Auxiliary Power Sockets

[GordonTarling]

My 2001 E320CDI Estate has a power socket on the left of the rear load area - problem is that it is only powered whilst the ignition is on - frankly, not terribly useful to me! Is there any way of easily changing it so that it is either powered all the time, or powered with the ignition key in the first position?

[guydewdney]

simple - run a new wire from the battery + to the centre pin of the socket...

or add your own "always on" version next to it (fag sockets availible from halfors / maplin)

[jimmy]

I used to think the same until somebody left the fridge switched on overnight whilst we were on holiday, drained the battery flat.

[GordonTarling]

The fridge unit I want to use has an auto cutout when battery voltage gets low, so no problem there. I guess running in another wire via a fuse is probably the easiest way of overcoming the problem. Last car was a Volvo and that socket in the rear was live all the time, though protected by the computer - if battery volts dropped, it automatically switched off. Instrument display also told you when it was in use. THAT'S about the only bit of the Volvo that I wish my Mercedes had. ;)

[Aswall]

THAT'S about the only bit of the Volvo that I wish my Mercedes had. ;)

Stereo and seats are the only bits of aVolvo I'd have, superb!

[GordonTarling]

Stereo and seats are the only bits of aVolvo I'd have, superb!

I'd probably agree about the stereo, but I'm not so sure about the seats, at least those in my last V70.