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Cigarette Lighter convert to ignition switched

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Old Mar 5, 2022 | 12:48 PM
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Default Cigarette Lighter convert to ignition switched

I would like to convert my cigarette lighter ports from always on to on when the car is on. Has anyone ever done that? I would like to leave my USB chargers in all the time.
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Mar 7, 2022, 07:55 AM
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Here is what I did complete with pictures.
First get one of the add a fuse things from Walmart or autozone. I then pulled fuse 1( cnsl cig) and 7(c/ltr) in the footwear fuse box. Next I used the add a fuse thing and made a pigtail for it to feed 2 fuses, I plugged it into fuse 11 (asryoff) then plugged the duel pigtail leads into fuses 1 and 7 on the load side. My car has been like this for years and has had no problems.

Fuse box layout


Number 11 fuse removed to show where it is because add a fuse covers things up


New harness installed.
Old Mar 5, 2022 | 01:25 PM
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Never heard about doing that, you would need wiring diagrams to find out where the cigarette lighter wires originate and move them to a switched power source.
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Old Mar 5, 2022 | 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by mmartinez
Never heard about doing that, you would need wiring diagrams to find out where the cigarette lighter wires originate and move them to a switched power source.
Well, I was thinking about pulling the fuse that runs them and making a small wiring harness from that fuse to switched power somewhere. I just wondered if there might be an easier way.
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Old Mar 5, 2022 | 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Mark Ehle
I would like to convert my cigarette lighter ports from always on to on when the car is on. Has anyone ever done that? I would like to leave my USB chargers in all the time.
You could interrupt the cigarette lighter power wire with a 12v relay using the normally open contact. Just connect the relay control to a switched 12v power source. There's a wire available near the BCM in the passanger footwell for this unless it's a 2004, then you have to find a connection at the fuse box.
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Old Mar 5, 2022 | 10:51 PM
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Just purchase an ADD A FUSE pig tale adaptor to a 20 amp fuse in the fuse box , from an ignition powered fuse (most likely a 20 amp circuit) and run a wire from that TAP to a dedicated owner installed CIC LIGHTER Adapter. You can install it where ever you like....

BC
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Old Mar 6, 2022 | 08:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
Just purchase an ADD A FUSE pig tale adaptor to a 20 amp fuse in the fuse box , from an ignition powered fuse (most likely a 20 amp circuit) and run a wire from that TAP to a dedicated owner installed CIC LIGHTER Adapter. You can install it where ever you like....

BC
Now that sounds like something I had in mind, but I didn't know what those were called - Thanks!
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Old Mar 7, 2022 | 07:55 AM
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Here is what I did complete with pictures.
First get one of the add a fuse things from Walmart or autozone. I then pulled fuse 1( cnsl cig) and 7(c/ltr) in the footwear fuse box. Next I used the add a fuse thing and made a pigtail for it to feed 2 fuses, I plugged it into fuse 11 (asryoff) then plugged the duel pigtail leads into fuses 1 and 7 on the load side. My car has been like this for years and has had no problems.

Fuse box layout


Number 11 fuse removed to show where it is because add a fuse covers things up


New harness installed.

Last edited by Simtech; Mar 7, 2022 at 08:05 AM.
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Old Mar 7, 2022 | 08:02 AM
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Just looked up what "ASRYOFF" fuse is for and found this. I looks like it is not used.

Originally Posted by lucky131969 View Post
There are three taped/stowed wires in the BCM area: Black, yellow, orange. Orange is hot at all times, yellow is switch with ignition, black is ground. Fuse 11 is for the yellow wire. Provided for accessories.
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Old Mar 7, 2022 | 08:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Simtech
Just looked up what "ASRYOFF" fuse is for and found this. I looks like it is not used.

Originally Posted by lucky131969 View Post
There are three taped/stowed wires in the BCM area: Black, yellow, orange. Orange is hot at all times, yellow is switch with ignition, black is ground. Fuse 11 is for the yellow wire. Provided for accessories.
Simtech - YOU ARE THE MAN!! This is exactly what I need. Thanks so much for the pictures and the info! And thanks to all the others for your help, too.
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Old Mar 7, 2022 | 08:59 AM
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So Simtech, the connectors on these wires are just spade lugs then?
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Old Mar 7, 2022 | 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Mark Ehle

So Simtech, the connectors on these wires are just spade lugs then?

I honestly don't remember so I went and pulled one of them out real quick and it looks like I may have cut up a fuse and used it.

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Old Mar 7, 2022 | 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Simtech
I honestly don't remember so I went and pulled one of them out real quick and it looks like I may have cut up a fuse and used it.
Ah - OK. Hey, thanks so much!
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Old Dec 29, 2022 | 05:19 PM
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Hey Simtech, thank you so much for a brilliant post! I just finished the conversion on my C5, and it is exactly what I wanted: I can now leave things connected to the lighters without draining the battery even faster than it already does!
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Old Dec 30, 2022 | 01:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Simtech
Here is what I did complete with pictures.
First get one of the add a fuse things from Walmart or autozone. I then pulled fuse 1( cnsl cig) and 7(c/ltr) in the footwear fuse box. Next I used the add a fuse thing and made a pigtail for it to feed 2 fuses, I plugged it into fuse 11 (asryoff) then plugged the duel pigtail leads into fuses 1 and 7 on the load side. My car has been like this for years and has had no problems.

Fuse box layout


Number 11 fuse removed to show where it is because add a fuse covers things up


New harness installed.
You converted the cig lighters powered on all the time not just when car is on? All you had to do was add the add-a-fuse or wire adapter removed both the original cig lighter fuses and ran that wire thats hot at all times to both lighter circuits? How did you figure out which side or terminal on the fuse was the correct wires to the cig lighter? The load side is the one with the end circuit for what it powers correct and not the supplied power or ground circuit?
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Old Dec 30, 2022 | 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Justin Raney
You converted the cig lighters powered on all the time not just when car is on? All you had to do was add the add-a-fuse or wire adapter removed both the original cig lighter fuses and ran that wire thats hot at all times to both lighter circuits? How did you figure out which side or terminal on the fuse was the correct wires to the cig lighter? The load side is the one with the end circuit for what it powers correct and not the supplied power or ground circuit?
No, this hooks the cigarette lighter to the acc. circuit making it on only when the car is on. As for figuring out which side of the fuse is the supply side you just pull the fuse and check for power, the side that still has 12v is the supply side.
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Old Dec 30, 2022 | 12:27 PM
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I thought he said try to wire the cig lighters so theyre on all the time to charge phone when the car is off. Yes they do stay on all the time i seen that with the usb charger, bluetooth, voltage reader i use for blue toothing music to the cars radio channel with phone.

I need to see whats wrong with the upfront cigarette lighter on mine only the one in the center console works. Its fuse 1 and 7 and which is the front cig lighter by shifter and which is the cig lighter in the console so i can check that its getting power before replacing the dc socket as it requires console removal.
fuse 1( cnsl cig) and 7(c/ltr) in the footwear fuse box?
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Old Jul 1, 2023 | 01:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Mark Ehle
Simtech - YOU ARE THE MAN!! This is exactly what I need. Thanks so much for the pictures and the info! And thanks to all the others for your help, too.
I echo this sentiment.
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Old Jul 24, 2023 | 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Simtech
Here is what I did complete with pictures.
First get one of the add a fuse things from Walmart or autozone. I then pulled fuse 1( cnsl cig) and 7(c/ltr) in the footwear fuse box. Next I used the add a fuse thing and made a pigtail for it to feed 2 fuses, I plugged it into fuse 11 (asryoff) then plugged the duel pigtail leads into fuses 1 and 7 on the load side. My car has been like this for years and has had no problems.

Fuse box layout


Number 11 fuse removed to show where it is because add a fuse covers things up


New harness installed.
Thank you so much for this tutorial! It worked like a charm
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Old Apr 19, 2024 | 11:16 PM
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Thanks for this. Quick, simple, and easily reversible. Doesn't get better than that!

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Old Apr 20, 2024 | 09:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Mark Ehle
I would like to convert my cigarette lighter ports from always on to on when the car is on. Has anyone ever done that? I would like to leave my USB chargers in all the time.
Unless your charger has an led light(which draws next to nothing), it will not draw current unless a device is connected.
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