How to make it so 12V adapter only has power when key is turned?
#1
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
How to make it so 12V adapter only has power when key is turned?
Hey I was just wondering if there was a way to rewire the 12V adapter so that it doesnt have power to it when the car is off? That way when the key is in the accessory position, whatevers plugged in to the outlet will turn on, and will turn off when i shut the car off. I ask cause its kind of a nuisance to have to turn the thing on and off seperately.
#2
Kleeborp the Moderator™
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I guess you could cut the +12V wire going to the lighter and splice one in coming from the driver's side fuse panel that's switched 12V power (check your owners manual if you aren't sure what I'm talking about - it'll be under something like wiring in aftermarket accessories).
That fuse panel has three empty slots in it that will accept spade plugs - one source is 12V hot all the time, one is 12V switched (what you are looking for), and one is 12V retained accessory power (like your radio has - it will only turn off after the door opens).
That fuse panel has three empty slots in it that will accept spade plugs - one source is 12V hot all the time, one is 12V switched (what you are looking for), and one is 12V retained accessory power (like your radio has - it will only turn off after the door opens).
#3
Copy & Paste Moderator
You could also wire up a new socket that taps into the extra accessory spot in the fuse panel. If I remember correctly there is a spot where you can add your own fuse to tap into different sources of power for the purpose of adding extra circuits (power all the time, accessory, ignition, etc) That way the stock sockets will maintain full power all the time just in case you still need it at some point. I sometimes leave my cell phone in the car to charge. Actually since there are two power sockets next to each other, you can wire one to that accessory port and leave the other the default way.
#4
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Apparently theres some large black wire near the 12V, a little below the stereo head unit, that i can tap into? Not sure what it runs to but a friend with a formula suggested I try that wire.
#7
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You could also wire up a new socket that taps into the extra accessory spot in the fuse panel. If I remember correctly there is a spot where you can add your own fuse to tap into different sources of power for the purpose of adding extra circuits (power all the time, accessory, ignition, etc)
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#8
Copy & Paste Moderator
I'm not sure on the f-body panel, but on some, its just a spade terminal pushed in from the rear.
Looking at some close-ups online, it doesn't appear to be a spade terminal, but it does appear to be a standard one that you should be able to get easily.
Looking at some close-ups online, it doesn't appear to be a spade terminal, but it does appear to be a standard one that you should be able to get easily.
#9
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Total noob here when it comes to electrical. Does "pushed in from the rear" mean I'll have to get the fuse block out and plug the power wire in with a connector in from the back, and then just connect the ground wire wherever it's convenient? And should I add an inline fuse to the power wire?
#10
Copy & Paste Moderator
I haven't tried it on an f-body so I'm not sure on this car. Also, the purpose of going to the fuse box is to put a fuse there in the open spot. Why have another inline fuse after the fuse you added to the open spot? Unless you intend to branch off another connection.
#11
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The f-bodies don't have extra ports where you can add a fuse. They have the three extra ports (ignition, battery, and accessory) but they are only single leg ports... like half of a fuse. You use a quick connect terminal (a flat terminal that looks like one leg of a fuse) to plug in to the ports from the front side of the fuse panel so an inline fuse will be necessary. The other option would be to splice into the port's wire from the back side of the fuse panel but you would still need an inline fuse.
#12
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The f-bodies don't have extra ports where you can add a fuse. They have the three extra ports (ignition, battery, and accessory) but they are only single leg ports... like half of a fuse. You use a quick connect terminal (a flat terminal that looks like one leg of a fuse) to plug in to the ports from the front side of the fuse panel so an inline fuse will be necessary. The other option would be to splice into the port's wire from the back side of the fuse panel but you would still need an inline fuse.
#13
Copy & Paste Moderator
Thanks for replying WhiteBird00. I'm not in the same state as my car so I was relying on pics on the internet and wasn't sure if what I was seeing was the older open slots or not. I thought I saw some pics that were open slots to add a fuse but maybe in those someone was doing other work and pulled a wire.
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Think it would be worth the effort to dremel out the space between the two lower left empty slots, pop some connectors in there, splice off the wire that goes to the IGN slot, and put a fuse in there? Would look a lot nicer but would also be a lot more work.
#16
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I wouldn't. What I did was run different color fairly large (14 gauge) wires from each of the three ports to an accessory fuse panel I mounted on the transmission tunnel behind the console. That gave me a central location to connect whatever electrical accessories I wanted using whatever type of power (ign, batt, or accy) was best suited to the job. Yes, you end up with wires running across the front of your fuse panel but with a little dremel work around the edges, you can get the wires to lie flat so that the fuse cover goes back on and hides them.
#17
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I wouldn't. What I did was run different color fairly large (14 gauge) wires from each of the three ports to an accessory fuse panel I mounted on the transmission tunnel behind the console. That gave me a central location to connect whatever electrical accessories I wanted using whatever type of power (ign, batt, or accy) was best suited to the job. Yes, you end up with wires running across the front of your fuse panel but with a little dremel work around the edges, you can get the wires to lie flat so that the fuse cover goes back on and hides them.