I want to put a permanent no raising the hood, no rattle while I drive, trouble free as possible, but also easy to access connector someplace around the front grille.

Fuse or no fuse? (couple feet of wire going to the jump post)

I want wire gauge to handle at least 20 amps, for serious charging, and to connect a cigarette lighter type power outlet for using 12v compressors etc.

What type of connector? Weather proof cig lighter style?

Where?

Mounted how? Something rigid for a one hand plug/unplug would be nice.

Anybody already do this with pictures?

Maybe this from West marine?
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...classNum=10615

 

I wouldn't use such a battery access point for "serious charging" as you could easily kill your LH ECU if the battery is so discharged it takes a very large initial current.

Fine to have the capacilty out to drive external devices, but not for high current in.

 

Not sure if you're link is from the same manufacturer, but I've used similar receptacles, on a small boat I used to own. Were made by Marinco, and also available from WestMarine: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...classNum=10551

I can vouch for Marinco's good quality. IIRC, the male end from Marinco had an O-ring which made it ideal for use in wet conditions. But the receptacle would accept any standard 12V plug.

 

I use a phono (DIN) connector socket located in the housing for/below the handbrake (E brake) lever. Hard wired via an inline fuse/holder wired into the permanent power connection to the seat motors under the drivers seat.

Discrete permanent connection in the car, easy to plug in when you park in the garage, can't fail to miss it's plugged in when you drive out of the garage. Battery maintainer/trickle charger mounted on garage ceiliing next to power supply point fot garage door motors, supply to cars just dangles when un plugged.

 

Mine is installed at the front apron, with the hood up on the frist latch while it's attached. Best reminder not to drive away with the maintainer attached. I used a two-pin Molex connector, female pins inside male housing on the car side. 10A fuse from the connector to the jump post. ground uses the existing ground point just forward and below the jump post. I have the same configuration on the cars, bikes and the now-gone boats. Worked great.

 

My big charger is 2/20/75, but the 75 amp is a starting mode limited to less than a minute. I only use the 2 amp or 20 amps modes, initially 2 amps until the battery gets over 10v .

I've thought about running a steel wire to ground for current limiting, but I don't want another project that never ends.

If I go with the cig lighter outlet, I could make it wife proof just by orienting it so it would passively pull out of the socket if the car is backed up.

 

My charge point is under the license/number plate at the rear. Socket and plug type as used by off-road trucks - a postive contact centre pin. Connected direct to battery poles via a 10A fuse - the enables me to disconnect the battery earth to work on things, but leave the battery on trickle. Similar to stuff here - http://www.mudstuff.co.uk/12v-sockets.shtml
I dont believe the plugs with just rubbing contact of the centre pin are good enough.
jp 83 Euro S AT 52k

 

I use a 7 pin flat trailer plug on all of my vehicles
mounted at the front under the bumper, weatherproof and robust. If you remove the locking tabs from the plug side they also pull free if you forget.

 

I'm not the OP, but thanks! Some great ideas on this thread.