Modify lighter to stay powered?

[Guest Martinjmpr]

I'll apologize if someone asked this before, but is there a way to wire the 12v outlets, either the cigarette lighter or the rear power outlet, so that they stay on when the ignition is off? If so, how difficult/expensive would such a conversion be? I'd like to be able to charge my cell phone or keep an electric cooler going when the engine is off. Has anyone done this?

 

Martin

[Guest sirveaux]

If you have any experience with car wiring at all it will cost you some wire and a half hour for both outlets. Just pull the power outlet out, and you'll see wiring on it. There are two wires, one ground, one 12v. All you really need to do is run a new wire to a constant 12v source and cut the 12v wire on the outlet and replace it with your new one. You could run it straight to the battery, or the fuse box, wherever is easiest to tap in. I just tapped into the feed for my stereo, but I did this knowing I would be using ONLY a radar detector on it. You don't want to overload the radio circuit, so if you're charging a cell phone it'll be ok, but the cooler might draw too much current. At any rate, a very simple conversion.

 

As a side note, I hate the ones that only come on with the car. I'm driving a rental right now and it has that, keeping my phone charged has gotten somewhat tricky (no home charger).

 

Good luck.

 

-Ryan

[Guest scoobtech]

Remember that this will drain the battery , because the alternator is not operating . :cool:

[Guest Martinjmpr]

From my experience it seems that the whole powered/unpowered lighter is a US/Import difference. Every import I've owned (a Toyota, a Mazda, a Mitsubishi and now the Subie) has had a non-powered w/o ignition lighter, and every US vehicle has had constant power.

 

Martin

[Guest LeoneTurbo]

My Euro-spec MY92 Legacy has constant a power lighter...