cigar lighter/power supply socket

[alexblack13]

Hi Guys..

My car did not have a cigar lighter & is fitted with a little chromed blanking plug which I have left as is. Helps keep a bit of 'patina'.

Question for you.. I am going to use my Garmin GPS system which normally lives on my (now sold!! ) Honda st1100 Pan European motorcycle. The mount for this device is powered from the cigar lighter in my other cars. So. I am thinking of using a cigar lighter type socket assy which I can buy from various sources and would wire this via a 2 amp fuse direct from the battery or the solenoid.

Any Tips? How would you do it?? All ideas considered but I want to keep it discreet (ish) and envisage the device living behind my passenger seat ready to push the fitted Garmin plug straight into..

Great device by the way.. The Garmin that is... Zumo 550 with full European wide mapping for life. Been all over Europe with this and never looked at a map. The software for the PC is V good also..

Thanks in advance guys.

Now getting excited about the Le mans trip...

[billwill]

You could mount a cigar socket inside the glove locker, which would make it quick & easy to hide the SatNav when you get out of the car.


NB a two-amp fuse will probably blow if you plug a real cigar lighter into the socket.

[69S4]

Depends how much wiring you want to get into Alex. There's lots of live-with-the ignition sources behind the dash - the original wiring for the cigar lighter is probably still there and as Bill suggests you could run a cigar lighter socket on a flying lead into the glove box. They're only a few pounds from Maplins. Only problem I can see is you might have to drive with the glove box open when you're using the sat nav.

A left field solution that I've been using on my overlanding bike is one of these - http://www.hymini.com/
The internal battery powers my satnav (and anything else that uses a mini USB input - phone etc) and it charges itself up as I ride along. Should be easy to find a draughty spot in the Elan!

[alexblack13]

Hi Stuart, Bill, and all...

The glove box is out as I don't want to drive around with its lid open but it is a good option otherwise. The GPS always goes with me when not in the car and I always remove the windscreen 'ring' left by the sucker.

The wiring is available to link to in the new loom I fitted and I am considering obtaining the correct item to fit. I am going to ask Sue Miller 1st.

I am thinking buying the bike item or similar. OR.. a two plug extension type available everywhere. cabling this to the easy to reach battery and simply connecting this to the battery via the said fuse (won't be using the fag lighter Bill.. My pet hate that is).

I could leave this connector available for the charger for instant access to the battery for trickle charging...?

Working on it today...

Have fun...

Alex..

[Bruce Crowthorne]

I wanted to be able to charge the car through the socket as well as run the SatNav, so I mounted a small extra fuse box in the boot (hidden behind a carpet) and ran the wiring to the cigarette lighter socket (mine already had one).
I also used the same fuse box tp protect cooling fan, radio ariel (I have one of those flat "glue on" ones under the parcel shelf).
Bruce

[alexblack13]

Thanks Bruce..Quite interesting solutions...

I went down to have a look at what Halfords have in the way of extension cable for lighter socket etc and sure enough they had what I was looking for. Its a cabled up twin socket and plug. I am going to rewire it and connect it direct to the battery.A simple Velcro pad will attach it to the pass' side of the trans' tunnel just behind the seat.That will allow use of the sockets for phone charging and the GPS power. Just about perfect. and when not required it will live in the boot.

I think I have it sorted. Unless anyone has a blinder of an idea.

Keep them coming..Many thanks..

Alex..

[StoatWithToast]

I think you'll want a bigger fuse if you use a trickle charger on it too. You'd have to check the charger unit, but I think 2A may be a little too low.

[alexblack13]

Yeh! the charger will need a 5 amp fuse link as it can put out 4 amps..I will prob fit it with a 10 amper to allow a bit of use on both the sockets..

Thanks .. ??

Alex...

[stugilmour]

A left field solution that I've been using on my overlanding bike is one of these - http://www.hymini.com/
The internal battery powers my satnav (and anything else that uses a mini USB input - phone etc) and it charges itself up as I ride along. Should be easy to find a draughty spot in the Elan!

Stuart, that thing is quite unique. Looks like a mechanical engineer's solution to an electrical engineer's problem.

[69S4]

Last long trip I did (down to West Africa) was on a Honda XR600, a bike with ac electrics and no battery. I had to power the gps with a box full of AA batteries.
A couple of years later the windmill had a 10sec review on the Gadget Show (a tv tech show - think Top Gear for gadgets) and I said to my wife that that was exactly what I needed for the bike trips. Behind my back she tracked down the manufacturers and imported one from the US for my birthday. A few years on and I'm still impressed by it.

[alexblack13]

cool device!

ab...

[Frank Howard]

won't be using the fag lighter Bill.. My pet hate that is...

Alex,

Once you install a socket elsewhere in the car, it will not be referred to as a cigar or fag lighter. On modern cars, they are designated as "power outlets".

[alexblack13]

Yes.The same device was refered to as a power outlet or battery charger inlet etc on my bike(s)....

So I guess I will be using the power out socket...

Have not finished this yet as I have not been much in the mood over the weekend. However I am sure it will all be forgotten in a week or two. The car is going of to be repaired next week (4th) and will be away for approx 10 days during which time Carol will have a hired Porsche to go posing in....

I will get to it tomorrow.Its just a small job so should take no time at all. Everything else is ready to go.

Have fun..

Alex B....

[simonknee]

If it is just for power then why not use this:

http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_inf ... ts_id=1619

[alexblack13]

Thanks Simon, Hello all,

That unit is almost identical to the item(s) I fitted to the bikes. The difference is the cover lid,which was sprung closed on the bike type. Very good though. That would be a neat solution I guess.

What I have done though is to obtain a twin socket extension unit which will let me use the GPS and charge my camera and phone if required. I have unwired the cable and plug from the (halfords) twin socket and replaced this with some nice flexible twin core, the positive of which has been fitted with the fuse link (10 amp) So the next step is just to feed this from the car through to the battery and connect it up.

Tried to keep is simple and easily removable.

Sorted....

Thanks for all the suggestions etc..

Alex B....