Re-Wire Cig Lighter to use Solar Charger?
Zain
Have a 1991 Toy SR5 4x4 and would like to use a solar battery charger
to keep the battery topped off, as the truck sits a lot. Just put a
new battery in, and was looking at the solar panels you place on the
dashboard and plug into the cigarette lighter. The solar panel
trickle-charges the battery when the sun is out to help offset the
slow drain from sitting for days or a few weeks at a time with the
alarm on. But it requires a lighter socket that works when the key is
off.
http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/SE150.html
The charger has a built-in gizmo so it can't drain the battery or
overcharge, but I don't know how an always-on lighter is wired.
I read re-wiring instructions online (not related to using a solar
charger) that said to just splice the power wire into any other wire
of like size that has juice when the key is off. (Alarm wires have
juice, but I don't know if that would cause potential problems.) Do I
need to go to a fuse box, or splice in a fuse, or... is it really as
simple as just splicing into another live wire?
http://www.lightrite.com/pnp_rewiring_steps.htm#Rewire%20Detail%20Step1
Any comments or guidance? TIA.
Zain
and leave the old one alone. I looked under the dash and it looks
nearly impossible to even GET to the back of the lighter without
spending a whole lot more time than this warrants. If I was
reinstalling a deck, I wouldn't mind taking the dash apart... but to
change one wire... argh.
Any thoughts on just running a hot wire from either the fuse box or
battery to a new socket, securing and grounding it somewhere under the
dash?
Desertphile
> Hey Folks,
>
> Have a 1991 Toy SR5 4x4 and would like to use a solar battery charger
> to keep the battery topped off, as the truck sits a lot. Just put a
> new battery in, and was looking at the solar panels you place on the
> dashboard and plug into the cigarette lighter. The solar panel
> trickle-charges the battery when the sun is out to help offset the
> slow drain from sitting for days or a few weeks at a time with the
> alarm on. But it requires a lighter socket that works when the key is
> off.
>
> http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/SE150.html
>
> The charger has a built-in gizmo so it can't drain the battery or
> overcharge, but I don't know how an always-on lighter is wired.
A diode or two is used to keep the battery from leeching through
the photovoltaic panel.
> I read re-wiring instructions online (not related to using a solar
> charger) that said to just splice the power wire into any other wire
> of like size that has juice when the key is off. (Alarm wires have
> juice, but I don't know if that would cause potential problems.) Do I
> need to go to a fuse box, or splice in a fuse, or... is it really as
> simple as just splicing into another live wire?
If you can get at the radio's yellow wire, that should be your
positive; I wouldn't use the cigarette plug. The yellow wire for
the radio is wired directly to the battery, at the fuse box, to
keep the radio's time-keeping circuit fresh.
Far better is to clip the photovoltaic panel directly to the
battery.
> http://www.lightrite.com/pnp_rewiring_steps.htm#Rewire%20Detail%20Step1
> Any comments or guidance? TIA.
I don't like it. :-) These photovoltaic panels should have the
option to use aligator clips or cigarette plug, but most do not.
If you put a volt meter to your fuse box you can find a +13vDC
circuit that is always "on" with the ignition key removed. You can
then attach the negative lead of the photovoltaic panel to ground.
--
http://desertphile.org
Desertphile's Desert Soliloquy. WARNING: view with plenty of water
"Why aren't resurrections from the dead noteworthy?" -- Jim Rutz
Zain
<deser...@invalid-address.net> wrote:
Thanks for your reply.
>If you can get at the radio's yellow wire, that should be your
>positive; I wouldn't use the cigarette plug. The yellow wire for
>the radio is wired directly to the battery, at the fuse box, to
>keep the radio's time-keeping circuit fresh.
>
>Far better is to clip the photovoltaic panel directly to the
>battery.
But that means having to leave the hood cracked open and taking the
clips off/on the battery every time I use the truck, plus having the
cable wires draped out an open window to the battery. The cigarette
lighter is far easier. Just plug in the solar panel when I park the
truck, and unplug it when I get in to drive it. No windows have to be
open, the hood doesn't need to be cracked, and no wires are draping
out the window, which to me, invites interest and possible break-ins.
>> http://www.lightrite.com/pnp_rewiring_steps.htm#Rewire%20Detail%20Step1
>> Any comments or guidance? TIA.
>
>I don't like it. :-) These photovoltaic panels should have the
>option to use aligator clips or cigarette plug, but most do not.
This one does. Got it at Pep Boys. Comes with both.
http://sunforceproducts.com/english/details.asp?id=65
>If you put a volt meter to your fuse box you can find a +13vDC
>circuit that is always "on" with the ignition key removed. You can
>then attach the negative lead of the photovoltaic panel to ground.
Thanks a lot. That's very helpful!! :)
som...@some.domain
just in case. i have a solar charger on my van and it works fine 4 years on.
notbob
> Have a 1991 Toy SR5 4x4 and would like to use a solar battery charger
> to keep the battery topped off, as the truck sits a lot. Just put a
> new battery in, and was looking at the solar panels you place on the
> dashboard and plug into the cigarette lighter. The solar panel
> trickle-charges the battery when the sun is out to help offset the
> slow drain from sitting for days or a few weeks at a time with the
> alarm on. But it requires a lighter socket that works when the key is
> off.
>
> http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/SE150.html
>
> The charger has a built-in gizmo so it can't drain the battery or
> overcharge, but I don't know how an always-on lighter is wired.
No such thing as an "always-on lighter". The socket is always "hot" but the
circuit is not active till the removable lighter is pushed in. No doubt the
wiring of a lighter is pretty close to direct-to-battery, as it requires
lotsa amps to get the lighter element red hot. I don't understand why you
think you need to rewire anything. Buy the solar recharger and use as
directed.
nb
SMS
> Hey Folks,
>
> Have a 1991 Toy SR5 4x4 and would like to use a solar battery charger
> to keep the battery topped off, as the truck sits a lot. Just put a
> new battery in, and was looking at the solar panels you place on the
> dashboard and plug into the cigarette lighter. The solar panel
> trickle-charges the battery when the sun is out to help offset the
> slow drain from sitting for days or a few weeks at a time with the
> alarm on. But it requires a lighter socket that works when the key is
> off.
<snip>
On my 2001 4 Runner it was very simple to rewire the auxiliary outlets
(but not the cigarette lighter outlet) to be always on.
You need the wiring diagram of the vehicle to see if the cigarette
lighter outlet has its own relay, then you need to remove the relay and
jumper across the switch contacts (not the coil contacts). On the 4
Runner, this relay is under the hood.
Otherwise, run a wire from the + battery contact, through the fire wall,
and install an outlet for the gizmo (or better yet don't use a cigarette
lighter outlet, use a simpler connector, i.e.
"http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/CON-322/2-CONDUCTOR-WEATHER-RESISTANT-CONNECTORS-8-CORD/1.html").
You'll definitely want to include an in-line fuse as well, right by the
battery.
"http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/FHP-25/WEATHERPROOF-ATC-BLADE-FUSE-HOLDER/-/1.html"
Presumably there is a protection diode inside the device already.
SMS
> No such thing as an "always-on lighter". The socket is always "hot" but the
> circuit is not active till the removable lighter is pushed in. No doubt the
> wiring of a lighter is pretty close to direct-to-battery, as it requires
> lotsa amps to get the lighter element red hot. I don't understand why you
> think you need to rewire anything. Buy the solar recharger and use as
> directed.
Most, if not all, Toyotas, don't have power to the outlets when the
vehicle is off. There is a relay that closes when the ignition is on
that the power to the outlets goes through.
It's generally a simple modification to change the outlets to always-on,
if you have the wiring diagram (replacing the relay with a jumper wire).
You want to be sure that the relay powers only the outlets.
In the olden days, the outlets were usually direct to the battery
through a fuse.
notbob
> Most, if not all, Toyotas, don't have power to the outlets when the
> vehicle is off.
I gotta confess ignorance on this one. For the first time I own a Toyota, a
'91 mini-motorhome (50K- woot!). It doesn't even have a cigarette lighter.
Jes going on old GM knowledge. Silly me. ;)
nb
Zain
wrote:
>On my 2001 4 Runner it was very simple to rewire the auxiliary outlets
>(but not the cigarette lighter outlet) to be always on.
Unfortunately, I don't have any auxiliary outlets. Just the one
lighter.
>You need the wiring diagram of the vehicle to see if the cigarette
>lighter outlet has its own relay, then you need to remove the relay and
>jumper across the switch contacts (not the coil contacts). On the 4
>Runner, this relay is under the hood.
I'll look for info online about this. I don't have the wiring diagram.
>Otherwise, run a wire from the + battery contact, through the fire wall,
>and install an outlet for the gizmo (or better yet don't use a cigarette
>lighter outlet, use a simpler connector, i.e.
>"http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/CON-322/2-CONDUCTOR-WEATHER-RESISTANT-CONNECTORS-8-CORD/1.html").
I considered this, but it takes two hands to take such a connector
apart or plug in the charger. Plugging/unplugging into an AC DC outlet
is easier, especially when lugging pakages and whatnot in and out of
the truck, etc. I'm not too worried about the "unstable power issue"
since it's just a solar charger and will only be running when the
truck is off and sitting still.
>You'll definitely want to include an in-line fuse as well, right by the
>battery.
>"http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/FHP-25/WEATHERPROOF-ATC-BLADE-FUSE-HOLDER/-/1.html"
Don't really need a fuse for the solar charger, but it doesn't hurt
anyway.
>Presumably there is a protection diode inside the device already.
Yes.
Thanks for your input. Appreciate it. :)
ed_h...@yahoo.com
plug on a short wire with battery clips on the other end. I used this
and ran the wire out the door and under the hood. Some messing to
hook up but maybe easier than what you are discussing.
marika
"notbob" <not...@nothome.com> wrote in message
news:slrngvk10q...@bb.nothome.com...
doesn't sound safe. you should sue
mk5000
Hunton & Williams
United States: Fixing The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act: What�s
Next?
28 April 2009
Article by W. Jeffery Edwards, Ashley Cummings and Meghann C. Thomas
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 affects virtually every
level of the consumer product commerce stream - including manufacturers,
importers, distributors, private labelers and retailers - and imposes
stringent testing standards and certification requirements.
This sweeping legislation created mass confusion in the products world
regarding who must certify, what products are covered, how the testing is to
be done and how certifications are to be made available.
CPSIA testing standards regarding lead and phthalate content were to go into
effect Feb. 10, 2009. As this deadline approached, however, panic set in -
particularly among small business, artisans and resellers concerned that the
expense of compliance would drive them out of business.
This confusion and resulting industry outcry placed tremendous demands on
the Consumer Product Safety Commission staff. The commission was inundated
with requests for clarification and guidance, and it received thousands of
product-specific inquiries and requests for exemptions.
These demands were in addition to the CPSIA mandate that the commission
establish detailed rules for the act's implementation and testing standards.
And, it still had to deal with all other products within its jurisdiction.
In response, the commission called a time out, announcing a one-year stay of
some of the testing and certification requirements. In addition, it is
working on new guidelines that may help alleviate some of the confusion
surrounding the CPSIA.
The commission's actions, combined with the consumer products industry's
response, have caused Congress to look at not just the CPSIA's intent but
its actual effect.
Congressman John Dingell, D-Mich., sent a March 2, 2009, letter to the
commission posing specific questions focused on identifying what is wrong
with the CPSIA and how to fix it. The commission responded on March 20. The
commission's responses may provide a number of clues about where the CPSIA
is going - if Congress listens.
The Provisions at the Center of the CPSIA Debate
The CPSIA imposes strict demands on a tight timetable. The requirements
sparking the most debate and confusion include:
Certification and Testing
Product manufacturers and importers subject to a consumer product safety
standard or rule must certify in writing that the product conforms to all
applicable standards or rules children's products must be tested by a
third-party, accredited testing laboratory.
For products not intended for children, and until the commission publishes
its mandatory third-party testing requirements in the case of children's
products, the certification may be based on a reasonable testing program.
The CPSIA is backlogged with laboratories' requests for accreditation. And
artisans and small businesses say the expense of third-party testing,
particularly in respect to component parts, will put them out of business.
Children's Products
The CPSIA defines "children's products" as those designed or intended
primarily for children 12 years of age or younger. Among other things, the
CPSIA:
* creates new standards for phthalates (e.g., chemicals used in
plastics) in children's toys and childcare products;
* declares all children's products, even those manufactured before the
CPSIA became law, containing a certain percentage of lead to be "banned
hazardous substances"; and
* converts the ASTM F963 voluntary toy standards (i.e., standards
relating to safety requirements, labeling and testing for magnets and toxic
substances, battery-operated toys, toys with cords, straps and elastics) to
mandatory consumer product safety standards.
Lead Paint
The CPSIA lowers the acceptable lead limit for paint and other
surface-coating materials on all products, not just children's products. Any
consumer product that may contain lead paint must be tested.
Product Resale
e major hurdles - perhaps insurmountable - to achieving the act's safety
objectives that all agree are worthwhile.
SMS
> Don't really need a fuse for the solar charger, but it doesn't hurt
> anyway.
The fuse isn't to protect the solar charger, it's in case there's ever a
short in the wire between the battery and the solar charger. The fuse
should be right where the wire attaches to the battery. Every
after-market device that connects directly to the battery (air horns,
fog lights, etc., has fuse very close to the battery terminal.
Zain
wrote:
Thanks. I knew it wasn't to protect the solar charger, but my
understanding is that fuses stop a potential fire if the accessory
attached sends too much juice down the wire and it overheats. Is that
right? So the only point I was making is that the solar charger only
trickles like 12 milliamps at best... and the wire is 14 gauge I
believe. But you're right that I should put one in anyway, just
because if I ever sell this truck someone else might plug something
else in.
IAC, I decided against adding a 2nd socket because I didn't feel
comfortable going through the firewall and there was really nowhere to
put a 2nd socket that would be unobtrusive and convenient. Plus, I
don't use the existing lighter for anything, so I decided to re-wire
it.
There were two wires feeding the interior fuse box from what looked
like was probably the engine compartment, as they were fed in through
the chassis along the forward door frame on the driver side, going
directly to the fuse box, with a fuse inline just before the box. One
red, one orange. The red one had juice even with the key off, the
orange did not. So I figured, red's my guy.
The wire coming to the back of the cig socket had a small connector on
it to slide on to a post on the back of the socket. So I slipped off
the connector and cut the wire about 2" back, leaving a tail on the
connector so I could use it with the new wire. (At the point I cut
this wire, it disappeared into a bundle of other wires with which it
was bound, so I could not see where it went.)
I cut a length of wire I had on hand, same gauge as the red juice wire
(and as it happened, the tail on the cig wire), and I connected the
connector tail to one end. Then I disconnected the neg battery
terminal, and took the red wire and shaved it's sheath away, exposing
the wire. I wrapped the bare end of my new wire around this exposed
area, then dropped a little solder and wrapped it in tape.
Reconnected the battery terminal and tried the lighter without the
key. Worked great. BUT.... no radio now!!
I just checked all the fuses and they look good, but I don't know
which one is the radio fuse. Does someone know, or can you point me to
a wiring diagram? The harness on the back of the unit was in place and
fine.
I am stumped! Any help would be appreciated!
SMS
> Thanks. I knew it wasn't to protect the solar charger, but my
> understanding is that fuses stop a potential fire if the accessory
> attached sends too much juice down the wire and it overheats. Is that
> right?
No. The real danger isn't the device drawing too much current, it's that
the +12V wire will short out somewhere between the device and the
battery, and the wire will heat up, and it will cause a fire. You want
to be extra careful when running after-market accessories, since the
routing of the wiring may not be optimal, and the insulation could melt,
or be scraped off by various engine parts or by rough metal (i.e. where
it passes through the firewall).
Zain
wrote:
Thanks for explaining. I was careful to route it safely and even used
duct tape to keep it where I wanted it. But I will install a fuse
anyway.
Zain
feeds the radio power, so I had to open the dash and find the wire I
snipped and connect it to the new wire too... so now everything is
working. :)
SMS
> Thanks for explaining. I was careful to route it safely and even used
> duct tape to keep it where I wanted it. But I will install a fuse
> anyway.
Argh, duct tape? You need to use wire loom and cable ties.
Zain
wrote:
It only went from the center of the dash (back of cig lighter) to up
over the emergency brake lever, which is where I stuck it with a bit
of duct tape to the plastic molding over the brake lever to keep it in
place, then routed it easily over the steering column and around some
plastic down to the fuse box. Could not use ties or loom where I
wanted to put it.
