Cigarette Lighter power

[shuggyss]

I have a 92 Exceed. I recently picked up one of those small 12 v ceramic aux heaters. Plugged it in to the front lighter plug and it worked for about 3 min then crapped out. I thought it was just a circuit protector in the heater if it gets too hot. Later tried it in the rear receptacle and it worked again for a short while then crapped out. I checked the fuses and nothing is blown. I tried my other 12 v accessories and now they do not work either. I know they work in my other car. Is there a fuse or something on the lighters themselves? Or is there a heavier duty lighter receptacle that can be installed? How do we take the receptacle out?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Desmond

[loki]

I have a 92 Exceed. I recently picked up one of those small 12 v ceramic aux heaters. Plugged it in to the front lighter plug and it worked for about 3 min then crapped out. I thought it was just a circuit protector in the heater if it gets too hot. Later tried it in the rear receptacle and it worked again for a short while then crapped out. I checked the fuses and nothing is blown. I tried my other 12 v accessories and now they do not work either. I know they work in my other car. Is there a fuse or something on the lighters themselves? Or is there a heavier duty lighter receptacle that can be installed? How do we take the receptacle out?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Desmond

the wires running those lighters are too small a gauge to handle the power, you are lucky it didn't start a fire, try re wiring with heavier gauge wire and try again.

[Luna-Sea]

Hey,

I don't even know why they sell those damn things without the beefier wire to hook in.
There are lots of posts on here with 12v upgrade Kickassery, I think Falco did one that is pretty straight ahead and not a long run from the battery. You might want to put a no-kill pod(not the right name) in it, can tire has em.It will keep you from wasting all your juice and not be able to start,they are for RV z. I think I saw one with a microve in a deli here to with an inverter. You could warm your food and mutate your genetics all in the comfort of yer Deli,thats multi-tasking!

-Right on
Glad you Didn't burn!

[jessef]

try re wiring with heavier gauge wire and try again.

x2

[patty]

i was checking out out that battery protecter at can tire today actualy, was gonna buy it but then figured it wouldnt work (i have some weird idea that nothing ever works how its said too)any how if any one actualy buys this id love to hear if it actualy does work.its also a good antitheft thing supposably.

[TardisDeli]

Re wiring the cigerette plug to large gauge wire won't be easy because the key switch is involved unless you bypass it,or use relays.What i did on the Tardis deli ,Mitsushi,Lit'misabitchi and Dino was install a third outlet on the engine bulkhead facing aft. ,behind the battery box ,wire direct to the battery.

[shuggyss]

thanks for replys, I think I will go with TardisDeli idea. Maybe hook up a triple bank of em. Make it really Gucc. Mmmmm tinker, tinker, tinker time.

cheers

[loki]

Re wiring the cigerette plug to large gauge wire won't be easy because the key switch is involved unless you bypass it,or use relays.What i did on the Tardis deli ,Mitsushi,Lit'misabitchi and Dino was install a third outlet on the engine bulkhead facing aft. ,behind the battery box ,wire direct to the battery.

I've been wanting to make them un-switched in the first place, maybe add a separate switch somewhere but all the cars I've had before this were un-switched and it never caused me any grief. I would like my cell phone to charge if I leave it plugged in and I leave it in the van overnight.

[mararmeisto]

The fuses are probably fine because the wires melted before the fuses had a chance to pop. Generally, most devices that are bigger than a cigarette lighter are too big of a load for the outlet (especially on a vehicle this old).

Newer vehicles are being built with the idea in mind that it's not just a cigarette lighter any more. I would rewire the outlet, or wire in an auxiliary outlet like some of the others have done.

[PHIL]

I've got a Paj, but was doing exactly this the other day, so I thought I'd share...

I ran a very large gauge cable from the +ve terminal on the rearmost battery in through the firewall grommet (coat hanger makes this job very easy), and attached it, via a ring terminal, to one of those fuse panels that Princess Auto (and others) sells. It uses ATO/ATC fuses, and has spade terminals off both sides. I probed for a ground behind the glovebox - now I have all the fused power I need, at arms reach.

My first circuit uses a 15amp fuse, and fires a Bosch style relay that powers a 4-way 12v socket which I've also tucked in behind there. Wanted this one switched with ignition, so that my satellite radio and Garmin Nuvi go on and off with the key, but I didn't want the wires cluttering up the center console. There are still five circuits left if I need em, for direct battery power. For low-power work like charging a cell, I still have the two free in the center console, and the two behind the glovebox.

[Jonny5ive]

Not to hijack this thread but PHIL but it looks like you have another Japanese import in you profile pic...

[PHIL]

[hijack]Yep, well said - he's technically Albertan, but his ancestors were JDM . Oh, and his name is "Mitsu" too! [/hijack]

[Jonny5ive]

I have a Shiba from Alberta... Yamabiko or Echo in English.

Oh and the lighter plug is a constant debate friends and I always have. I think I like the TardisDeli approach do you think that you can maybe take a pic or do a walk through of it for us simple folk like me?