How to get 12 V power ON when engine started?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
How to get 12 V power ON when engine started? Escort iQ good?
Question 1.
I want to add a radar detector and a simple navigation GPS to the 2010 C6 coupe (no option except automatic trans) I purchased today (my 2nd Corvette so far).
I would like those 2 devices to turn on when the engine is running and loose power when the engine is turned off. So I checked the 12 V power outlets (ashtray and console bin) and both stay ON always, so i can't use those. When I had a 2004 Z06 I took power from the fuse box on the back of one of the fuse by welding a wire to the fuse on the fused side. Is there a simpler way for my 2010 C6 ?
Question 2.
I was about to spring for an Escort 9500ix like I had before and some simple Garmin navigation GPS. But now I see Escort came out with a combined unit: Escort iQ. The user manual says on page 8 we should disconnect it from the SmartCord when starting the vehicle. The tech guy I called confirmed, which would be an annoyance (prefer to leave it there). I'm tempted to get this radar detector + navGPC combo unit but fear it is too new. And the suction cup may not be a good mount for the hot days in Southern California. I think it just came out a few weeks ago, but has anyone here purchased one yet, how have you mounted it, and do you like it?
Thank you for any advice, I promise I won't bug you with too many mod questions. ;-)
I want to add a radar detector and a simple navigation GPS to the 2010 C6 coupe (no option except automatic trans) I purchased today (my 2nd Corvette so far).
I would like those 2 devices to turn on when the engine is running and loose power when the engine is turned off. So I checked the 12 V power outlets (ashtray and console bin) and both stay ON always, so i can't use those. When I had a 2004 Z06 I took power from the fuse box on the back of one of the fuse by welding a wire to the fuse on the fused side. Is there a simpler way for my 2010 C6 ?
Question 2.
I was about to spring for an Escort 9500ix like I had before and some simple Garmin navigation GPS. But now I see Escort came out with a combined unit: Escort iQ. The user manual says on page 8 we should disconnect it from the SmartCord when starting the vehicle. The tech guy I called confirmed, which would be an annoyance (prefer to leave it there). I'm tempted to get this radar detector + navGPC combo unit but fear it is too new. And the suction cup may not be a good mount for the hot days in Southern California. I think it just came out a few weeks ago, but has anyone here purchased one yet, how have you mounted it, and do you like it?
Thank you for any advice, I promise I won't bug you with too many mod questions. ;-)
Last edited by jerome; Nov 8, 2010 at 11:14 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,472
Likes: 38
From: Houston TX
St. Jude Donor '11
Last edited by 5 Liter Eater; Nov 9, 2010 at 01:39 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,472
Likes: 38
From: Houston TX
St. Jude Donor '11
The seat heater fuse is in the passenger kick panel fusebox. Get an Add-A-Fuse. Done and done.
Last edited by 5 Liter Eater; Nov 9, 2010 at 01:40 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
Is this the kind I need? Bussmann BP/HHH ATM Add-A-Fuse
Can I make a mistake and plug it in the wrong way where the positive/red wire coming out would not be fused? Or does that wire only become active after we add a second piggyback fuse? Do I have room in the kick-panel fusebox for that piggyback fuse?
As you see, I don't know much but greatly appreciate your help.
Jerome
Last edited by jerome; Nov 9, 2010 at 02:28 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,472
Likes: 38
From: Houston TX
St. Jude Donor '11
Yes thats the one you need if you decide to go with the heated seats. Its impossible to wire it the wrong way. It's not readily apparent from the picture but there will be two fuses after you add this. you remove the original fuse and insert this device and there is now room for two fuses; on for the seat heater and one for whatever else you want to wire into it. It's a little tight but there is room for it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
Yes thats the one you need if you decide to go with the heated seats. Its impossible to wire it the wrong way. It's not readily apparent from the picture but there will be two fuses after you add this. you remove the original fuse and insert this device and there is now room for two fuses; on for the seat heater and one for whatever else you want to wire into it. It's a little tight but there is room for it.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
Another way of mounting the radar under the mirror (avoids adhesive): 2009 Corvette With BBE-2006 by BlendMount.
I see myself doing both: Mirror power for the radar, and heated seat add-a-fuse for the GPS.
Thank you again.
Last edited by jerome; Nov 9, 2010 at 05:41 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
I put a voltmeter on the Driver heated seat fuse with the engine OFF. On one side 0 V and on the other 12.4 V. I was wondering if it was because I had the door open and car unlocked, so I put a light on the voltmeter, closed the door and locked the car and put the key far away: Still reading 12.4 V.
I repeated the same measurements with the passenger heated seat fuse: Same thing.
So I can't use either of those 2 fuses on my 2010 Coupe to have switched power. Too bad.
Earlier in the day I called my local Chevy dealer and for $185 they can make my aux power (inside the center console) become switched. I will just do that for the GPS navigation unit.
For the radar detector, I considered the BBE-2006 by BlendMount but I don't like loosing more visibillity under the mirror, I prefer going with the Voztech visor mount on driver side and 8" Invisicord as suggested on Bugman's website.
Thanks guys, I sure appreciate the suggestions, now I know what setup to order.
I repeated the same measurements with the passenger heated seat fuse: Same thing.
So I can't use either of those 2 fuses on my 2010 Coupe to have switched power. Too bad.
Earlier in the day I called my local Chevy dealer and for $185 they can make my aux power (inside the center console) become switched. I will just do that for the GPS navigation unit.
For the radar detector, I considered the BBE-2006 by BlendMount but I don't like loosing more visibillity under the mirror, I prefer going with the Voztech visor mount on driver side and 8" Invisicord as suggested on Bugman's website.
Thanks guys, I sure appreciate the suggestions, now I know what setup to order.
Last edited by jerome; Nov 10, 2010 at 12:06 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,827
Likes: 352
From: Albuquerque NM
I put a voltmeter on the Driver heated seat fuse with the engine OFF. On one side 0 V and on the other 12.4 V. I was wondering if it was because I had the door open and car unlocked, so I put a light on the voltmeter, closed the door and locked the car and put the key far away: Still reading 12.4 V.
I repeated the same measurements with the passenger heated seat fuse: Same thing.
So I can't use either of those 2 fuses on my 2010 Coupe to have switched power. Too bad.
I repeated the same measurements with the passenger heated seat fuse: Same thing.
So I can't use either of those 2 fuses on my 2010 Coupe to have switched power. Too bad.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
I have the factory NAV but also carry a portable Garmin in my C6. I just plug the Garmin into the cigarette lighter. If i make a short stop, the unit stays on and I'm ready to go when I start the car up and drive off. If I'm going to have the car shut off , say overnight at a motel, I turn the Garmin off using it's on/off switch. If I'm not going to be driving the car for awhile, I unplug the Garmin.
That works for me, because when I'm traveling(when I'm most likely to be using the Garmin), the Garmin stays on when the car is turned off when I'm getting gas, having lunch, etc, and when I get back into the car and start it, the Garmin requires no action from me, as it's been on during that time the car was off.
That works for me, because when I'm traveling(when I'm most likely to be using the Garmin), the Garmin stays on when the car is turned off when I'm getting gas, having lunch, etc, and when I get back into the car and start it, the Garmin requires no action from me, as it's been on during that time the car was off.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
Really? With 0 V on one side of the fuse and 12 V on the other side you are saying the fuse is blown. Do your seat heaters work? Do they work with the ignition off and/or on? If they only work with the ignition on, then you must be reading something wrong and they will be a good source for switched power.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
I'm still hoping to find an easy way to get switched power inside my 2010 1LT Coupe (automatic).
So far my options are:
a) Pay my local dealer $185 for then to run a new circuit to the auxiliary power (inside the center console).
b) Draw power from my rearview mirror (see this installation). But then i would have to route a cable around the edge of the windshield to where I want to have my switched power source near the transmission lever.
Other possibilities...
c) I know the heated seat (both driver and passenger) fuses (behind the passenger kick-plate) are always ON (I checked), but maybe another fuse would be switched and I could then do the "add-a-circuit" simple mod. I would need to individually pull each fuse to try to find one where both connector sides are not showing 12V when engine is OFF. Any suggestion on which one may be switched?
d) Can I find a switched power source in the engine bay and route a new circuit through the firewall and to inside the cabin?
e) Is there a wire I can tap into inside the cabin that would offer switched power?
Thanks for helping guys. I'm thinking that if i can't find a simple way, I will just go with expensive option (a). Otherwise, I'm enjoying the new car.
Jerome
So far my options are:
a) Pay my local dealer $185 for then to run a new circuit to the auxiliary power (inside the center console).
b) Draw power from my rearview mirror (see this installation). But then i would have to route a cable around the edge of the windshield to where I want to have my switched power source near the transmission lever.
Other possibilities...
c) I know the heated seat (both driver and passenger) fuses (behind the passenger kick-plate) are always ON (I checked), but maybe another fuse would be switched and I could then do the "add-a-circuit" simple mod. I would need to individually pull each fuse to try to find one where both connector sides are not showing 12V when engine is OFF. Any suggestion on which one may be switched?
d) Can I find a switched power source in the engine bay and route a new circuit through the firewall and to inside the cabin?
e) Is there a wire I can tap into inside the cabin that would offer switched power?
Thanks for helping guys. I'm thinking that if i can't find a simple way, I will just go with expensive option (a). Otherwise, I'm enjoying the new car.
Jerome
Last edited by jerome; Nov 22, 2010 at 07:09 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
From: Columbus IN
Pick the power up from the glove box light feed. I put a splitter in and mounted my V1 distribution box on top of the glove box with double sided tape. It goes off about 7-10 minutes after the car is shut down but I've never had a problem.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
How did you get to that light's positive wire?
Update: I figured out how to remove the glove box light and unhook the connector.
Just wondering now if it will be OK to add an extra 1 A to that circuit: I would connect both my 9500ix radar detector and my Garmin 3750 GPS to it. The GPS alone is claimed to need a max of 10 W (close to 1 A on a 12 V circuit). The wires for that glove box light seem thin.
Last edited by jerome; Nov 23, 2010 at 12:30 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
Found a switched wire.
Today I had my auxiliary power outlet (under the center armrest lid) transformed to be only ON when the engine is running, by my closest Chevy dealer (Connell). Total cost $185. But I also gathered some info that can be used for do-it-yourselfers...
Thanks to the technician leaving me his printouts, the switched wire to use (pink color I believe) is this one going to the "Body Control Module (BCM) X3" for a 2010 C6 coupe:
Pin: C5
Wire: 0.8 PK
Circuit: 839
Function: Ignition 1 Voltage
Reference documents:
2327181 (BCM description)
2226204 (diagram)
The technician did a neat job by removing the console face plate so he could hide the new lead wire going to the aux power outlet. And he added a 10 A fuse to the new wire, behind the passenger kick panel.
Good rides,
Jerome
Thanks to the technician leaving me his printouts, the switched wire to use (pink color I believe) is this one going to the "Body Control Module (BCM) X3" for a 2010 C6 coupe:
Pin: C5
Wire: 0.8 PK
Circuit: 839
Function: Ignition 1 Voltage
Reference documents:
2327181 (BCM description)
2226204 (diagram)
The technician did a neat job by removing the console face plate so he could hide the new lead wire going to the aux power outlet. And he added a 10 A fuse to the new wire, behind the passenger kick panel.
Good rides,
Jerome
