GRRRR Stupid Power Ports!!

l008com

Original poster
Member
Feb 19, 2016
886
Massachusetts
Tonight was the third night in about three weeks that I had to have someone come rescue me with jumper cables. I got one of those cheap 12v heated seat pads because I'm always cold and my truck doesn't have heated seats. But this truck's two power ports never shut off! Even if the truck is off and locked, the power keeps flowing until the truck is dead! SO you have to remember to turn the seat off or unplug them, something you would normally never do. I usually remember, but not always. It is SOOOOOO annoying. I wish there were some way I could run those ports through a relay or something so they would shut off. I also want to try real heated seats but who knows when i'll have time to give that a go. It's just so frustrating.
 
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Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
This has been how all my cars have been (4 GMs, 1 Ford).

I guess others do differently.

Wouldn't be hard to wire in either another port to an ignition source, or relay one of the two factory ones like you said.
 

l008com

Original poster
Member
Feb 19, 2016
886
Massachusetts
My last car was a Camaro, it's ports turned off. I know this because this very heater was in that car (2013) and it would turn off. I think my S10 blazer's ports shut off too.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Guess maybe GM started putting switched ports in later? My 98 and 99 Camaros both had always on ports, my 07 Silverado does too.
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Splicing in a relay would be easy enough, even easier if you have an aftermarket HU and an interface for it, since it would have a switched output on the harness.
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
I used one of these to do the switching to the ports. I used the TCCM fuse as the source since it switches off with the ignition. One fuse spot is for the original (TCCM) fuse, the other for the ports (20A). Stick wire into the now empty fuse connector that supplies the power to the ports.

Fuse Tap.jpg

You have to remove the piece of plastic in between the two prongs.
 

l008com

Original poster
Member
Feb 19, 2016
886
Massachusetts
I used one of these to do the switching to the ports. I used the TCCM fuse as the source since it switches off with the ignition. One fuse spot is for the original (TCCM) fuse, the other for the ports (20A). Stick wire into the now empty fuse connector that supplies the power to the ports.

View attachment 79925

You have to remove the piece of plastic in between the two prongs.
Do you use that to power a relay to switch the power ports, or do you use that to directly power the power ports? Where do you connect it to?
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Do you use that to power a relay to switch the power ports, or do you use that to directly power the power ports? Where do you connect it to?

You connect it to the relay coil, which turns it on/off along with whatever source you tapped into. Some light browsing on Youtube may be in order to give you some visuals on how you'd use them together.
 
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littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
I think my sisters cruze is always on as well... I find it convenient especially when I am working and leave the phone in the truck to charge between stops.

You could go switched power from the ignition as well.
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,950
North Las Vegas
Funny, one of mine turns off in both the TB and the Silverado
 

l008com

Original poster
Member
Feb 19, 2016
886
Massachusetts
Yes one of mine does too
Which one? Currently both of mine are in use, one as a phone charger and the other as an ass warmer. I know the ass warmer (left port) stays on thanks to all the jump starts. The right port has a 12v USB adapter that has a red indicator LED, so I know it's on 24 hours a day too. Weird. My truck is a 2008, maybe they changed it at some point.
 
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coolasice

Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,019
Northern Maine
Which one? Currently both of mine are in use, one as a phone charger and the other as an ass warmer. I know the ass warmer (left port) stays on thanks to all the jump starts. The right port has a 12v USB adapter that has a red indicator LED, so I know it's on 24 hours a day too. Weird. My truck is a 2008, maybe they changed it at some point.
I thought for sure one of them turned off with the rap. maybe i'm wrong... i never use them.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
On my 02 Trailblazer both ports were always on (I left things plugged in a few times on purpose).

My 07 Silverado NNBS is the same way - I leave the dashcam running in parking lots all the time, and I had the other port charging my GF's phone at one point.

Weird.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Do you use that to power a relay to switch the power ports, or do you use that to directly power the power ports? Where do you connect it to?

No relay required. Just put a small spade connector on the end of the wire and put it into the fuse connector. The other end is fed directly by the ignition switch. Only thing though is that it only turns on with ignition, not aux power. Tried to find one that's on with aux but didn't. This works fine for me. I did it for the dash cam.
 
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dkvasnicka

Member
Jul 24, 2015
366
Czech republic, Europe
This is also PITA for dashcams that turn on and start recording automatically as they get juice from the outlet... Chrysler did this properly on the old Pacifica - one port always on, the other one tied to ignition.
gearshift.jpg
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
It's doable. Just some wiring to do.
 
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jsheahawk

Member
Jan 16, 2013
533
Kansas City
Yep. Just wire it into an accessory wire under the driver's dash, and it will only be on when the key is. Easy peasy.
 

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