So you’re driving down the road and your car’s 12-volt power outlet is all of a sudden acting up. You’ve got your laptop plugged in, phone charging, GPS on and now it’s telling you that the battery is too low to power any electrical devices. What do you do? Most people would simply unplug everything from their 12v outlet but this can cause major issues with some of your electronics if they are still being powered by another source. The best solution for this issue is to disable the power when the car is off. This blog post will show you how!
Modifying an automotive 12v power outlet to disable power when car is off
The keyword phrase modifying an automotive 12v power outlet to disable power when the car is off should be highlighted in bold text throughout the article.
This blog post will show you how!
Now that we’re all clear on what it’s going to take, let’s get started! The first thing you want to do is locate your fuse box under the hood (typically found near your battery). You’ll need a set of panel removal tools or some sort of flat head screwdriver for this part. If you have any other questions at this point, feel free to email me and I can help with more specific instructions. Once located, find a 12v power outlet that you want to disable and remove the fuse from it.
Next, find a 12v socket with an open space next to it for your modified cable plug-in or extension (Google “12-volt male plugs” if need some help finding one). Cut off any wire protector on either end of the wires before attaching them using crimp connectors. Once everything is connected together, wrap in electrical tape so no metal parts are exposed! Now simply attach your new cord into the 12v’s unused slot and clip out as needed!
I’ve found a car without an alarm system so I can make these modifications easily! But it’s not recommended because if someone cuts off your cables they might have access to some of the under-hood systems that are normally inaccessible on cars with alarms installed.
To avoid this potential issue, invest in cutting-edge automotive security measures like Stinger’s Viper System or use high-quality locks designed for vehicles that will help deter thieves even when their handiwork has been discovered by disabling power at one simple location: the 12-volt outlet. The bottom line is protecting yourself against all forms of vehicle theft should be a top priority to any car owner.
If you’re interested in installing one of these devices but don’t have time or skills to do it yourself we recommend looking into companies such as Stinger who offer installation and customization services at competitive rates. You can also find more information about their products on their website: [link]
It’s not recommended because if someone cuts off your cables they might have access to some of the under-hood systems that are normally inaccessible on cars with alarms installed! To avoid this potential issue, we suggest installing a second auxiliary power outlet that’s accessible from the interior of the car.
Steps:
Find the 12v power outlet in your car. This may be under the dashboard on the passenger floor, or it might have an external cover that you need to open to access it
Unscrew and remove any wire connectors going into or out of the socket. If there is a connector with wires coming out of either side, then you will need more than one wrench size to do this properly
Locate where these two wires go within the harness leading up from the engine compartment and cut them about six inches back from their connection point
Strip off approximately three inches worth of insulation from each end (less if possible) using a pair of wire strippers when needed You should now see the copper strands
Twist the two wires together and wrap them with electrical tape to make a single connection point. This will now take power from your car battery when it’s running but not provide any power (or voltage) when the car is off
Put everything back together in reverse order, using wire connectors if possible as you go along
Test your modification by powering up the 12v socket and turning off your engine for 30 seconds. The light on the front of your dash should dim significantly or turn completely out after this amount of time has elapsed
