Hi, I have Honda Jazz (fit) model 2009, manual gear.
I would like to be able to use the cigarette lighter power while the key is not in the socket. How can I make this possible?

Thanks

 

That's easy, remove the cigarette lighter plug, identify the + wire, cut and re-route to a constant 12v supply (fused).

You risk running your battery flat though....

 

You're actually better off just pulling the plastic dash panel loose housing the lighter assembly and just unplug the factory hot wire to it. Just tape off the power wire so it doesn't arc against anything metal under the dash. If later you want to put the circuit back to stock you still have the factory wire available.

You can then add a 16-18 gauge electrical wire from the under dash fuse box a couple of feet away. The new circuit can be added by using an "add a circuit" wiring, fuse and clip assembly which can be purchased on Ebay or from an automotive parts house for very little. The "add a circuit has a clip on it that clips into an existing electrical circuit in your fuse box and is protected with it's own fuse. It doesn't affect the existing fused circuit either. Also remember that you're going to need to either find a new ground or just run a jumper ground wire from the factory plug to the lighter to complete the circuit. Running a 10 amp fuse in the new wiring should easily protect the circuit from an overload. There also should be no cause for a drain on your battery by doing this since there is no current being used when the lighter is not in use.

As a last step, label the power wire where it attaches to your fuse panel to identify the circuit for future reference.

 

Thank you for your detailed answer! I just purchased such a kit on ebay.
It will be my first time to open the plastic dash panel. How do I find a suitable positive fuse, that is always connected?

I see this thread, that can also be informative for me:
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/3rd-...-fuse-box.html

thanks,
tomer.

 

In your case you want a power source that is powered up whether the ignition is on or not. On a "keyed power source", the circuit will go off when you turn the ignition off. The easiest way to pick a "hot all the time circuit", is to buy a simple single wire electrical test light. You ground the wire on the test light to a grounded metal source and then you can probe the electrical circuits in your fuse box with the tip of the test light. The test light bulb will light up when you find power with the metal tip. This completes the circuit from a power source through the bulb in the test light to ground.

One side of each fuse is the 12 volt power source and the other side of the fuse is the demand side. To find a hot all the time circuit you probe both sides of the fuses using the small holes on each side of each fuse face, You're looking for a circuit that shows power on both sides of the fuse without having the ignition switch on.

As far as a ground wire for your lighter assembly you can run a separate wire and ground it as shown in your link, or use the factory ground wire in your car's factory lighter plug by using a jumper wire.

 

Once you make this change you will have a dead battery. Always live outlets are scary as someday someone will leave something plugged in and will kill the battery. I do not even like using the ACC setting on ignition to say play radio while car is not running.

What are you planning on using this new port for?

I have my seat heaters which are under my Classio seat covers wired into this circuit. It is nice to know they are off when key removed. In addition I mount their own on/off switches to that lower panel to turn them off when not needed.

Interesting my Dodge Caravan has two outlets. One always live and one switched

 

It's a good idea to setup this to a fused circuit and even better to put a switch on it. Battery drain is one reason, safety is the other. As others have said, use a live always on power wire.

I could set this up for myself, but I'd rather leave it in keyed on accessory mode. I am still toying with the idea of adding a switched always on outlet in the trunk.

 

Black3sr- I agree with most of what you said in your response to the post here, except for your first sentence. I made this same change to the power port in my USDM 2013 Fit sport over a year ago and have had absolutely no problems with it at all- including battery discharge. There is no reason for the battery to discharge since there is no parasitic drain through the circuit when it's not in use. Additionally, If you use electrical tape to tape off the power wire to the original charging plug, it can safely be left behind the dash.

I do agree with you that you have to watch what you plug into a "hot all the time" circuit, especially something that plugs in and draws continual power without a safety in the apparatus that turns charging off when the apparatus is fully charged- like a cell phone. Both the original factory key-controlled-power-circuit and the new hot-all-the-time-circuit are both protected by fuses. That's not to say that a continuous safe discharge won't eventually run the battery down, but that's up to the car owner to monitor that not very common situation. Things like charging your phone draws very little power and the phone shuts off the charging when it's fully charged. I really think that it would be beneficial to leave the original power port/ lighter port as originally wired with keyed power, and buy a second power receptacle from Honda and add a second power-all-the-time-port next to it and label it as such. If no interest in the second port, I believe this hot-all-the-time-power receptacle would work out fine.

Off topic- I do like the way you wired in the seat warmer buttons in your power port plastic panel. Very sanitary plug installation and use of heat shrink tubing. Also very appropriate to use keyed power for the seat warmer circuits.

 

Thanks Dan. I guess what I was trying to say at some point someone may leave something plugged in and a battery will get drained.

My heater switches could have been lined up much better. A huge mess of wires under the center cover.