Cigarette Lighter Charge Stays On When Car Is Off

[EODguy]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

^ ^ ^ ^


...in the same tone as above...this label is in my e38's trunk to help with proper positioning of "cargo" ...

Awesome, well played

Sent from my SM-A730F using Tapatalk

[dkl]

This (glovebox flashlight adapter) is what I use to power my permanently mounted Garmin and DashCam as it's the only switched supply in the car (short of tapping into the fuse box, which incidentally is also in the glovebox). All the cigarette lighter power outputs are always ON.

Originally Posted by FRod1981

from what I've read the glovebox adapter is only live when the car is on. So the torch is being charged while the car is on. Its switched off when the car is turned off so its a perfect spot to use a bmw glovebox adapter to cigarette lighter from eBay. That way your phone or BT adapter or GPS or whatever the hell turns off when the ignition is switched off. I'm going to hard wire a 12v to 5v step down transformer to USB into the glovebox so I can keep the torch as well. having the usb in the glovebox, along with the aux cable I installed for the factory stereo I'll be able to connect my firefly Bluetooth adapter and leave it in the glove box. Solving the problem of the bluetooth staying on all the time.

Also, I really want to make the dash cigarette lighter switched as well but without doing much homework about getting it out, I figure if I can gain access to the wiring in the back I can use a 12v relay to have the stereo switch on and off the lighter. I should work in theory if I grab the correct wire for the DSP amp turn on and use that to trigger the relay and connect the lighter when the stereo powers up.

One thing at a time. Going to do the glovebox USB one this weekend once I get some wire taps from the store.

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

[oldskewel]

Any update on the glovebox wiring? I'm planning to install a dashcam in my 2001 3.0i, and would like to use that if it exists on my car. I don't have the flashlight, and there is certainly nothing obviously accessible IN the glovebox. But if someone can confirm the right wiring is behind the glovebox even for a car as stripped as mine, I'll tear things apart to get to it.

Alternatively, is there anything switched up top by the rear view mirror? That's likely to be where the cam will be mounted, so it would actually be easiest.

Really hoping to ride someone else's coattails on this one.

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by oldskewel

Any update on the glovebox wiring? I'm planning to install a dashcam in my 2001 3.0i, and would like to use that if it exists on my car. I don't have the flashlight, and there is certainly nothing obviously accessible IN the glovebox. But if someone can confirm the right wiring is behind the glovebox even for a car as stripped as mine, I'll tear things apart to get to it.

Alternatively, is there anything switched up top by the rear view mirror? That's likely to be where the cam will be mounted, so it would actually be easiest.

Really hoping to ride someone else's coattails on this one.

If your X didn't come with a flashlight, you don't have the receptacle in the glove box for the flashlight, however, the wiring for the receptacle is probably behind the glove box. My X didn't come with the flashlight, but I installed the flashlight receptacle and bought a flashlight for my X.

[yes_its_neil]

Yes I agree, the wiring is there behind a dummy plate. I used the wiring, enlarged the cutout slightly, and clipped in a double USB outlet. Very handy for phone charging.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by oldskewel

Alternatively, is there anything switched up top by the rear view mirror? That's likely to be where the cam will be mounted, so it would actually be easiest.

If you have the HOMELINK UGDO (universal garage door opener) it is switched. It is powered once the ignition goes into KL 15 (ignition position 2 & beyond)...and this is to prevent anyone from smashing your windows if the vehicle is parked outside your home and pressing the HOMELINK button to open your garage door to gain entry. Which is a good reason NOT to leave any garage door opener exposed to view if you park your vehicle outside your home in the drive or on the street.

The HOMELINK wiring harness only has 3 wires:

• One wire supplies 12 volts
• One wire supplies illumination to the switch when the headlights are turned on (the middle wire)
• One wire is ground (probably the brown wire)

[FRod1981]

Did the same. Removed the flashlight and hooked up the leads to a usb + aux combo. Used the factory aux cable. Then used a firefly Bluetooth. With Spotify on highest quality settings and it’s digital eq settings the X has never EVER sounded better. Tapes were terrible quality.

[Bdc101]

This is a very helpful thread. Thanks everyone for the useful info. I was thinking about a dash cam and also needing a switched power circuit for my trailer auxiliary power connection.

[rhalama]

How about if he wants the dash cam running when he is stopped at a red light or parked temporarily. In those cases I would like the dashcam to be running, NOT just when I am moving. IMHO

[oldskewel]

Originally Posted by rhalama

How about if he wants the dash cam running when he is stopped at a red light or parked temporarily. In those cases I would like the dashcam to be running, NOT just when I am moving. IMHO

What I ended up doing on my 2001 3.0i was to tap off the wires powering the map lights up by the top center of the windshield. From my notes, from several years ago when I did it, ...

Accessing the map light assembly up there, 8P connector to the board: 3rd wire from left is brown = ground. First is blue/red striped; GND when OFF, 12V when ON. Rightmost wire is red/yellow striped, connects to 3 rightmost pins, appeared to be constant 12V, but I now think it goes to GND after sleep.

I connected to the brown GND wire and the rightmost red/yellow striped.

I have power to the dashcam when car is ACC or ON, and then for 16 minutes after car is OFF, when it goes to sleep. Confirmed by the green slow blinking LED on the dashcam - goes dark 16 minutes after turning car OFF.

More specifically, I connected those brown (GND) and red/yellow (switched +12V, but will go to sleep 16 minutes after key out) wires to a standard USB adapter that you might plug into the power outlet. Then the standard USB-A to USB-micro wire that came with the dash cam goes from that adapter to the cam.

So I have dash cam power whenever the key in ON or ACC, and then for 16 more minutes after key is out and conditions are met for the car to put itself to sleep.

I was actually hoping for 24x7 power on, as I have in other cars. The cams are so efficient (~100 mA) that having them serve as always-on motion detectors when parked can be useful for me. I live in a fairly quiet neighborhood, and the cam will awaken and record for a couple of minutes each time a car drives by or someone walks past. Good car batteries and solar maintainers make sure that even the 100 mA draw is not a problem.