Hi, I use my car radio (Columbus) to stream media but find it very temperamental. It doesn’t alway connect and takes ages to boot up.
In another car (also VAG) I use a Bluetooth fm transmitter which I plug into the cigarette light socket. It works really well and powers down when I switch off the ignition. It also works really well in the Superb but the lighter socket is not controlled by the ignition and I have to remember to pull it out or risk the battery (I forgot at the airport recently and came back to a very flat battery). 
Is there any way to make the socket power off with the ignition? I saw on another site something about moving the fuse but it was a dash cam thread and it wasn’t expanded upon. 

On some cars you could move the fuse between two positions , bridging the top two contacts gave permanent on and bridging the lower two gave ignition on.

That is not the case with the superb cabin fuse box. Of course you could cut the wire at the back of the fuse box and using the correct VAG fuse adaption part connect it to one of the ignition live rails.

I would have concerns messing with the factory wiring though.

 

I have an extra two 12v cigarette sockets mounted on top of the drivers coin box (hidden from view so may not suit you) which are connected to ignition live via a fuse break out lead. 

Thanks superdrems. That’s very helpful. 

I had a similar problem powering an iPod so I bought some of these for a switched fuse in the fuse box

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017O0QHZU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

and one of these to sit behind the dash and power the iPod

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XSCCLCD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Worked great !

 

This could do the same for you

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MMOBIEL-Universal-Waterresistant-Motorcycle-connection/dp/B06XDD1TDM/ref=sxin_15_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.bcf45e91-7734-4444-8467-834c3de4defe%3Aamzn1.sym.bcf45e91-7734-4444-8467-834c3de4defe&crid=3R4M0QNVWN3FO&cv_ct_cx=cigarette+lighter+socket&keywords=cigarette+lighter+socket&pd_rd_i=B06XDD1TDM&pd_rd_r=7303c0d8-5cee-48e6-8b04-4fe4dfca472d&pd_rd_w=7wTsK&pd_rd_wg=UiNCm&pf_rd_p=bcf45e91-7734-4444-8467-834c3de4defe&pf_rd_r=PM0DWQ6WE81587HAGQ55&qid=1654870349&sprefix=cigarette+lighter+socket%2Caps%2C88&sr=1-2-b75715df-0cbd-4312-a971-de5362256967-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFSRUdNMlBDQkRCM1UmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1NzE2NzMxRUJETFhURE5CQTQ4JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5MTY2ODFMS0pEWUJKQjFNMDgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWMmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

I use a PCT Automotive Split Charge Relay ZR1220 plugged into the boot socket - disconnects output when engine off / not charging. In my case it feeds two inline sockets 1) for a dash cam and 2) for a coolbox. The latter would soon flatten the battery without it!

 

[EDIT - link:-]  https://www.amazon.co.uk/PCT-Automotive-Split-Charge-ZR1220/dp/B07KJTNG7V/ref=asc_df_B07KJTNG7V/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310869310714&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2369054140752903766&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006514&hvtargid=pla-761793639295&psc=1

 

However doesn't your car have Bluetooth anyway? Even on my poverty spec I can connect everything with Bluetooth - I have an Amazon Echo Auto controlling my phone which is connected to the car all reliably via Bluetooth. Or is that the bit that's temperamental? How about the aux socket instead - a previous phone had temperamental bluetooth so I used that for a while.

 

Edited 11 June, 20223 yr by bigjohn

Does anyone know if leaving a usb charger adapter in will drain the battery rapidly? I always unplug it when I remember. The car I bought has had a new battery in the past and wasn’t sure if this may of been the reason? Cheers 

I leave a USB connector plugged in front and rear, not connected to any devices and I've never had any issues re battery drain.

Just now, bigjohn said:

I leave a USB connector plugged in front and rear, not connected to any devices and I've never had any issues re battery drain.

 
cheers John 👍 how long have you been doing that for out of interest? 

1 minute ago, ADS1 said:

 
cheers John 👍 how long have you been doing that for out of interest? 

Re one USB charger, Tomtom twin adapter, since I got the car back in 2015. I replaced my car battery during lockdown (at 5 years old) but it was the original Moll battery which don't have the best reputation. I ran similar devices in my previous 2003 mkI Superb owned from 2005 for 10 years on the original Varta battery - no issues. 

@bigjohncheers 👍

Try this

On 28/01/2024 at 12:37, citation said:

Try this

 

Very neat solution. Much better than me moving the supply from permanent live to switched.

 

Just to add my 10p worth. In case anyone is in the same boat...

Switched my lighter sockets to come on with ignition, as my dash cam and child's TV are powered by them.

2015 Superb Outdoor (Superb MK2). The fuse board is different than the above one, here's my solution.

I took the feed from 2 unused fuse slots which are ignition switched & put the output to the original 12v socket fuse locations (one for boot & one for cabin)

Edited 25 July, 202525 Jul by nads
Ammended

I’m tempted to do this. On more than one occasion I’ve left my satnav connected for several days, and it’s only a matter of time before I drain my battery.

But I’d want to understand the mod a bit better before I do it.

So it looks like fuse 26 (boot power socket) is being powered from fuse 41 (not assigned), and fuse 35 (front and rear lighters) are being powered from fuse 31 (DVD pre installation).

My question is: what are the top pins of fuse holders 41 and 31 connected to? Presumably they’re both ignition-switched (which is why this mod works), but can those circuits reliably provide the amps that might potentially be drawn by the cigarette lighters? Are they simply connected to one big ignition-switched bus bar capable of taking the total load for all the ignition-switched circuits?

In other words, are circuits 41 and 31 beefy enough to supply the 25 amps of the lighter fuses?

I just want to make sure that the car won’t catch fire if someone plugs a chunky load into one of the lighter sockets! 🙂

Edited 27 July, 202527 Jul by Dr_Mike_Oxgreen

So I’ve now done this, and it works nicely.

I decided to leave the boot cigarette socket permanent, so I can plug my tyre inflator into it without needing to switch the ignition on.

I took power from the unused slot 41 using a fuse tap, and I’ve fed that into a three-way Wago. One branch goes to the bottom of fuse slot 35, and the other branch goes to a 12V-to-5V DC converter (grounded to the bolt in the top left), and then to a USB type A socket. My satnav now plugs into that instead of trailing through the cabin. Power to the cheap Chinese voltage converter also gets a smaller 5A fuse to reduce the damage it can do if it fails.

I know Wago connectors aren’t meant for automotive use, but it won’t get any heat, dust, dirt or moisture so it should be okay.

No more risk of draining the battery if I forget to remove my satnav! 🙂

2 minutes ago, Dr_Mike_Oxgreen said:

so I can plug my tyre inflator into it without needing to switch the ignition on.

Better off having engine running when that sort of load is on the battery for a little while. Also the voltage to the inflator will be higher then, so will work faster.

I’m usually only topping up tyres by 1 or 2 psi, so only a minute or two of running. If I ever needed to re-inflate a flatter tyre, I would indeed do it with the engine running.