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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Lighter socket switching?
        
(Message started by: harry.m1byt on Apr 27^th, 2008, 4:33pm)

Title: Lighter socket switching?
Post by harry.m1byt on Apr 27^th, 2008, 4:33pm

Hi,

In some cars the lighter socket supply is turned off when the ignition switch is turned off. In the Scorpio it is live permanently (or at least mine is). Is there a link somewhere which makes it turn itself off with the ignition switch?

Yes I know I could interrupt the supply with a relay, but I would have thought this would be a built in option to save the battery.

Title: Re: Lighter socket switching?
Post by gozz on Apr 27^th, 2008, 10:43pm

harry.
Do you mean to say that you use the fag lighter on the move,tut tut,you'll be using a mobile phon next or talking or listening to the radio or changing gear or sneezing or some other illegal act ;D. I think most fag lighters are live with the ignition off,after all they don't consume anything unless used eh !
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Lighter socket switching?
Post by TiberiuS on Apr 27^th, 2008, 10:48pm

The ones that are switched are a pain when you want to pump the tyres up with a battery compressor on a dark night with the car parked outside...keys left in ignition, not good ::)

Title: Re: Lighter socket switching?
Post by harry.m1byt on Apr 27^th, 2008, 10:59pm

I only use the sockets to power GPS, phone charger, bluetooth and a rechargeable emergency light. It would be handy not to have to remember to pull the plug out when I park, or risk a flat battery.

One Scorpio I checked out in a scrap yard had a tiny aftermarket relay patched into the battery side fuse box - just suck with double sided tape on to another relay. It looked like it had been made up commercially, rather than a DIY bodge - its wire ends just plugged neatly into variuos terminals in the box. I wonder what that was for?

Title: Re: Lighter socket switching?
Post by sector-9 on Apr 27^th, 2008, 11:36pm

It varies between manufacturers but Ford are generally permanently live, whereas Rovers are switched with the key. Personally I prefer a permanent live socket for reasons others have stated, but if you want to change it then you'll need to either add a physical switch or a relay into the circuit. I'd just unplug the device rather than go to the hassle of taking the fascia off to get to it all.

AFAIK there is no link you can change to make it switched or permanent (and I believe the socket shares it's feed with something else, possibly the radio?).

Darren

Title: Re: Lighter socket switching?
Post by harry.m1byt on Apr 28^th, 2008, 12:11am

I have just had a look at the diagrams....

Cigar lighters (front + rear) and heated seats are listed as supplied by fuse #43 20amp. It should be easy to pull that fuse and fit an extra relay plus an in line fuse, relay operated by an ignition switched supply.