[Guest]

I have a handheld GPS which can be plugged into a power outlet (aka cigaret lighter). However, if the power is cut off, the GPS memory dies after a few minutes.

How can the Prius power outlet be rewired to keep it live all the time, so I can keep my GPS plugged in when the key is removed and still have the settings available when I start up again?

 

[Guest]

Changing the wire routing to the cigarette lighter to make the ligher "hot" all the time in the Prius would be a major pain in the neck. There is a "work around" that can power the lighter all the time, but you will have to make a couple of patch cords to plug into the fuse panel on the driver's side of the instrument panel.

The cigarette lighter is powered only when the ACC relay is powered (only when ignition switch is in the ACC or Run position). If you pull the cover off the left hand instrument panel cowl side fuse panel you will see 3 columns of mini fuses. The left most column of 5 fuses are all powered thru relays and one of them is the "CIG" or cigarette lighter fuse. The right most column of fuses are "hot" with 12 volts all the time. The trick will be to jumper power from an always hot fuse like the 30A door fuse connector to the cigarette lighter side of the 15A lighter fuse connector. The jumpers will consist of two Radio Shack mini-blade fuse holders (one for the door fuse and one for the cigarette fuse). The jumpers can be removed at any time and the fuses reinserted back into their original positions to revert to factory wiring. If you think that your can wire together the jumpers, let me know, and we can work thru the details.

 

[Guest]

I recall a post from the Yahoo board where a person had plugged in a high intensity light with rechargeable batteries into the 12V power outlet. They claimed that when the key was turned off that the batteries in his high power light would back power the speedo vacuum flourescent display (VFD). He unplugged his light from the power outlet and the VFD then went dark. Seems like this could also create a wiring pain in the neck.

I suppose if a fuse is removed the "patch cord" solution will avoid lighting up the VFD. You'll probably want to add some type of fuse in-line with the patch cord.

Another person reported using 2 way radios when the key was off. Their solution was to run a power cord from the 12V battery in the trunk. My memory fails me and the Yahoo site is down so I can't look it up.

Ed

 

[Guest]

In the Prius you probably don't want to hook up an Acc-On power circuit to one that has Always-On power; you will have things running that you don't want to have running when the key is off.

GPS units often come with an inline wire-in power cord that already has a fuse installed. Check your GPS box and see if that isn't there. If it is there, use it to hook into the 15 or 30AMP circuit.

If you do not have an inline wire-in power cord for the GPS then patching an auxillary receptacle into a 30AMP or 15AMP fuse is probably the next easiest. While you're at Radio Shack picking up the fuse tapping spades, get yourself a wire-in cigarette-lighter receptacle, wire it into your taps, then wire in an inline fuse for safety. Good Luck!

Wayne

 

[Guest]

Definitely wire any accessory outlet directly to the battery with proper fusing. The wiring and electronic circuitry in today's cars will not handle any extra load.

 

[Guest]

The jumper wires that I suggest using will not overload any wiring or fuses already in the car. I would merely power the cigarette ligher with 12 volts from a point in the fuse buss BEFORE the accessory relay rather than after it. Besides, leaving the power on the cigarette lighter with the key off does not represent any additional load on the wiring--simply making it available all the time as it should have been done in the first place.

 

[Guest]

You would also power up everything else on that circuit.

 

[Guest]

I appreciate the comments I have received about wanting to keep the power outlet always on. Now I have found a site which, for $5 plus shipping and handling, will sell me a kit plus instructions on how to do it. Check out <http://www.coastaletech.com>. They have an amazing site - lots of goodies for the do-it-yourself Prius owner.

They even give instructions on how to program a new key and how to add another remote.

I'll follow up when my kit arrives.

 

[Guest]

I also bought the kit from coastaletech. The kit contains a special jumper wire and installation instructions with pictures. I thought the instructions were very easy to follow. In my opinion it was money well spent for the right part with good instructions. Now my Prius cigarrete lighter ... um ... power outlet is live all the time.

Ed

 

[d3z]

I recall a post from the Yahoo board where a person had plugged in a high intensity light with rechargeable batteries into the 12V power outlet. They claimed that when the key was turned off that the batteries in his high power light would back power the speedo vacuum flourescent display (VFD). He unplugged his light from the power outlet and the VFD then went dark. Seems like this could also create a wiring pain in the neck.

When I plugged in my flashlight, it would power then entire console computer, as well as the NAV system. The first time I did this, I though the keyswitch was broken, since the ICE wasn't running at the time, so I didn't notice a change.

Dave

 

[cb]

I have a handheld GPS which can be plugged into a power outlet (aka cigaret lighter). However, if the power is cut off, the GPS memory dies after a few minutes.

How can the Prius power outlet be rewired to keep it live all the time, so I can keep my GPS plugged in when the key is removed and still have the settings available when I start up again?

Careful with the mod from costaletech. If you plan to add any other of their mods tell them you have the $5 oulet mod also. Their aftermarket products run off the same circuit and it would have them powered all the time which is "dead battery" time. The Costaletech guys are so good that they called me when I ordered the $5 kit to tell me not to do it since I was using their DVD/CD/MP3/TV add on.

Good people.

 

[Patrick D Conner]

Dashcam issues with Cig. Lighter

Hi everyone. first post first time first issue lol..

I bought a Falcon Zero Touch HD Dash Cam and hooked it up.. It plugs into the Cig lighter with an adapter that has 3 usb ports on it. Then you plug one usb into the Dash Cam itself and thats it .. your installed and setup.. BUT when I am driving around I notice that the power goes off all the time to the dash cam.. it still runs because it has a built in batter that chargers when it is live but its a pain when you try and charge your phone or something like that..

What can I do to make this lighter always hot.. is this something that they did for some STUPID REASON..

Can someone point to me the answer as to what to do or what to buy to make this always live.. I dont care if it is off when i am out of the car it is only when I am driving around that it goes off and one..

2016 Toyota Prius

Thanks everyone

Patrick