I have some LED lights that I recently wired up to a remote control module, but theres a problem: Some peoples remote lock/unlock frequencies set off my lights. I'll come back to the car in a parking lot and they'll be on when I know they were off when I left.

So what I want to do is hook up the positive from the module to something that only has power when either the engine is running, or the key is in the ignition in the ACC position.

Does anyone have any good candidates? I have the module mounted next to the front fuse box and I wanted to find something close to there, but I used a voltmeter to look for something that is only hot when the key is in ACC or ON, and couldn't find any. Any ideas?

 

Jay,

On my 2005 Magnum, the front cig. lighter / power outlet is powered only when the key is on or in acc. position.

If you are looking at a location near the front underhood fuse box, then there is a #20 pink/grey wire from C1 (Green connector, pin #22) on the front "Intergrated Power Module". However, this is not a high current wire/source, so watch the current load you are adding. If the load is higher than an amp, think about using a relay switched by the above mentioned wire, but the high current feed from an always hot source such as #10 Tan/Red from C4 (Black connector,pin #8).

Hope this helps,
Plasticman

 

Great! Thanks for the explanation. The lights i'm hooking up are LEDs, so the current draw should be pretty small. I'm going to try this out this weekend.

So this pink/gray wire goes to the cigarette lighter?

 

No, that particular wire does not go to the lighter. Those were 2 separate areas (wires) where you could pick up "switched" 12 volts. One is in the cockpit, whereas the other is under the hood.

The pink/grey wire under the hood is used for several items (part of the ABS module, power train module, etc., and also powers fuse #29 in the rear power module!).

The Cig. lighter is powered by a red/orange wire. Note that this can be either battery fed, or ignition switch fed (don't know how it it is changed from one to the other, but the wiring diagram shows it as an option). If you plan on using the cig. lighter feed, first check that it is switched via the ignition switch.

Plasticman

 

CRAP!

I think I screwed something up! I checked the pink/gray wire for voltage with and without the key in the on position, and it was correct. So I cut the wire and spliced in my light module, then the car wouldn't start. So I unhooked my module, and re-connected the pink/gray wire together, and it still won't start. I checked all my fuses and they're intact. Any ideas what I should do next?

 

Whoops, nevermind.

It was a blown fuse in the back fuse box. Hadn't checked that initially.

 

I remember reading an old post that said the power to the lighter could be switched or unswitched, depending on which position in the fuse panel the fuse for the lighter was located.