12V Power Socket (Cigar Lighter). When Is It Live?

[tomroscoe]

I run a car camera from my 13 reg Fiesta's power socket and it's a fit-and-forget device because it's powered by the socket that's only live when the ignition's turned on. I thought all modern cars were wired this way, but my friend's new Focus has a power socket that's powered all the time - so to start and stop his little camera he has the hassle of remembering to plug and unplug the power plug for each journey.

Is this the way the socket is supposed to be wired?

[jeebowhite]

pretty much all the new motors are permalive, certainly what I have seen so far anyway.

[hubby1959]

The biggest majority of cars are wired permalive, though I suppose there are some exceptions, I found the best way, (For me anyway), was to install a second socket and wire it through the ignition, that way there's no way I can forget to cut the power to my dash cam