Power Outlet Question

[AllezDada]

I want to plug in both a smartphone and a radar detector, so since there's only one power outlet I'm thinking of getting a splitter. Unfortunately every one I can find has a little light on it, and since the outlet's always on I'm afraid it will drain the battery. Should I be worried about this?

 

[GAXIBM]

I found one at Walmart a couple of years ago that did not have a light...

 

[festus]

If you disassemble the car charger (usually one screw on side plus unscrewing the tip) you will see the LED with a small resistor in parallel to the main circuit . I just cut that out with a small pair of wire cutters, now the LED light lights no more.

 

[ColinX-5]

I want to plug in both a smartphone and a radar detector, so since there's only one power outlet I'm thinking of getting a splitter. Unfortunately every one I can find has a little light on it, and since the outlet's always on I'm afraid it will drain the battery. Should I be worried about this?

No worries I have one with a light 5 months now no trouble, and it has been left 3 days without being used.

 

[AllezDada]

Thank you all for your replies. Looks like maybe it's not too much of an issue. Would have been nice to have a switched outlet up front - one of the very few minor negatives of the car.

 

[RG_Flyer]

You would have to drive the vehicle very infrequently for the LED to deplete the battery charge. I hate switched outlets. I keep phones charging on mine and have never had a problem.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Why don't you go Invisicord off the mirror for the radar detector?

http://www.invisicord.com/

 

[craigo]

You would have to drive the vehicle very infrequently for the LED to deplete the battery charge. I hate switched outlets. I keep phones charging on mine and have never had a problem.

This is true. There are numerous other small parasitic draws on the battery - the keyless entry, the security light that blinks in the dash and others. A single LED can go for a very long time.

 

[erhayes]

My 2014 has a switched outlet in the center counsel under the radio and an always-on inside the center lift up arm rest. Ed

 

[AllezDada]

Why don't you go Invisicord off the mirror for the radar detector?

http://www.invisicord.com/

Interesting idea. RD is a Uniden LRD950, so I don't know if there is mirror mount for it. I'll have to check. I'm also considering just hardwiring it to the fusebox.

 

[AllezDada]

My 2014 has a switched outlet in the center counsel under the radio and an always-on inside the center lift up arm rest. Ed

With my 2016 GT it only has 2 USB ports up front - not powerful enough to charge a phone - really just for audio input.

 

[yrwei52]

With my 2016 GT it only has 2 USB ports up front - not powerful enough to charge a phone - really just for audio input.

These two USB ports, like any other standard USB's, have plenty of 5V current to charge your cell phones. They're switched. The round cigarette lighter type 9V power outlet hidden inside of center console storage area is always-on.

 

[AllezDada]

These two USB ports, like any other standard USB's, have plenty of 5V current to charge your cell phones. They're switched. The round cigarette lighter type 9V power outlet hidden inside of center console storage area is always-on.

I guess I should be more specific - those USB ports don't charge my phone while I'm running Waze with the screen always on; a USB adapter in the console power outlet easily does.

 

[craigo]

I guess I should be more specific - those USB ports don't charge my phone while I'm running Waze with the screen always on; a USB adapter in the console power outlet easily does.

This is true. Most car manufacturers strictly follow the usb 2.0 standard and deliver only 500 mA. This is enough to either run the phone or charge it (slowly), but sometimes not both.