How do you charge your cell or any other equipment when the car is off. The 12v plugs arn't hot unless the car is on or in accessory mode. Is there a way around this. Thanks
Yea, there's a very easy work-around to make that outlet 'hot'. Just be aware that the 12v battery is not very large and you can drain it quickly. I don't think a single cell phone would do that overnight, but anything bigger that puts a continuous drain certainly could cause you some problems. Go to http://www.coastaletech.com Look at the 2005+ Prius area for thier 12v adapter area. You can buy the parts you need at Radio Shack for a few bucks and just use their instructions or they'll send you a pre-made kit with all you need for about $10. I wasn't able to access their site right now to give you the direct link.
It's http://coastaletech.com/power_outlet_mod.htm This only affects the one in the front, not the one inside the center compartment.
I got a lighter adapter with alligator clips to hook onto the battery in the rear compartment. It's always on and gives me an outlet in the rear hatch to boot. You can buy them at an auto parts store, maybe wal-mart, theyre cheap, like $5.
coastaletech.com also has a mod for having the outlets in front always on. Edit--Oops!!! For some reason, I didn't see the other posts talking about coastaletech before I replied--I guess I forgot to scroll....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ko_prius @ Jun 29 2006, 10:51 AM) [snapback]278679[/snapback]</div> Hmmm...I hadn't checked this, but I am VERY surprised by it. Very often (and since I haven't had the car for 2 months yet, and with less than 500 miles on the odo, I think this can still qualify for a Very Often status), I have found a need for a hot plug--charging phone, pda, using some accessory or other...all that stuff that we all need to do at some time or another when it just isn't convenient to have the car turned on at all). I have not seen any other new, or even new-ish cars that do not have the plugs hot all the time. Why is this? I HATE having to do workarounds! My husband had to do the turn-off-backup-beep-bebop because there were too many steps for me to follow... :blink:
You certainly don't need any special parts. I made my factory outlet switchable (ig-switched or always-hot) and added an always-hot outlet in the center. http://www.darelldd.com/ev/prius_12v_outlets.htm
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jun 30 2006, 11:11 PM) [snapback]279564[/snapback]</div> ddd...I am incredibly in awe of all the cool stuff you do...but can't you, just once, make something look EASY for the technologically challenged amongst us???? :blink: I look at your fantastic pix and instantly go crosseyed... I am of the PhD camera crowd--Press Here Dummy...:huh:
