97-ish Firebird, power port/lighter question

[earlyre]

My buddy's Mom has a 97-ish Trans Am, Sitting at her place near me (lives Full Time in AK, keeps a "Home base" back here). It's sitting outdoors, I am considering putting a small 2w Solar maintainer in it, My question to anyone who has one of these, or it's 4th(?) gen Camaro siblings, Does the Lighter stay Live at all times? or would I need to run the wires to the battery itself?

some vehicles, the port is always Live, some it's tied to the acc, or run key positions...

 

[TmanP]

In my experience with GMs, the cigarette lighter is always on (at least in the ones I've seen). It seems that American cars usually did/(do?) wire them so that they're always hot, but Japanese cars (our Toyotas and past Hondas) run them so they are switched with the ignition. I'd guess a GM of that vintage would be of the always-hot variety, particularly if it still was old enough to have a real lighter in an ashtray.

 

[eljefino]

Consider back-feeding the OBD port. Those by law have an always hot pin.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by eljefino
Consider back-feeding the OBD port. Those by law have an always hot pin.


You would have to find a plug that fits.....

Any simple voltmeter or 12v test light will tell you if the lighter socket is hot with key off.

I would bet that it is.

 

[ffhdriver]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by eljefino
Consider back-feeding the OBD port. Those by law have an always hot pin.


You would have to find a plug that fits.....

Any simple voltmeter or 12v test light will tell you if the lighter socket is hot with key off.

I would bet that it is.
You don't need a meter, just push in the lighter.

 

[earlyre]

Originally Posted by ffhdriver
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by eljefino
Consider back-feeding the OBD port. Those by law have an always hot pin.


You would have to find a plug that fits.....

Any simple voltmeter or 12v test light will tell you if the lighter socket is hot with key off.

I would bet that it is.
You don't need a meter, just push in the lighter.

Was out there today, tried the lighter, literally nothing happened....
Okay, let's see if she'll turn over....
Not a peep... Battery fully flat... No solar charger will fix that...
Not my car, and I'm not spending a hundo on a battery for someone else's car that will just sit. ( Hasn't moved in a little over a year)