Convert the cigarette lighter or accessory outlet to switched 12V.

[thegoat54]

I've got a 2004 Alero and I just got a car DVR that turns itself on and off and when it detects power or gets disconnected.

The problem is that both outlets are always on. I'd like it if when I turned my car on and off the power outlets turned on and off with the car.

How can I do this?

Thanks.

[fisdad]

Originally Posted by thegoat54

I've got a 2004 Alero and I just got a car DVR that turns itself on and off and when it detects power or gets disconnected.

The problem is that both outlets are always on. I'd like it if when I turned my car on and off the power outlets turned on and off with the car.

How can I do this?

Thanks.

Cut the current power wire to the 12 volt plug on your power outlet. Leave the ground wire. Re route your power wire into your ignition accessory wire on the left side of the radio bezel. I believe it was the larger brown wire? Then your outlet will be hot only when the ignition is switched on.

[thegoat54]

I just read that some Grand Am cut the power after about 5 minutes to these outlets. Can anyone confirm if the same is true for the Alero?

[Nas Escobar]

Originally Posted by thegoat54

I just read that some Grand Am cut the power after about 5 minutes to these outlets. Can anyone confirm if the same is true for the Alero?

Nope, but most GM cars after 1997 and some since 1994 (The Camaro really via a module) had the feature where you can run accessories for 10 minutes after the key is taken out. The cigarette lighter has been wired to be usable without a key since I could remember. Every GM car I've had was able to do that.

[Vader1021]

There's a special fuse you can buy at autozone. Forgot its exact name, but you splice the wires together then put it in an empty slot.

[rocketfast321]

The I would use a relay, keep the stock power to it, and get a switch 12v line from one of the fuse boxes via a fuse tap. Messing with the ignition harness is something i would never like to do.

Originally Posted by thegoat54

I just read that some Grand Am cut the power after about 5 minutes to these outlets. Can anyone confirm if the same is true for the Alero?

Almost right. Starting in around 97 gm cars will cut power to the interior lights and trunk light if left on for about 20mins. The cigarette lighter(s) will always have 12 volts going to them.

[fisdad]

Originally Posted by rocketfast321

The I would use a relay, keep the stock power to it, and get a switch 12v line from one of the fuse boxes via a fuse tap. Messing with the ignition harness is something i would never like to do.

I had to do it for my double din install for power without the expensive harness. I've not had any issues.

Almost right. Starting in around 97 gm cars will cut power to the interior lights and trunk light if left on for about 20mins. The cigarette lighter(s) will always have 12 volts going to them.

My alero socket never shuts off.

[a.graham52]

The worn your going to go through to change the lighter power... Just leave it alone and unplug your DVD (dvr?) when ur not using it. Otherwise hardwire it into your fuse block.

[Nas Escobar]

Truthfully, the accessory power sockets in the car don't drain power. I've had them hooked up with those USB chargers, left the car without turning on for months and the battery has never drained on em. They're not really much of a problem.

[a.graham52]

Originally Posted by Nas Escobar

Truthfully, the accessory power sockets in the car don't drain power. I've had them hooked up with those USB chargers, left the car without turning on for months and the battery has never drained on em. They're not really much of a problem.

Did U skim the OP or what?

[Nas Escobar]

Originally Posted by a.graham52

Did U skim the OP or what?

Nooooo, not that i know of. Isn't he complaining about the cigarette lighters that have been wired out the accessory mode on all GM cars? AFAIK, he wants those to be switched onto the accessory mode on the key cylinder. I don't think the DV"R" has anything to do with this, hes just using it as a reference that it's switched to the key, whereas the lighters are not.

[a.graham52]

Originally Posted by Nas Escobar

Nooooo, not that i know of. Isn't he complaining about the cigarette lighters that have been wired out the accessory mode on all GM cars? AFAIK, he wants those to be switched onto the accessory mode on the key cylinder. I don't think the DV"R" has anything to do with this, hes just using it as a reference that it's switched to the key, whereas the lighters are not.

Sounds to me like the device plugs into a cigarette lighter and will turn it's self on and off when it sees power. Problem is it would never shut off with out lighters and therefor needs the lighters to turn on and off with the key. That's my take on.

[thegoat54]

Originally Posted by a.graham52

Sounds to me like the device plugs into a cigarette lighter and will turn it's self on and off when it sees power. Problem is it would never shut off with out lighters and therefor needs the lighters to turn on and off with the key. That's my take on.

This is correct ^^^^^^

For those wondering. Its not a DVD player. Its a DVR (Digital Video Recorder)

Its a car black box. A camera that records the road as you drive. If you get into an accident, you have footage for the court room instead of playing the "You hit me, I didn't hit you" game.

Basically the thing runs on 5V (but plugs into 12V obviously), has a little LCD screen and records. If I forget to unplug it when I exit my car, it will never shut off thus draining the battery.

[RalphP]

Rather than mess with the current lighter socket, I'd add one, wired to the same always-hot source, but through a relay, fed from a switched source.

Here's the pin numbers on how to wire up a Bosch-style 4 or 5 terminal relay (the 5 terminal just has an extra one you could ignore for this purpose)



Or you could wire it in sequence with the lighter.

One nice thing about using that 30A or 40A relay is that if you forgot and shoved the cigarette lighter in there, you wouldn't fry the relay. Use heavy enough wire and a big enough fuse, and you could still run the lighter off that new socket!

RwP

[rocketfast321]

Well i got a car DVR, saw that the specs were not to high and wired it to the power side of the glove box light. Shuts off after 10 mins. Turns on when i use the key fob or pull the driver side door handle.

[Nas Escobar]

The easiest way would have been to get a switch for it. I run my remote turn on lead for my amp on both cars like that.

[zzyzzx]

I normally just use the switched power going to the radio head unit.

[paul ron]

How about hooking it to the radio power?

I bought a 2015 Subaru and am so pissed all the outlets are switched!

[zzyzzx]

I would do this if installing an aftermarket radio. Problem is that the kits put a stupid pocket below the adapter instead of a blank space where you could actually do something useful, like add a voltmeter, switched outlets, and switched USB ports.



Is there a way to convert that bottom pocket to just a blank panel that looks nice, or is there another adapter for a single DIN that already does that. It's not like I need yet still another pocket to store CD's!!!

My other thoughts were that it might be good to put switched USB ports in the center console.

[tw0123]

I drilled a couple small holes in the back of my pocket to run wiring in there.... there are somethat have a solid face plate but most have that pocket