[Putnam96]

Ok so I know there have been other post on this topic. I'm an Electrician and a back yard mechanic. I don't like the 12v outlet dead when you turn the car off. Here's my fix with no move or cutting of wires.

I was looking at the info from other on making the 12v outlet hot all the time. And here's the info there's two purple wires the go to the outlets and the blue and white stripe it's the hot side of the # 6 and 7 fuse. Those blue and white stripe wires go to a relay on the top of the fuse box.

Those are the back side of the fuse box that on the left inside under dash side of the car . Here is the front side of the fuse box

You have to push the two upper tabs in on the right and left side of the fuse box to remove the fuse box to get to the relays on the top if. It will hing down and then you can unhook the bottom of the fuse Bo's by lifting I all up and out of the dash.

The top right relay is the one the 12v power outlets are controlled by. These four wires to this relay two are a coil that closes when you turn on the car. The others is a hot all the power source and the blue and white stripe that goes to the fuse for the outlets.

Note see the blue and white wire and the red one behind it.
So the only thing you have to do is keep this relay closes all the time. I'm going to use a toothpicks to hold the relay closed. When you have the car running the coil will still be pulling in this relay as well. The toothpicks will hold the relay closed when the car is not running. Here this the relay and the cover removed from it.

There I have the red test probe at is where you will need something to hold the relay closed. As I said I will be using two toothpicks that I will put in the spot the test probe at an right next to it. With the relay now closed all the time reinstall it and the 12v power outlets now will stay hot all the time. This will do both the front and the back outlets. Hope this help people that want there outlets hot like I do and don't want to cut or move wires and the car.


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[cecaa850]

Seems like it might be easier to remove the relay all together and just make a jumper wire with a couple spade connectors and put in it's place.

 

[CyclonicWrath]

Yes it does because the fuses will still pop if something goes wrong so wouldn't hard wiring those pins together work... My question is what pins do i run together?

 

[cecaa850]

Typically the signal side has the smaller pins and the load side has the larger pins, so the larger pins.

 

[cecaa850]

If the pins are all the same size, take the relay apart and find the pins that lead to the contacts.

 

[spacedout]

I realize this is an annoyance for some but I for one love the power outlets turn on and shut off with the car. I have my GPS wired to the back outlet(so I still have front free and wire is more hidden). I turn on my Car the GPS comes on, I turn off the car it turns off.

 

[CyclonicWrath]

I just want to be able to charge my phone without having my car on, would have helped me over 20 times now if at least one was hot, I mean this is the first vehicle ice owned where they all turn off

 

[Putnam96]

If you look at the pic of the relay uncovers the two left connectors are the main power the two on the right what are smaller is the coil Yes can just put a jumper in to replace the relay Still no matter what happens still have the 20 amp fuse to blow


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[CyclonicWrath]

I want someone else to try it first I could tho always put a jumper across with another 20a fuse between the 2 pins

 

[CyclonicWrath]

Okay I ran a wire with a 15amp fuse between those connections and it works great so far... Let you know if my cars on fire in the morning here are some pics

As you can see no keys in ignition and led light on my USB socket charger

 

[cecaa850]

The fuse isn't necessary but if it makes you feel better, so be it. Good job!

 

[Putnam96]

You really want like a 40amp fuse there as you are powering 2-each 20amp 12v power outlets. If I personal was doing that jumper I go with not less than 30 amps But nice job. I just took the relay apart and used wood and electrical tape to hold relay closed. Working great.


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[CyclonicWrath]

You really want like a 40amp fuse there as you are powering 2-each 20amp 12v power outlets. If I personal was doing that jumper I go with not less than 30 amps But nice job. I just took the relay apart and used wood and electrical tape to hold relay closed. Working great.


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I only use the outlet for Charging my phone it will hold with a 10amp fuse and it's 10amps max out of each plug at one time that's why there is only a 20amp fuse on the fuse box for power outlet

 

[Putnam96]

Ok fuse #6 front power outlet fused at 20 amps, fuse #7 back power outlet also fused at 20 amps, you can draw 20 Amps on each power out. That makes the draw up to 40 amps thru that relay. Right a cell phone will not draw that much amperage and the 15 amp fuse will be fine. But if u do end up loading the front and back power outlets the 15 amp fuse will blow before one of the 20 amps on either of the 2 20amp fuse that feed each outlet.


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[cecaa850]

I don't understand all this fuse talk. I also don't have a schematic in front of me so I'm at a disadvantage. The relay powers the outlets up correct? The outlets are normally fused from the factory correct? The mod simulates what would happen if the relay was energized correct? If the circuit is already protected from the factory, why do you need the extra fuses? Unless the relay has a dual function as a circuit breaker, I don't get it. Please explain.

EDIT: The jumper does however need to be made from a large enough wire to carry the load of both outlets if that's the route you go.

 

[Putnam96]

Right jumper does need to be big enough if that route, if you just using wire. If as in this case someone put a fuse in as part of the jumper and have it fused at 15 amps. The wire they used also good for 15 amps so the wiring is safe. No rush of fire. I have no books on the car but if look at owners guide on the fuses you see the location and fuse size.


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[Putnam96]

When car is off the relay opens cuz no more control power to the relay. The relay like a switch turns on and off the outlets. You just keeping the relay close / turn on all the time so the outlets can stay hot. Yes still factory fused as each outlets is good up to 20 amps each. And 2x each outlet = 40 amps so is just a jumper used need to be good for 40 amps them. If used with a fuse in the middle of the jumper can use smaller wire and fuse for that wire size.


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[cecaa850]

When car is off the relay opens cuz no more control power to the relay. The relay like a switch turns on and off the outlets. You just keeping the relay close / turn on all the time so the outlets can stay hot. Yes still factory fused as each outlets is good up to 20 amps each. And 2x each outlet = 40 amps so is just a jumper used need to be good for 40 amps them. If used with a fuse in the middle of the jumper can use smaller wire and fuse for that wire size.
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That's what I thought. The fuse is totally unnecessary.

 

[CyclonicWrath]

It is unnecessary but it's a fail safe, new car I don't want to wake up to fire trucks putting her out... Way I alway think is I rather be safe then sorry

 

[cecaa850]

It is unnecessary but it's a fail safe, new car I don't want to wake up to fire trucks putting her out... Way I alway think is I rather be safe then sorry

If you put a fuse large enough to carry both outlets, it will never blow as the lower rated fuses for the individual outlet will blow first. The only thing a fuse holder in that spot will give you is more resistance as there are more connections in a fuse holder than with a plain wire. More resistance equals more heat. I honestly can't think of a scenario where that fuse would blow before the individual outlet fuses would unless you put a lower rated fuse in your holder than either individual outlet fuse.
I've seen more melted fuse holders making circuits fail due to heat from current passing through it (normally from corrosion) than I have seen blown fuses that protected those same circuits.