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

[Steve W.]

Carl Gogol wrote:
> Thanks Steve- I'm not surprised that it sounds like you might have solved
> this problem once or twice before. 
> 
> I'll try to sort it out or might even find it to be an excuse to visit
> VanHornesville in a couple of weeks.  Got company coming tomorrow so might
> not get to this for a week or so.  I might be reluctant to modify the new
> car myself, but depending on my mood you never know.
> Carl
> Manlius, NY
> 

Yeah, I get asked about things like this "from time to time"...

Thing is that it actually took me longer to write out the process than 
it actually takes to do it! Easy to change back as well, disconnect the 
terminal under the hood, pull the jumper out, plug the fuse back in, Done.

There would be a shorter way IF they didn't have the darn battery 
monitor in there. You could add the jumper right in the fuse panel, but 
the only terminal in there that feeds power full time won't handle any 
real load, it just keeps the memory in the BCM alive.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Steve W.
> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 1:21 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Also Slightly Off Topic,Car with blue light power trouble
> 
> 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
>>
> 
> 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.
> 
> 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.
> _______________________________________________