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hot wire for cigarette lighter, '90 K5

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lbrunson

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Amarillo, TX
Have an accessory coming that requires plugging into a lighter socket. Mine is not wired up since I got it. Any clue what wire I need to look for under the dash that was originally for the lighter socket? I almost burned my first car down many many years ago (about 42 years go lol, haven't touched a lighter socket wire since) thinking I just had to have a working lighter, now for the most part I really could care less, but kind of need it for this remote head unit that's coming.

thanks
 
Personally I’d skip using that socket since I’ve had a few trucks that kept blowing fuses if you didn’t put the adapter into the plug perfectly straight. That may be what was happening to yours so the PO just ‘eliminated’ the problem. I’d just cut the adapter off your accessory, run a new wire from something that is ‘accessory on’ and connect to the + wire on your accessory plug. Or you could do the same thing with a male/female connector inline if you need to have it removable.
 
My 78 K5 did not have the cigarette lighter however there is an unused orange wire in the harness that is hanging. I think by default the wire is in the harness.
 
If you need power in that area, you could tap into the main stereo power wire, which should only be hot when the ignition is on, or you could tap into the memory wire, which is hot full time. This would work if you have a properly installed aftermarket stereo, but if its a stock stereo, you probably won't have a memory wire. Those circuits should be fuse protected, so if you overload them - no fire.
 
thanks for all the answers and help. Orange wire to look for or pull it off the power for radio that's hot with ignition on. I do like the idea of just wiring it in, but think in the researching on this cheap android auto add on head unit I read that it "had" to be plugged in using the included lighter plug... think it steps it down to the 5v it needs there... wish it just came with a USB plug on that end that would of sure been simpler for me in my case anyway. When it arrives this afternoon I'll figure that out for sure, and do it that way if I can send 12v to the unit.

How does the complete ashtray come out of the dash or does it? Easy enough to pull out the ashtray liner, but that doesn't add a lot of access, if the entire flip out door is removable that would make things easier.
 
lbrunson said:
thanks for all the answers and help. Orange wire to look for or pull it off the power for radio that's hot with ignition on. I do like the idea of just wiring it in, but think in the researching on this cheap android auto add on head unit I read that it "had" to be plugged in using the included lighter plug... think it steps it down to the 5v it needs there... wish it just came with a USB plug on that end that would of sure been simpler for me in my case anyway. When it arrives this afternoon I'll figure that out for sure, and do it that way if I can send 12v to the unit.

How does the complete ashtray come out of the dash or does it? Easy enough to pull out the ashtray liner, but that doesn't add a lot of access, if the entire flip out door is removable that would make things easier.
Click to expand...



The plug probably has a fuse in it. It might reduce power to 5V. You can tape power and ground wires to the plug, but adding a socket behind the dash would be better.
 
lbrunson said:
thanks for all the answers and help. Orange wire to look for or pull it off the power for radio that's hot with ignition on. I do like the idea of just wiring it in, but think in the researching on this cheap android auto add on head unit I read that it "had" to be plugged in using the included lighter plug... think it steps it down to the 5v it needs there... wish it just came with a USB plug on that end that would of sure been simpler for me in my case anyway. When it arrives this afternoon I'll figure that out for sure, and do it that way if I can send 12v to the unit.

How does the complete ashtray come out of the dash or does it? Easy enough to pull out the ashtray liner, but that doesn't add a lot of access, if the entire flip out door is removable that would make things easier.
Click to expand...
The ashtray door assembly comes out with 4 small bolts. 2 down low and 2 on top. It's not 1/4", just a bit smaller, they should be metric in a '90.
 
lbrunson said:
thanks for all the answers and help. Orange wire to look for or pull it off the power for radio that's hot with ignition on. I do like the idea of just wiring it in, but think in the researching on this cheap android auto add on head unit I read that it "had" to be plugged in using the included lighter plug... think it steps it down to the 5v it needs there... wish it just came with a USB plug on that end that would of sure been simpler for me in my case anyway. When it arrives this afternoon I'll figure that out for sure, and do it that way if I can send 12v to the unit.

How does the complete ashtray come out of the dash or does it? Easy enough to pull out the ashtray liner, but that doesn't add a lot of access, if the entire flip out door is removable that would make things easier.
Click to expand...


Disregard how to get the ashtray out, I see now... pulled the duct and single din radio out, ashtray will be easy enough if I decide to.
 
Don't tap into other circuits, it's unnecessary and can overload them. Either find the correct orange wire or go to the fuse block.
IMG_20241027_115630643.jpg
The L shaped slots in your '90 fuse block are for tapping power. They are color coded and labeled. IGN is hot with ignition power, ACC is the accessory power slot. The red coded ones should be constant +. Green is hot with lamps on I think. Use a voltmeter or test light to verify your truck. The taps can be found online but can be difficult to get right due to poor descriptions on the websites. Each color is a slightly different shape plug. The easiest is to get some from a parts truck or junkyard.

In the pic above the big white plug and white wire power my Dakota digital dash, plug found online. The little pink wire charges my ProFlo4 display, plug from a parts truck. Each has a small inline fuse.

The factory uses these slots for accessories. It's a clean and safe way to get power but still use a fuse to be sure.
 
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If it "has" to use a cigarette lighter plug, you can get the soeckets separate. Then just plug them together and put it in the back, powered off one of the multiple taps on the fuse panel if so desired.

I bet @Wes Harden knows, but I suspect the cigarette lighter plug is a Packard connector? You could make this up without hacking anything, and still be as close to electrical short-proof as possible.

What are you installing? Been looking at the Atoto units myself. Eventually I'll probably go this route.
 
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