the plate frame & remote control work as tested directly from the battery post terminals.

we found an apparently always hot wire inside the hatch that powers the lock actuator when the remote control for the locks/alarm is pressed. with the car off, it reads a constant 11 volts.

there's a cluster of black wires coming to a common ground point. this MUST be the ground. also, we were able to get a reading off the circuit - so it must work.

i believe the plate frame is a 12V product. are we simply not getting enough voltage??

when connected directly to the battery, the plate frame automatically turned on. we could turn it on and off with the remote.

when connecting the red & black wires to the always hot latch actuator wire & the ground cluster, it doesn't turn on. nothing happens. the remote won't turn it on?

hrmm... confused.

shouldn't this be how to connect it?

...lost. any help/advice is appreciated. :beer: :)

just in case anyone's reading this for their own info:

i talked to an electrician who's wired a lot of motorcycles.

he said being a 12v appliance, it won't even turn on with an 11v source.

the battery could be damaged, but more likely the wire back there is too thin and there's a voltage drop to only 11 when the car is off. try doing it with the car on. will try that.

also, since i want to hook it to an always hot wire, the only other one back there i can think of is the turn signal bulbs - since they blink when you use the automatic locks/alarm fob. he said those are typically a larger gauge. next step is to remove trim to access the hot wire going to the turn signal & test it for voltage with the car off. if it's 12 or more, we're in business with that one.

*crosses fingers*... 'cause i really REALLY don't want to have to run a wire right from the battery.

The turn signal lights wouldnt be 'hot' all the time though would they? Only when turning?

Also, what is this thing you're trying to install? An LED frame around the number plate? Never seen one before...

Hot all the time just means that they have power at all times, not that they are always on. That is controlled by a switch in the turn signal.