Just a thought, but I've pretty much finished installing my USB sockets in the top binnacle and blank button below the climatronic, which are both wired via a 12v-5v transformer into the back of the fag lighter socket. Now, I am aware that the lighter is permanently live but am not worried about the draw as it would be tiny (no led nonsense going on!) and I can't see the transformer doing much damage, BUT... I noticed (seconds after pulling the two connectors out the lighter housing and accidentally touching them almost immediately! ) that it has it's own separate 2.5a fuse in the fuse box where I was half expecting it to be shared with other random relatively insignificant stuff.

 

Now, I've not taken the fuse board out before but it must be wired to the permanent live in the back whereas other fuses are wired to the ignition live. Can someone tell me what the connections on the rear of the fuse board are, and without cutting, how feasible it is to simple swap the connection somewhere so that it becomes ignition powered?? Historically, I've known cars to have large banks of spade connectors around the power supply so us bodgers (and the factory with more hi-spec models, I guess?) can add supplementary stuff by shoving a new spade terminal onto it, so is it simply a case of moving the other end of the connection around or what?

 

What's going on under there??!

In theory it's completely possible although I've only added extra connections rather than removing them.

 

You'd need to remove the rear of the fuse box, unlock the pink/purple section by sliding it and then use an appropriate tool to release the barbs on the crimp. Ideally you'd use the correct VW tool for this as it can be very tricky with paper clips etc.

Hmmm, may have a look, but I'm wary of buggering up any other fuses accidentally with too much pulling.