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[on:]

We recently bought a cheap car and I'd like to mess with it. I want to know how to get constant power supply from the car battery even when it's off.
The cigar lighter power source switches off when the keys are removed. So, I want to know if there are other ways to do it.

[Reply #1 on:]

Like this....?

[Reply #2 on:]

There should be a battery wire for the stereo, just splice into that. Sometimes it's also called the memory wire because it's always on, keeping the volatile memory working.

[Reply #3 on:]

Yeah when I got my current car they wired the radio to go off with the ignition. I asked them to redo it on that wire so I could have it on at any time while sitting in the car waiting for my kids.

[Reply #4 on:]

Why not go directly to the fuse box and do it properly?
It should be located either inside the glove compartment, or around the steering wheel. That thing is always hooked to the battery with wires of proper thickness, is easily accessible, and usually has unoccupied slots so you can put a fuse in front whatever you are hooking up to the battery.

[Reply #5 on:]

or get one of these.. http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=071-580

[Reply #6 on:]

There should be a battery wire for the stereo, just splice into that. Sometimes it's also called the memory wire because it's always on, keeping the volatile memory working.

Can you tell me where it is and how I can access it? And by the way my radio goes off when I remove the keys. Will it still work for me?

[Reply #7 on:]

Can you tell me where it is and how I can access it?

Why not go and shmooze the guys in your local car audio place?- they (should) know all the ins and outs of this stuff. There's probably a colour coding of car audio wires and they could tell you which wires to look for behind the radio.

[Reply #8 on:]

You could use a fuse tap like below on a fuse that is hot all the time (possibly radio, headlights, etc). Be sure to put it on the fused side of the fuse. If needed, the blade fuses have small exposed metal corners that can be soldered to.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102780

[Reply #9 on:]

Can you tell me where it is and how I can access it? And by the way my radio goes off when I remove the keys. Will it still work for me?

What kind of car?