot Florida summer but it just seemed like it was always in my way. Since I travel for a living, I've begun to pack it in my travel pack and use it in my hotel room to make sure I've got good airflow for sleeping. Though they are rechargeable, keep in mind you can also plug them into a USB outlet and run them for as long as the USB is putting out power.

~Steve

 

[Mjasi3]

On the other hand rather than wire 12 VDC, we use a variation of this for camping. Clamp on USB-charged fan. Runs for hours. Clip to your headrests or secure to the roll bar. And you can charge or keep it plugged into the rear seat charger.

Thanks! I was looking for something to keep the pup cool. He pants all the time. This will be great…

 

[CV428]

Take look into these: https://www.amazon.com/Mabett-Deflectors-Accessories-Conditioning-Directional/dp/B0CLJMY4MX/

Also, if you're using auto, you may want to force the floor vents to be on so that these receive air.

Although, maybe something else is wrong? Our children don't complain when its 110 in the Desert here.

Our son is in a rear-facing car seat that has a ridiculous amount of padding like a quilt. There have been a few times where we have the AC cranked and he winds up sitting in a pool of sweat when we take him out after a 10 minute drive. The pediatrician said it might be genetic, since I can't handle heat at all either. I grew up in New England, my room had no heat, and I had two vehicles that had no working heat, so I just got used to the cold. I used to enjoy shoveling snow in shorts and a t-shirt, but mowing my lawn in anything over 75f causes me to melt.

The FORSCAN spreadsheet tells you how, you set it for the number of seconds you want the power point to run after engine off.

Open up the cargo panel though and replace the outlet with something decent that can handle continuous current. The OEM one gets hot and melts over long run times well below its rated current.

Appreciated! I was not aware of the melting issue.

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