[AT] Also Slightly Off Topic,Car with blue light power trouble

Steve W. swilliams268 at frontier.com
Wed Jul 20 19:51:02 PDT 2016


Carl Gogol wrote:
> Not a tractor related question but the advice is always so good here;
> 
> 
> Got a new '16 Chevy Malibu and discovered that the power to the 12V
> auxiliary power outlets goes off 10 minutes after shutting the car
> off.  Not a problem except when I want to run my blue light when
> parked on the road while answering a fire/ems call that can last much
> longer.  I am told that the relay is computer controlled so a longer
> time delay relay is not an option. Dealer wants at least $200 to
> install an additional aux outlet run direct from battery.  I don't
> really like the idea of drilling through the fire wall ripping up the
> carpet to the back seat area where the chosen outlet already exists. 
> Running the LED blue light from a cheap jumper battery from HF comes
> to mind, but it is perhaps large for the back but not so terribly so.
> 
> 
> This just came to mind, how about a jumper across the relay?  Find a
> matching socket to place under the relay and run a jumper on that.
> Gets to be an infinite delay relay, just like most cars.  Get me in
> trouble?
> 
> Other ideas?  Schematic that might show where 12V exits in
> compartment already.
> 
> Carl Manlius, NY
> 

Carl,

RAP Relay is controlled by the BCM. It holds power on for the interior
lights, radio, windows and a few other systems for 20 minutes (wife
loves it as it works out to the amount of "real" time she gets on breaks)

That is a smart fuse panel as well. Jumper on the relay won't work as
the battery drain will trigger the battery protection circuit to shut
the panel down once the RAP relay powers down.

New vehicles can be a PIA for responders. Between the computers and the
switched power systems they are difficult to deal with.


The "best" solution would be a fused outlet direct to the battery.

It is possible to do that using the existing wiring. You just add a wire.

Make a 20 amp fused jumper wire. One end a ring terminal for the power
stud, other end a tab that will plug into the fuse panel.

Look at the instrument panel fuse block and you should have 2-3 fuses
for power outlets. Pull them till the power outlet you want goes off.
Take a test light and determine which side has power with the key on.
The other side will be the power to the socket. Run the fused lead
through an available hole in the firewall and plug the fused jumper into
that side.


-- 
Steve W.



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