12v sockets

[Conor1974]

Who's bright idea was it to leave 12v sockets live when the car is turned off?  I have a 3rd party DAB in my car and from time to time I have forgotten to unplug it. 

 

The battery hasn't gone flat but its only a matter of time before it starts causing problems.

Edited 26 March, 2015 by Conor1974

[M00k]

Yeah tbh this annoys me... I have a dash cam and was always handy to leave it wired into a usb and hide wiring then have it start/stop with ignition

In other cars I would have added a constant live 12v in the boot for anything I wanted to run constant

[thejames]

In my Octavia I hardwired a new 12v in behind the dash (by fuse box) connected to a switched live. No wires on show whatsoever and no issues with power drain.

[JakeBlade]

In my Octavia I hardwired a new 12v in behind the dash (by fuse box) connected to a switched live. No wires on show whatsoever and no issues with power drain.

Same here (but in my SII).

[yesman]

Conor, You could always fit a Smartcom split charge relay, They are rated at 30amps and are designed for the split charge supply to a caravan which is how I found out about them as I have a caravan, they give a constant supply and also 2 switched supplys thats only switched when the alternator is at a certain voltage, I use an electric coolbox in the boot when travelling and whenever we stop I had to remember to un plug it, I have now wired in the Smartcom relay into the original boot 12v socket supply, it now supplies that socket with a constant 12v as before but I now have an extra socket which is the switched supply for the cool box, works really well and simple to install.

 

http://www.split-charge-relays.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p136_smartcom-split-charge-relay.html

[numskull]

Same here (but in my SII).

+1

[WaveyDavey]

Who's bright idea was it to leave 12v sockets live when the car is turned off?  I have a 3rd party DAB in my car and from time to time I have forgotten to unplug it. 

 

The battery hasn't gone flat but its only a matter of time before it starts causing problems.

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of VAG..... Where most but not all VAG cars have perm. live 12v sockets.

[wokwon]

Convert it to switched, you need to do this behind the fuse box near the steering wheel.  It's a bit of stuffing around but not too difficult.

[silver1011]

I learnt the hard way, wife shopping leaving me and the 2 year old in the car, he was quite happy pushing the sprung loaded cigar lighter until we soon realised it was hot, one burnt finger tip and lots of tears!

[lichfielddriver]

In my Octavia I hardwired a new 12v in behind the dash (by fuse box) connected to a switched live. No wires on show whatsoever and no issues with power drain.

 

 

How/where did you do this as I have a PDA (taxi dispatcher) a satnav and a dashcam to power up, i hate 3 in a socket across the car.....

[lichfielddriver]

Conor, You could always fit a Smartcom split charge relay, They are rated at 30amps and are designed for the split charge supply to a caravan which is how I found out about them as I have a caravan, they give a constant supply and also 2 switched supplys thats only switched when the alternator is at a certain voltage, I use an electric coolbox in the boot when travelling and whenever we stop I had to remember to un plug it, I have now wired in the Smartcom relay into the original boot 12v socket supply, it now supplies that socket with a constant 12v as before but I now have an extra socket which is the switched supply for the cool box, works really well and simple to install.

 

http://www.split-charge-relays.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p136_smartcom-split-charge-relay.html

 

 

Smart thinking batman...

 

Ive had them for a camper

[lichfielddriver]

Or, fit a 12v relay in the feed to the ciggy socket with a switching wired feed from the ignition,

 

engine on = relay on = 12v socket on

 

 

engine off = relay off = 12v socket off

 

smartcom £15, simple relay £3

 

so sayeth one tight electrician

 

 

Edited 29 March, 2015 by lichfielddriver

[thejames]

How/where did you do this as I have a PDA (taxi dispatcher) a satnav and a dashcam to power up, i hate 3 in a socket across the car.....

In the Octavia there's a small void under the right side of the dash. Above the fusebox. Get yourself a blade fuse tap, find a spare switched live, plug it in, ground the negative and Bob's your uncle.

I did mine for a speed camera detector (that I haven't used in years, actually) but just dropped the cable from on top of the dash down the a-pillar trim.

The important bit is getting a blade fuse tap. The difficult bit is finding which is the switched live (experiment). The tricky bit is running the wires. But it's not actually a complicated process.

[bryanp]

Or, fit a 12v relay in the feed to the ciggy socket with a switching wired feed from the ignition,

engine on = relay on = 12v socket on

engine off = relay off = 12v socket off

smartcom £15, simple relay £3

so sayeth one tight electrician

As an Electrical Engineer I have to agree this is cheaper option but a Smartcom is a lot simpler to install for those with no electric knowledge.

[lichfielddriver]

I was just coalface - not very subtle stuff lol

[wokwon]

Or, fit a 12v relay in the feed to the ciggy socket with a switching wired feed from the ignition,

 

engine on = relay on = 12v socket on

 

 

engine off = relay off = 12v socket off

 

smartcom £15, simple relay £3

 

so sayeth one tight electrician

 

 

 

The important bit is getting a blade fuse tap. The difficult bit is finding which is the switched live (experiment). The tricky bit is running the wires. But it's not actually a complicated process.

 

Easy peasy there, the top half with the bigger blade fuses is allways on.  The bottom half with the little blade fuses is switched on terminal 30 (VW's definition of switched with ignition).  But I drive a diesel, it doesn't have an ignition system!! Hence terminal 30.

[lichfielddriver]

So just a lead from terminal 30 to the 12v socket then?

[thejames]

Yep. And earth the other one.

[bryanp]

Lichfielddriver, If this is about connecting to the back of the fuse board the connection will still have to go through a fuse or you could alternatively use a "Audi / VW / Seat / Skoda repair wire. Original part No....000-979-225E" available on E-bay, this plugs in to a spare fuse way in the back of the fuse board so a fuse can be used in the corresponding fuse slot on the front of the board, looks neat and easy to change the fuse

Edited 30 March, 2015 by bryanp

[lichfielddriver]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vw-Audi-Seat-Skoda-Repair-Wire-000979225E-/251893131335?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aa6002847

[GeoffH]

I had a 2013 VW Tiguan and the 12v sockets were both through the ignition. So when I got my new Yeti on Friday I plugged in my old speed warning reminder gizmo in the boot, it sparked up straight away! It was only then I realized they were permanently live on the Yeti.

I suppose, trying to look on the positives... When I want to use my 12v vacuum I won't have to switch the ignition on!

[lichfielddriver]

PING!

 

is the boot socket in my sooperb ign controlled?

 

i want a 2 lens dash cam and could use the rear for the main camera and run the lens-on-lead to the front...

[JakeBlade]

All 12V sockets are permanent live. For dashcams, just piggy-back an ignition-live fuse.

[lichfielddriver]

or, extract the 12v socket gently

 

remove the + lead

 

the lead goes into the smartcom relay to operate it

 

a shunt wire goes to the output of the smarcom,  the other side goes to the 12v socket....

 

whe the ignition is on but the engine isnt running, the 11.8v wont operate the smartcom,the 12v socket wont be live, starting the engine will give the 13.5v the smartcom needs andthe socket will go live....

 

no need to get into the dash/fusebox and it all runs on the original fuse for the 12v socket

 

 

Edited 1 April, 2015 by lichfielddriver

[bryanp]

Lichfielddriver, the wiring of a Smartcom is a lot simpler, as per the diagram, you only have to wire the supply/input 12v positive and neatral to 2 terminals on one side once, and then their are 3 positive output terminals on the other side, 1 permanent and 2 switched supplies, all thats needed is to then find a neatral for the socket,either by connecting to the neatral on the supply side or finding a neutral on the body of the car.

Edited 1 April, 2015 by bryanp