I've looked in the howto's but I can only find info for radar detectors.

I'm looing to hardwire a power source for my MP3 player. I plan on putting it in the armrest and using an FM transmitter to listen to the music. My question is: How would I run a wire to that location for the power? Can I tap into the cigarette lighter? If so, how exactly can I do this? I know how to solder and all, but I just don't know how to connect the wires.

 

Um... first off... you don't need solder. Secondly, you don't have to run the wire very far. The cigarette lighter is a good place to tap the wire, as it turns off when the car turns off. Remove the center console and tap the power and ground wires there.

To tap the cigarette lighter, get some 3M T-Taps from any local Radio Shack or auto parts store. Get the red ones because they are the correct guage needed. Then just tap the 2 wires and wire it up to your MP3 player's wire.

NOTE: I'd RECOMMEND putting an in-line fuse on the wires that you tap, but it isn't REQUIRED because the cigarette lighter is already fused. However, if your MP3 player has a 1 amp fuse, then I'd tell you to wire up a fuse to it, because the cigarette lighter is connected to a 10 amp fuse. In case of a problem, 10 amps into a unit that only needs 1 amp will fry the components of the unit before the fuse blows.

 

You may also need to add a resister in line if the MP3 player power supply is not 12volt.

 

Ok I'll check that out, thanks. I can't get to a Radio Shack so what gauge wire is it? Oh, and will it be indicated which wire is the ground and which one is the power?

 

It's the 18-22 guage connectors that you need. You'll know which wire is ground because it's black. I believe (if my memory serves me correct) that the +12v wire is orange. It's been 4 years since my 98 GLE was totalled.