i just connected my tachometer, and the wires that i used to get power from was the power for the cig lighter. the car was off for about 3 hours and the keys werent in the ignition, but the tach turned right on. i also have a pos radio that is aftermarket, the backlight for it also stays on for some reason.

is this normal for an 89 dx hatch?

 

no

 

It is normal on my '89 CRX Si. I use my cigarette lighter for my radar detector left in position at all times. I have to remember to unplug it every night in the garage for fear of draining the battery slowly. By the time my '98 Civic EX rolled around, the lighter was powered up by the key so I doidn't have to worry about the radar detector being on all night.

 

Oh, sorry. You said your cigarette lighter stays ON. Obviously my first thought is mine dosent. But, yea the cig lighter will recieve power even when the car is off. I would wire up your tach and your cd player to an ignition wire. Theres a fuse box under your Steering wheel that has plently of fuses that get power when the ignition is in the " on " position.

Good Luck!

 

how do i tap inot that fuse box? any certain color wire i have to look for?
one last thing...what the color of the coil wire that i tap into for the tach?

 

I generally just remove a fuse that has ignition power, and wrap wire around it, and stick the fuse back in. The radio fuse is a good one to try

 

there are also spare power slots in the bottom of the fuse box... its a male/female connector deal... some have power all the time some have it with the key

 

Wow. I didnt know about this. I will investigate that next time. Thanks.

 

k i was kind enoug to go outside in the cold and take a quick picture....
heres the slots that have power in the fuse box...

 

I always have a radar detector plugged in, and yes it always turns off when I turn my car off. (thank God!) I remember that the actual cigarette lighter would work though if you pushed it in when the car was off.

 

yea i saw those connectors, but i figured it would be a huge pain in the *** to solder the wire in there. i just wrapped it around the radio fuse

 

Yeah good pics. I use these for all my added gauges. I think the top pic with the three prongs, the MIDDLE one has constant 12V power.

And the bottom, two prong, the one with the wire has Switched 12V power. I think.

It just takes a simple voltmeter to find out though. These are great spots for power.

 

actually the one with the 3 prong, the one all the way to the right has constant 12v

 

I dont understand it my 91 CRX the lighter doesnt work when the key is off only when its on or in the accesory position. Is it different with the olders ones maybe?? I keep plenty of things plugged in IE..Radar detector, Cell phone charger and they go off when I turn the key off


[Modified by Vinceg99, 5:22 PM 3/2/2003]

 

my cigarette lighter unit gets power all the time

 

my 89 std didnt have a lighter but the plug was there and had constant 12v all the time. As for those terminals in the fuse box, one is igniton, one is constant 12v and one is parking light illumination. Tap into the Blue wire coming off your distro, you can also catch it in the wiring harness on the passenger side of the engine bay.

 

according to mr. helm...



C953 - hot in run
C954 - hot with headlight switch in head or park

C956 - hot in acc or run
C957 - can't find specifics on this one
C958 - hot at all times

 

1998 Accord XL. I'm using a bluetooth adaptor for iPhone in the cigarette lighter plug. I always unplug it and it's annoying, so, just wondering if power is still on all the time?
Thanks. *Not a mechanic. :-)