How to change cigarette lighter circuit?

[Luvcruzers]

Hello,

I'm looking for the easiest/safest way to change the circuit running my cigarette lighter to a circuit powered by ignition. I understand from the wiring diagram it was designed to always be hot and I'm looking to modify it.

I am using a charger/iPod cradle and it remains on when I turn off the key. I would like the charger to turn off when the truck is off so as not to drain battery.

Thank you for any advice you might have.

 

[FF LC FREAK]

The easiest would probably just be to run a new wire from a switched power source on your fuse block to the cigarette lighter.

 

[rusty_tlc]

You could get a 12V lighter socket from radio shack and run a new circuit rather than hacking into the OEM harness.

Or you could get a relay and install it in-line with the existing wiring and run the control to a switched source.

If you tap a switched source directly from the fuse block you run the chance of overloading the circuit and blowing fuses.

 

[lc69hunter]

Because I wanted more amperage than it was designed for, I just ran an inline fuse directly to the battery. As mentioned before, it is probably easier to run a new line to one of the fused circuits than to hack into the harness. Ground is the body, so you only have one line to worry about.

 

[cruiserbrett]

on mid 70's cruisers(your sig mentions '76) there are two unused male spades on the back of the fuse block(likely have some sorta black shrink tube on them). One is constant hot, the other is switched hot. Use a meter or test light to test and run a wire from there to the cig. lighter.