Cigarette lighter plugs- I need more!

[mastacox]

So I decided my 1998 4Runner doesn't have nearly enough cigarette lighter plugs to support all of my gadgets. On most road trips and off-road expeditions I will be running a GPS, satellite radio (Sirius), radar detector (for getting there and back), phone charger, and other assorted goodies; trouble is I have one lonely cig lighter plug up front... and a splitter is way too ugly for me (although I have been doing that until now). Hard wiring isn't really an option on these particular items, because they get moved between vehciles quite often.

So I'm installing 3 auxillary plugs down in the little "cubby hole" behind the shifter. It will be switched with a relay, fused, straight from the battery for always-on operation. I may try changing the switch to a SPDT one later, so I can select between on, off, or ign, but for now on-off will do. I'll post some pics of the final product tonight (I have been working on it for a few hours after work for the past week) and will show the results.

Until then, anyone have pictures of their extra cigarette lighter solutions? It seems like this may be a common problem for 3rd gen 4Runner owners... but I'm interested in any innovative solutions from any year/model vehicles.

[paddlenbike]

I had the same problem and the only clean solution I could find was to hardwire everything. I have a CB, GPS unit, separate bluetooth GPS receiver, radar detector and IPOD, all requiring 12V.

The solution for most of these items was to buy the appropriate female connector like this from Radioshack and hardwire the unit. Now you still have the original cigarette lighter plug for moving between vehicles, which I also do.

See any wires [url=http://home.off-road.com/~kemanuel/4Runner/mods/centerconsole.jpg] here? (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102488&cp=2032058.2032231.2032284&parentPage=family) I sure don't. :D

I plan to install a powered USB plug in my truck too as I have several electrical accessories that run on USB 5V 500mA power.

[mastacox]

Yeah, hard-wiring is a much cleaner option. Your idea of getting the appropriate plugs from Radio Shack could possibly be done with the radar detector and Sirius receiver, but the GPS has a proprietary power plug (read: $$$) that Radio shack won't have, and the phone takes a USB (Moto RAZR). That means that minimum I need one extra cig plug. Three will help me handle any kind of power needs I might have.

It sucks because cigarette lighter plugs are pretty inefficient for just power; they're big and bulky. I thought about trying to come up with some alternative such as the small copper plugs used for plugging batteries into R/C cars, but that would mean I would have to modify each cig lighter accessory I had, and it would be somewhat "irreversible." Car manufacturers need to come up with a "next-gen" standardized power plug for applications such as these, cigarette lighters are so 1970's...

Definitely post up when you do the powered USB jacks, that would be something I might be interested in for replacing my phone charger.

[Doc750]

The 02 4runner came with 2 extra outlets in addition the cig lighter. I had relocated all three to inside footwell on the passenger side, when I had redone my dash. Maybe it's possible for you to just purchase the extra outlets and wire them in.

[reggie 00]

Go to Wal-Mart. get this ($9 i think it was):

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n74/reggiemiller00/DSCF1573.jpg

Easy install, wired up to this (fuse lock $6 @ kragen auto parts):

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n74/reggiemiller00/DSCF1571.jpg

[Ric]

So I'm installing 3 auxillary plugs down in the little "cubby hole" behind the shifter. great idea, I put mine in the glove box, and run the cords through there.
wish I would have thought about your idea first, lol
Post up pics when your done, please

[Bob98SR5]

Brian,

Absolutely professional :) Hey, could you draw a wiring schematic (esp for the relay) and post it up? This would be a great writeup.

Thanks,
Bob

[Ric]

Absolutely professional i totally agree :clap:

[jrallan26]

looks oem

[TroysToy]

Brian,
I know that you typed this up awhile back, but I am really really interested in doing it, but a little unsure of how you wired it. Is there anyway you could do a schematic?

[mastacox]

Here's an ugly diagram of what I did. If you get a switch that has a high throughput you can dump the relay, I put one in because it seemed like a good idea at the time...

EDIT- the fused circuit from the Painless harness is only 10 amps, which has been enough for me. Don't power something like an air compressor with it unless you've up-rated the wiring and fuse. I used 12 gauge wire IIRC for the power circuits, and small wire for the switch/relay coil.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/WiringDiagram-1.jpg

[Bob98SR5]

Troys,

I have a writeup on 4runners.org. This is one of many location and wiring options.

[TroysToy]

Thanks Guys!