I'm wanting to install two cigarette lighter style aux power sockets in the "trunk" of my runner. But I want them to turn on/off with the key ignition...... What's the best place to wire them into the truck so that when I turn off the key they loose power like the dash cigarette lighter socket????

 

There should be places in the fuse box under the dash that you can tap into. You will need a volt meter to find what fuses have power with the key on, and if they shut off with the key off. You can buy fuse tapes to tap into the fuses, just make sure that what ever you plan to run won`t be to much for the circuit you tap into.

 

if you installed an aftermarket radio and used an aftermarket wiring harness, it's rather easy.

i run all my taps from there since it is rather easy for me to get too... use it to power a relay. from the relay, a heavy gauge cable should run straight from the battey, fused of course, to then power the cig lighters in the back.

 

If you are running something that pulls allot of power do the relay like idivinag suggests.
If you are only running a phone charger or other small device, just parallel it off the front cig lighter.

 

I'm missing something: if I have a heavy guage cable straight from the battery to the aux socket in the back, won't it be on all the time??? key off or on.......

I don't have anything specific to run off them just thought multiple times I wish I could plug something in back there. I already have the phone charger and sirius satalite radio spliced into the dash cig lighter......

 

well that's why i mentioned using a relay.

think of it like this. you have a big gauge cable like 10 or 8 gauge running from the batt to the rear.

now, you tap off any circuit that is on only when the key switch is on the ON or ACC position. that tap will then connect to the one post of the coil of a 30 amp relay. other end will go to ground. posts 85 and 86, doesnt matter which goes to what. just that one is pos and the other goes to ground.

so you now have a relay that switches on and off when the key is at ON or ACC.


now, taking the big gauge cable, cut that into 2 pieces, depending where you wanna place the relay. now connect one end to post 30. this is the wire connected to the batt. the other end will connect to post 87. post 87 is the post that gets power when the coil is energized... or rather when the coil is energized, a magnetic field is created. and when the coil is magnetized, the arm swings from post 87a to 87.

and that's how a relay works...

this will then go to power ports.

just dont forget to fuse the wire coming off the battery. like 12" from the battery. and then also at the end, where the power ports are... nothing sucks more than your vehicle burning down because you were too cheap to buy a $3 fuse...

confused?