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Bypass or disconnect trunk hatch light switch

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Nirosorin, Jan 16, 2024.

  1. Nirosorin

    Nirosorin Junior Member

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    Hi everyone,
    2012 Plug-In Prius owner here.

    Like many other 1st Gen Prius plug-in owners, having a charging station at home isn't really worth the effort ($). The included charger cable is as good and fast as any.

    When charging in my driveway I typically leave the charger in the trunk and use a power extender to reach it, partially closing the hatch during charging (to the first notch only) and extending only the connector to the charging port. (Please don't judge my use of an extender cable; it's just as stable and reliable as a direct wall connection, I've used appropriate cables, plugs, and sockets).
    However, as the hatch is not fully shut, a major inconvenience is having to keep the interior lights off all the time for this purpose.

    Is there a method to disconnect the trunk hatch light switch or prevent the hatch open sensor from activating the lights?
    I would be perfectly comfortable if the hatch opening didn't activate the interior lights, it's a better option than keeping the lights off all the time.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The hatch light has an off switch. That said, when the hatch is ajar, or any door for that matter, there’s other things that “wake up”, increase load on the 12 volt. I don’t think that’s avoidable, or would be another rabbit hole.

    You’re concerned about the cord being stolen? I seem to recall there was some way to secure with a padlock.

    How do you secure your charging cable? | PriusChat
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Jan 16, 2024
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2024
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  3. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Great modification, we can’t help because ours are stock on this side of the foruM.
     
  4. Nirosorin

    Nirosorin Junior Member

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    1. The interior lights are all off... all the time. And yes, you're right: other things are draining the battery too when any of the doors are detected as ajar - actually happened to drain the 12v battery just a few days ago when I forgot the cables like this overnight, and as being a pretty cold night (-9 degrees Celsius) the car didn't get into DRIVE mode next morning, and needed some recharging to get going.

    2. It's a safe driveway, nor really concerned about theft.
     
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  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Then I’m wondering why you want the charger brick in the hatch, to keep it out of the weather?
     
  6. Nirosorin

    Nirosorin Junior Member

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    Exactly, and also for ease of use: I don't want to take it out each time, as it's a heavy and impractical object and not the best item to just leave it on the ground. The parking spot is not near the building and an outlet, so an extender is unavoidable.
    This is the best solution in all cases.

    To be precise I don't mind the dark interior most times. At home, there's a light source all the time, also in most other parking spaces as well. My problem is when my wife uses the car, being used to her Gen 2 which doesn't have this interior lights problem, she sometimes has to turn the dome light on (manually), and often enough she forgets it turned on...
     
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  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Can't you just undo the sense wire from the lock assembly in the back that tells the car to put the light on and to put the red door a jar light on the dash etc so on and so forth I would think so of course then anytime you leave the hatch open the lights not going to come on and the door ajar icon on the dash isn't going to display but that's the end game right?
     
  8. Nirosorin

    Nirosorin Junior Member

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    Yeah, that's most probably what I'll end up doing eventually. Didn't locate the wire yet, never opened that lock assembly.
    Is it easy to reach, just a cable to disconnect?

    Of course, the best outcome would be to just trick the sensor somehow not to turn the light on, but leave it working otherwise: like not letting me lock the car with the hatch not closed... but that's probably asking too much...
     
  9. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Find the wire that goes to the trigger assembly that tells the computer that the trunk is latched and the light should be off wire a switch to that but push button or something you could put it right on the piece of plastic next to where the latch assembly is and when you're charging or doing whatever to your car you push the switch and the car doesn't know the trunk is open and the lights not on then when you disconnect your charging business your hand is right there by that button you hit it again icon comes on the dash trunk light lights up you grab your cord close the trunk and off you go pretty easy in your wife can probably do it. I mean remembering to push the button and so forth.
     
  10. Nirosorin

    Nirosorin Junior Member

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    Actually, this is a pretty good idea.
    But I don't trust my memory and certainly don't trust the other users of the car will remember.

    What I'm thinking now is to make something even better. I'm not at this level of engineering, but I think it could be done: there's a light that illuminates the charging port, that turns off when you insert the charger. Also there's a sensor that detects that de charing inled door is opened or closed. Maybe someone with adequate engineering could build a device/relay/circuit that takes the signal from those sensors and gets them to activate that switch you mentioned. That would be perfect: the trunk hatch will activate the light in any normal circumstance, except when the charging inlet door is opened / charging light is on.
     
  11. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    There is probably already switch on the market that you can purchase that would do that I'm sure the electrical engineers will be a long shortly with some part numbers or something that could be simply rigged up I can't imagine any of this would be any kind of a big project a few minutes and some splicing kind of like putting in audio speakers or a crossover or something similar to your car stereo but of course different obviously.
     
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Shoebox size plastic storage tub, with a couple of notches cut in the lid, for the incoming/outgoing charger cord? Push under the car too, a bit more sheltered?
     
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  13. Nirosorin

    Nirosorin Junior Member

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    At work, I follow the usual charging routine: I pull out the charger and plug it into a wall outlet near my parking space. Given the layout of my parking spot, this is the only feasible method. For the charging brick, there's a covered spot, but the cable ends up on the ground, which inevitably makes it a bit dirty. That's why I prefer to avoid handling it more than necessary.

    However, I'd rather not replicate this setup at home. Additionally, I charge in all kinds of weather and believe that my trunk-based solution is superior. It's quick and straightforward to connect; just a 10-50-second setup and it's ready to charge.
     
  14. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I guess what's the deal of these chargers so crappy that they're like made for indoor garage only use they don't even have an outdoor cord on them like a weed eater or a pair of hedge trimmers you know like the cord that's rated to go outside It has heavy Romex on it it might even be orange or something so that's the deal That's what I figured That's real good engineering probably why I don't own one of these cars because they're going to give me a vacuum cleaner cord to plug it in with that sounds so funny but I guess it's typical of today's manufacturing. I've never really looked so I don't know this model of cars is not one I don't think I would really invest in because they just don't seem to do that well and prime time really or you need to be out of them at 100k and that's not real Toyota to me. And I guess you have to have the trunk open or access to trunk to plug the car up that's too funny.
     
  15. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I would modify the latch mechanism or wire which has the switch in it. The latch has two closed positions, one with the lights still on and the full closed position that opens the switch.

    Latch and door open switch middle right
     
    #15 rjparker, Jan 18, 2024
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2024
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i use to use my oem cord outside in all kind of inclement weather, never had an issue
     
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  17. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    And is the charging port on the inside of the hatch or something?
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    There’s a door on the right rear fender, similar to a gas filler door, on the outside
     
  19. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    That's what I figured and what should be so I'm not sure why everybody's worried about putting something in the trunk I guess part of the charger or something.? I wouldn't do that I would just come up with a little case to keep it in if I'm not worried about it like snow or ice or rain if it's not weatherproof which I would think it might ought to be but probably not. So a little sleeve or something like my clamp meter goes in from fluke.