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connecting cigarette light socket to aux battery on 2013 plug-in hybrid prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by dony71, Jan 18, 2023.

  1. dony71

    dony71 Junior Member

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    Is there any easy way instruction how to connect cigarette socket to aux battery?
    I want to plugin battery tender to cigarette socket to trickle charge aux battery
    Somebody in the forum already done this on 2004-2008 prius
    Power Outlet Mod (coastaletech.com)
     
    #1 dony71, Jan 18, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2023
  2. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    First, you do NOT want a "trickle charger".
    You need a smart, automatic, tender type battery charger.

    When you buy one, it should come with an SAE battery cable that you can attach directly to the battery
    and then plug the tender into that.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    or just connect it to the jump point under the hood. i just picked up this one:

    ref=sr_1_1_sspa
     
    #3 bisco, Jan 18, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2023
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Presuming you want this cig lighter socket in the dash somewhere? You'd need to tap-in the positive (likely red) wire of the cig lighter to a constant-on 12 volt wire; one such wire runs to the OBD port. It'll "probably" be this:

    upload_2023-1-19_9-5-12.png



    You could verify which it is with a test light.

    Then connect cig lighter negative (likely black) wire to bare metal of the car body, say clamped under a bolt or nut head.

    That said, cigarette light connecte chargers are pretty old-school, not practical with modern cars that have existing cig lighter sockets that are not constant-on. You have this charger already?

    FWIW, I'm using a CTEK 4.3 charger (rebadged now as CTEK 5 IIRC), and have wired the quick-connect wire harness that came with the charger, at the 12 volt lead-in at the underhood fuse box. Access to that 12 volt point is shown in the @NutzAboutBolts video:



    ^ He makes it look easy, but be prepared to spend about 10 minutes at this, lol.
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Jan 19, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2023