How can I add in a 12v socket that will only work when the car is on? I want to hook up the car adapter for my iPod under the console so that no wires will be seen. As you all know, with GM cars, the 12v socket is always on. How can I wire another one up that will only be on when the car is?

 

bump

 

Are you going to be using this new 12v socket with ONLY an iPod? The answer to your question depends on how much current you will be drawing.

*If you ONLY are running an iPod on it* You could just tap into an ignition wire under the dash, or an even better location would be at the fuse box on the left side of the dash.

*If you plan on running more than just an iPod with the new socket* Wire it up with a relay. You just need a SPST relay to do this....you can buy one at RadioShack. cut any ignition wire in the car and stick the relay in between there, using terminals 85 and 86. Now run a new, thicker gauge, wire from the battery of the car (be sure to also place an inline fuse next to the car battery!) and plug that into terminal 87. Then finally run the same gauge of power wire from terminal 87a to the new socket.

 

It will be for JUST the iPod. I thought of just running a wire from the existing socket and then putting a switch for that plug so it will only be on when the switch is on.

 

Harness ignition wire is pink. Accesory is Brown. I would just run fused wire from the brown ignition wire to the socket. You could use the relay as stated above. The relay method might be overkill though.

 

So tap into the pink wire and hook that up to the positive on the socket, what do I do with negative?

 

I would tap into the brown because it will work with the key turned backwards just like the radio. For ground just chassis ground it. There is metal under the steering column to ground to.

 

Aiight, where is the brown wire?

 

In the main streering column harness with the pink wire. There is a bundle of large wires running from the key down the steering column. MOst likely wrapped in black tape.

 

Aiight, thanks for the help.