how to wire cig lighter power source to car?
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,688
Likes: 0
From: Central jersey, nj
how to wire cig lighter power source to car? I want to wire the power source from my sirrus reciever to a switch and then to a power source in the car. is there a write up on how to do this? i knwo it can be done, one of my old friends cut off the thing that goes into the cig lighter and hooked the wires up to a switch and the switch to a power source, but i don't talk to him anymore so i can have him do it.
What you need:
1. A 12V automotive switch from your local RadioShack (Link)
2. Electrical Tape
3. Female Quick Disconnect Terminals (Link)
4. Several feet of of hookup wire. (Link)
5. Wire Stripper / Crimper. (I found a good automatic one for $5 at AutoZone the other day.)
What to do:
1. Disconnect your negative battery cable!
2. Find a good place to install the switch. If you are flush mounting the switch, do not attach it yet as you may need to run wires through the hole to the back of the switch.
3. Cut a length of wire to run from the switch to the base of your cigarette lighter.
4. Splice one end of the wire into the positive (orange) wire of your cigarette lighter.
5. Crimp a female quick disconnect onto the other end of the wire and plug it into the line (input) terminal on the switch (they are usually clearly marked).
6. Cut a length of wire to run from the switch to your Sirius unit.
7. Crimp a female quick disconnect onto one end of the wire and plug it into the load (output) terminal on the switch.
8. Connect the other end of the wire to the +12V lead of your Sirius unit.
9. Cut a length of wire to run from your Sirius unit to a good ground or the base of your cigarette lighter.
10. Connect one end of the wire to the -12V lead of your Sirius unit.
11. Connect the other end to ground. Use either an unpainted screw attached to a large unpainted metal part of the car, or the black wire of your cigarette lighter.
12. Tape all connections as needed.
If you bought a lighted/grounded switch you will need to repeat step 9 for the third terminal of the switch.
The above is just a recommendation. I accept no responsibility for any damages that occur as a result of following (either correctly or incorrectly) the above instructions. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, stop, and find someone knowledgable to do it / help.
1. A 12V automotive switch from your local RadioShack (Link)
2. Electrical Tape
3. Female Quick Disconnect Terminals (Link)
4. Several feet of of hookup wire. (Link)
5. Wire Stripper / Crimper. (I found a good automatic one for $5 at AutoZone the other day.)
What to do:
1. Disconnect your negative battery cable!
2. Find a good place to install the switch. If you are flush mounting the switch, do not attach it yet as you may need to run wires through the hole to the back of the switch.
3. Cut a length of wire to run from the switch to the base of your cigarette lighter.
4. Splice one end of the wire into the positive (orange) wire of your cigarette lighter.
5. Crimp a female quick disconnect onto the other end of the wire and plug it into the line (input) terminal on the switch (they are usually clearly marked).
6. Cut a length of wire to run from the switch to your Sirius unit.
7. Crimp a female quick disconnect onto one end of the wire and plug it into the load (output) terminal on the switch.
8. Connect the other end of the wire to the +12V lead of your Sirius unit.
9. Cut a length of wire to run from your Sirius unit to a good ground or the base of your cigarette lighter.
10. Connect one end of the wire to the -12V lead of your Sirius unit.
11. Connect the other end to ground. Use either an unpainted screw attached to a large unpainted metal part of the car, or the black wire of your cigarette lighter.
12. Tape all connections as needed.
If you bought a lighted/grounded switch you will need to repeat step 9 for the third terminal of the switch.
The above is just a recommendation. I accept no responsibility for any damages that occur as a result of following (either correctly or incorrectly) the above instructions. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, stop, and find someone knowledgable to do it / help.
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,688
Likes: 0
From: Central jersey, nj
Originally Posted by komik
What you need:
1. A 12V automotive switch from your local RadioShack (Link)
2. Electrical Tape
3. Female Quick Disconnect Terminals (Link)
4. Several feet of of hookup wire. (Link)
5. Wire Stripper / Crimper. (I found a good automatic one for $5 at AutoZone the other day.)
What to do:
1. Disconnect your negative battery cable!
2. Find a good place to install the switch. If you are flush mounting the switch, do not attach it yet as you may need to run wires through the hole to the back of the switch.
3. Cut a length of wire to run from the switch to the base of your cigarette lighter.
4. Splice one end of the wire into the positive (orange) wire of your cigarette lighter.
5. Crimp a female quick disconnect onto the other end of the wire and plug it into the line (input) terminal on the switch (they are usually clearly marked).
6. Cut a length of wire to run from the switch to your Sirius unit.
7. Crimp a female quick disconnect onto one end of the wire and plug it into the load (output) terminal on the switch.
8. Connect the other end of the wire to the +12V lead of your Sirius unit.
9. Cut a length of wire to run from your Sirius unit to a good ground or the base of your cigarette lighter.
10. Connect one end of the wire to the -12V lead of your Sirius unit.
11. Connect the other end to ground. Use either an unpainted screw attached to a large unpainted metal part of the car, or the black wire of your cigarette lighter.
12. Tape all connections as needed.
If you bought a lighted/grounded switch you will need to repeat step 9 for the third terminal of the switch.
The above is just a recommendation. I accept no responsibility for any damages that occur as a result of following (either correctly or incorrectly) the above instructions. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, stop, and find someone knowledgable to do it / help.
1. A 12V automotive switch from your local RadioShack (Link)
2. Electrical Tape
3. Female Quick Disconnect Terminals (Link)
4. Several feet of of hookup wire. (Link)
5. Wire Stripper / Crimper. (I found a good automatic one for $5 at AutoZone the other day.)
What to do:
1. Disconnect your negative battery cable!
2. Find a good place to install the switch. If you are flush mounting the switch, do not attach it yet as you may need to run wires through the hole to the back of the switch.
3. Cut a length of wire to run from the switch to the base of your cigarette lighter.
4. Splice one end of the wire into the positive (orange) wire of your cigarette lighter.
5. Crimp a female quick disconnect onto the other end of the wire and plug it into the line (input) terminal on the switch (they are usually clearly marked).
6. Cut a length of wire to run from the switch to your Sirius unit.
7. Crimp a female quick disconnect onto one end of the wire and plug it into the load (output) terminal on the switch.
8. Connect the other end of the wire to the +12V lead of your Sirius unit.
9. Cut a length of wire to run from your Sirius unit to a good ground or the base of your cigarette lighter.
10. Connect one end of the wire to the -12V lead of your Sirius unit.
11. Connect the other end to ground. Use either an unpainted screw attached to a large unpainted metal part of the car, or the black wire of your cigarette lighter.
12. Tape all connections as needed.
If you bought a lighted/grounded switch you will need to repeat step 9 for the third terminal of the switch.
The above is just a recommendation. I accept no responsibility for any damages that occur as a result of following (either correctly or incorrectly) the above instructions. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, stop, and find someone knowledgable to do it / help.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,331
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Why would you want to put a switch in a power lead for your satellite radio? Wouldn't it make more sense to tap into an ignition-controlled power source so that the satellite radio goes on and off with the ignition key?
Connect the positive wire for your satellite radio to the yellow wire in the black 10-pin connector behind the radio and the negative wire to a good chassis ground (as detailed above). This will provide power to the satellite radio whenever the factory radio is on.
For others reading this, DO NOT do this with an XM receiver (only Sirius)!!! XM plug-and-play radios run on 6 volts rather than 12 volts so you will fry your satellite radio if you connect it directly to the car's electric system without a power adapter.
Connect the positive wire for your satellite radio to the yellow wire in the black 10-pin connector behind the radio and the negative wire to a good chassis ground (as detailed above). This will provide power to the satellite radio whenever the factory radio is on.
For others reading this, DO NOT do this with an XM receiver (only Sirius)!!! XM plug-and-play radios run on 6 volts rather than 12 volts so you will fry your satellite radio if you connect it directly to the car's electric system without a power adapter.
