Cigarette Lighter / 12V Power Socket Powered On Ignition?

[joelmb]

Hi guys. I have an fm transmitter in the power socket (i.e near the handbrake, not the cigarette lighter) but as this socket is always on im worried it will drain the battery if i forgot to pull it out (which is a pain anyway).

 

I've read the cigarette lighter near the ashtray is on with ignition only so this would work, except it's too deep for most devices to plug into in my experience. So what i want to know is how i can swap it so that the power socket is only on when igntion is on.

 

I'd prefer not to go cutting and rewiring really so wondered if there was a simpler solution at fuse box such as perhaps just swapping wires? (As a noob im obviously not going to go fiddling without expert guidance of course!)

 

 

I read somewhere else about swapping the cig lighter out and making that the usable power out socket which would also work i guess.

 

it isnt really a massive deal, perhaps even the fm transmitter's usage isnt even sufficient to run the battery down, i dont know. if its a rewiring job needed ill just have to live with it i guess!

[Johndouglas]

Probably it would flatten the battery over time, especially if it's a 70ah replacement battery.   I left my C5 for a week having forgotten the Tomtom was plugged in.   By the time I'd unlocked the car and the suspension pump had lifted it, there wasn't enough to start.   I couldn't advise on changing the system.   I would imagine it's all controlled by the BSI.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Johndouglas

[paul.h]

You can get cigarette lighter socket plugs/adaptors from car accessory shops and such as ebay (google search on 'car cigarette lighter plug' shows many). Then if you can find an adaptor to go in the lighter socket that will allow your fm transmitter to fit, there is no need for any wiring mods and the car remains as original.