My cigarette lighter de-powers once the ignition is off. So, at least in my car the solar charger wouldn't work - that way.

I've been toying with the idea of putting the aux outlet in the glove box though. I wonder if the "standard" wiring for that would be "hot" all the time?

 

Please forgive me - I am just in the process of finding my way around my car so things that should be obvious may not always appear that way to me.

You talk of the cigarette lighter and the 12v Aux socket as though they are seperate entities - is this the case? And that in that case the Aux socket IS actually live all the time? Is the Aux socket inside the centre console? I dont think I have actually come across a push in cigarette lighter thing yet.

My quandry is that if the car powers down EVERYTHING, even this aux socket, then the solar trickle charger is not for me since I want to completely lock the car and not have cables coming out of boot / trunk etc.

 

The "push-in, pop-out" cigarette lighter is supposed to be in the front of the center arm rest. In my car it is de-powered when the ignition is off, so it wouldn't be useful for the solar charger.

One of the after market options that is supposed to be available is an auxiliary 12v outlet that we can install into the back of the glove box. It's supposed to just plug into an available connection that is loose behind the glove box's interior. Whether or not that outlet (if we install one) would be "hot" continuously, I do not know.

You "could" however, leave the solar charger on the rear sill and just drop some wires down directly into the trunk and on to the battery. You could leave it installed continuously and not have any unsightly wires running around.

Good luck!

 

This sounds like an ideal sollution. My only fly in the ointment is that my rear windows, and even rear quarter windows are heavily tinted. I dont know, but I am assuming that tinted windows will severely restrict the amount of solar thingy stuff needed to charge the solar panels of the trickle charger?

 

The test procedure is as follows:

1. unlock car
2. open driver's door
3. press cigar lighter down
4. wait for it to heat and pop up

When it doesn't, then safely assume it's not live with the ignition off.

However, your vehicle has been significantly modified so it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that the cigar lighter is permanently live.

Graham

 

I much appreciate the step-by-step instructions - the first two steps are pretty easily achieved Unfortunately the lighter bit isnt in or with the car (neither do I need it since I dont smoke) - but in addition, I dont have an accesory that I can use to test the socket. I had just thought that a quick question here would yield results. But no matter I will work it out somehow.