1999 CRV: Modify Cig Lighter to "always on"

I want to switch over my CRV's cigarette lighter, or perhaps that front
auxiliary power thing in the footwell, to run from the battery directly,
bypassing the ignition relay.

I want the CRV to behave like my /other/ cars, and allow cell-phone charging
even when ignition is off.

Is this best done just before the fuse box?

Thanks!

 

i would doubt that the cigerette outlet has its own fuse, the best way to do
this in my opinion is to get in back of the cigerette lighter outlet and
remove the pos wire from the back of it, then get some pretty heavy gauge
wire and connect it to the back of the cig lighter outlet with a connector
that matches the honda connector. you can then wire it directly to the
battery but make sure you add a fuse in the wire right next to the battery.
if you dont feel like running wire through the firewall, then get one of
those $1.99 fuse tap connectors from radio shack and piggy back on a fuse
that is always on. Make sure you get the right side of the fuse that cuts
out when the fuse blows. Also, im not sure if that car actually has a fuse
that is always live.
Ps make sure you tape up the wire you disconnect from the cigerette lighter
outlet.

 

i would doubt that the cigerette outlet has its own fuse, the best way to do
this in my opinion is to get in back of the cigerette lighter outlet and
remove the pos wire from the back of it, then get some pretty heavy gauge
wire and connect it to the back of the cig lighter outlet with a connector
that matches the honda connector. you can then wire it directly to the
battery but make sure you add a fuse in the wire right next to the battery.
if you dont feel like running wire through the firewall, then get one of
those $1.99 fuse tap connectors from radio shack and piggy back on a fuse
that is always on. Make sure you get the right side of the fuse that cuts
out when the fuse blows. Also, im not sure if that car actually has a fuse
that is always live.
Ps make sure you tape up the wire you disconnect from the cigerette lighter
outlet.

 

Before you start running wires, check the layout of the fuse block. On my
'00 TL, there is an always-hot fuse of the same rating right next to the one
that controls the socket. All it takes is moving a wire about 1/2 inch on
the back of the block. You might have something similar.

 

Before you start running wires, check the layout of the fuse block. On my
'00 TL, there is an always-hot fuse of the same rating right next to the one
that controls the socket. All it takes is moving a wire about 1/2 inch on
the back of the block. You might have something similar.

 

E. Meyer coughed up:

Excellent.

I'll go look asap, thanks, but doesn't this seem like something a car
manufacturer should just allow at the turn of a switch or the like? It
seems like more than one person would need something "always on",
particularly from the auxiliary power things.

 

E. Meyer coughed up:

Excellent.

I'll go look asap, thanks, but doesn't this seem like something a car
manufacturer should just allow at the turn of a switch or the like? It
seems like more than one person would need something "always on",
particularly from the auxiliary power things.

 

I did the ..................... there is an always-hot fuse of the same
rating right next to the one

Unhooked the wire no more dead battery.

Tom

 

I did the ..................... there is an always-hot fuse of the same
rating right next to the one

Unhooked the wire no more dead battery.

Tom

 

As a ham radio oerator I always add my own "always on" power port.
It might help to remember that the manufacturer has a vested interest
in reducing "mission creep". That little switch would require
retooling,
addtional parts to be stocked, additional warrenty work.
And for the 20 or so of us end users it just isn't worth while from
a corperate perspective.
As a side note, "cigarette lighter outlets" are a very poor choice for
most electronic devices. The electrical contacts are very noisy, the
power
can cycle on and off rapidly. The low value lighter won't care, but I
have
had a computer, GPS and tranceivers "lock up" due to that noise.
While I use a more exotic connector today, for years I used 2-pin
Cinch-Jones
style connectors with no problems. And if you run a new wire to the
battery, please be sure to use a fuse for fire protection. If you
manage to get the wire shorted to ground, it will get very hot, very
fast anmd you will have more smoke then you can deal with. If you are
really unlucky you can even have a nice hot fire. A friend lost his
Chevy conversion van when an unfused wire shorted and
set the carpet on fire. The most powerfull radio I use draws 6 amps,
so I use
a 7.5A fuse. Sometimes start up current will require a 10A fuse to be
used in
with a nominal 6 Amp load. Fuses are cheap. Cars aren't!
Terry

 

As a ham radio oerator I always add my own "always on" power port.
It might help to remember that the manufacturer has a vested interest
in reducing "mission creep". That little switch would require
retooling,
addtional parts to be stocked, additional warrenty work.
And for the 20 or so of us end users it just isn't worth while from
a corperate perspective.
As a side note, "cigarette lighter outlets" are a very poor choice for
most electronic devices. The electrical contacts are very noisy, the
power
can cycle on and off rapidly. The low value lighter won't care, but I
have
had a computer, GPS and tranceivers "lock up" due to that noise.
While I use a more exotic connector today, for years I used 2-pin
Cinch-Jones
style connectors with no problems. And if you run a new wire to the
battery, please be sure to use a fuse for fire protection. If you
manage to get the wire shorted to ground, it will get very hot, very
fast anmd you will have more smoke then you can deal with. If you are
really unlucky you can even have a nice hot fire. A friend lost his
Chevy conversion van when an unfused wire shorted and
set the carpet on fire. The most powerfull radio I use draws 6 amps,
so I use
a 7.5A fuse. Sometimes start up current will require a 10A fuse to be
used in
with a nominal 6 Amp load. Fuses are cheap. Cars aren't!
Terry

 

[...attempted fix of reply markers...]


twfsa coughed up:

I don't understand that at all. A relay to do /what/? Short the circuit
or something?

The battery cannot simply drain out without something somewhere drawing it:

A short
Your radar detector
Something else.

The relay by itself would not do that. Perhaps the draw from your radar
detector is huge?

 

[...attempted fix of reply markers...]


twfsa coughed up:

I don't understand that at all. A relay to do /what/? Short the circuit
or something?

The battery cannot simply drain out without something somewhere drawing it:

A short
Your radar detector
Something else.

The relay by itself would not do that. Perhaps the draw from your radar
detector is huge?

 

I think he meant his cell phone batteries do not get drained now that
the cell phone charger works even with the ignition off.

 

I think he meant his cell phone batteries do not get drained now that
the cell phone charger works even with the ignition off.

 

Scratch that. Some day I will learn to read the entire thread before
spewing out useless babble.

 

Scratch that. Some day I will learn to read the entire thread before
spewing out useless babble.

 

Every Honda I have worked on has had options connectors in the fuse box.
http://www.geocities.com/ng_randolph/Civic/options.jpg shows what they
look like on a '94 Civic. The available options connectors vary, but
there is usually at least one that is always on, and at least one that
is on with ignition only. If you want to rewire your lighter output or
power outlet, it is convenient to tap into these options connectors.
Regular 1/4" quick connects work well for that purpose. The Helm Service
manual usually indicates which options connector is what, but you can
also get out your voltmeter and measure each one. If you have the
manual, you can check if the options connector you want to use is fused
or not. On mine, there is one that is always on and fused with a 10A
fuse. There is another that is always on and fused by a 50A fuse. For
the latter, I use a smaller in-line fuse for proper protection.

 

Every Honda I have worked on has had options connectors in the fuse box.
http://www.geocities.com/ng_randolph/Civic/options.jpg shows what they
look like on a '94 Civic. The available options connectors vary, but
there is usually at least one that is always on, and at least one that
is on with ignition only. If you want to rewire your lighter output or
power outlet, it is convenient to tap into these options connectors.
Regular 1/4" quick connects work well for that purpose. The Helm Service
manual usually indicates which options connector is what, but you can
also get out your voltmeter and measure each one. If you have the
manual, you can check if the options connector you want to use is fused
or not. On mine, there is one that is always on and fused with a 10A
fuse. There is another that is always on and fused by a 50A fuse. For
the latter, I use a smaller in-line fuse for proper protection.

 

Randolph coughed up:

HUH! If I wanted to reuse the same hot wire that is already going to the
lighter, is there a way to keep the lighter fuse in place, and easily
redirect it's input current to receive from one of the always on's?

Previously:

ignition -----> lighter fuse -----> lighter wire -----> cig. lighter.

Can I do this:

tap into always on -----> lighter fuse -----> lighter wire -----> cig.
lighter.

easily? It seems like no matter which way I do this, it's going to get
ugly.