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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> extra lighter socket
        
(Message started by: Paul_Boulden on Feb 19^th, 2005, 12:30am)

Title: extra lighter socket
Post by Paul_Boulden on Feb 19^th, 2005, 12:30am

We it be posible / difficult to fit another lighter socket inside the glovebox - preferably always on ( not switched by the ignition ). I would like to plug in a phone charger and be able to leave the phone on charge in the locked car.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Paul Boulden

Title: Re: extra lighter socket
Post by Vulcan on Feb 19^th, 2005, 1:11am

Yep it's possible but all sorts of alarms go off in my head when I just think about it. My rear socket was connected to a mini fridge in the boot, stupidly it was left connected while we stopped at a services for some food... 20 mins later I had a flat battery, 350 miles from home...

The sockets (on my car anyway) are live regardless of whether any keys are in.....

I am now wary of leaving the car for more than a day without running it for fear of the alarm running the battery down... call me paranoid but I would never leave anything draining the battery while I wasn't there or the engine was running.

Just my two cents.. :D

Title: Re: extra lighter socket
Post by craig on Feb 19^th, 2005, 9:07am

dont see no reason why not at all,i installed a lighter socket in the boot (for the use of a power inverter),with no problems at all,the glove box should be just as easy,plenty of wiring to "spur off of" from that area.....

just make sure that no wiring or bare metal from the new socket is going to cause you problems (IE. bad earthing and shortning of the circuits)

Title: Re: extra lighter socket
Post by Paul_Boulden on Feb 19^th, 2005, 9:34am

Any suggestions as to which wiring to tap into?

TIA

Paul Boulden

Title: Re: extra lighter socket
Post by johnv on Feb 19^th, 2005, 9:36am

the cigar lighter sockets are live all the time, (but of course there are not called that nowadays. accesories sockets).
But Paul, why you want to do that. On Ebay you can get all sort of leads.
extension coily ones
extension straight ones.
into singles, into doubles and triples etc, etc, etc,
I got in my cars some super 5 metre extensions. they roll themselves into canisters, and you just pull out what you want. Super item.
Where that lighter socket is behind the gear leaver is just so bad positioned.
I got it, I just twiged, you want to hide you phone away in the glove locker so that why you want a socket in there.
But if you had a extension lead you could hide you phone in a door pocket, or under the seats.
Better still, those battery starter packs, started off some years ago at around £89.
but by shopping around now £29.99. they work, I started my car with one some time ago.
They have lighter sockets, three of them.
Get one of these and then put it in the boot and plug in your phone there.
Thereby not having to mess you car around.
And you would not risk flattening your battery.
I left mine on over a weekend and Monday it was enough to do so.
I can leave my car for months unused and the car alarm does not flatten the battery, so it will not start, but leave the phone on over a weekend and flat battery.

Title: Re: extra lighter socket
Post by johnv on Feb 19^th, 2005, 10:33am

if Paul at the end of the day really does want to put a plug into the glove locker. then the glove locker is on the same side as the battery.
So why not go though direct to the battery, you can buy in line fuse leads and I supppose it woulb be a 3 amp fuse or the like.
Just so simple.
But I prefer to use my battery packs, got one in each car, would not be without them.

Title: Re: extra lighter socket
Post by Badboytunes on Feb 19^th, 2005, 9:40pm

Why would you want to risk having your phone stolen? If a thief gains entry, the first place he will go will be the glove box. ??? ??? ???

Title: Re: extra lighter socket
Post by harry.m1byt on Nov 4^th, 2006, 8:19am

on 02/19/05 at 01:11:41, Vulcan wrote:

An easy way to fix up a socket which is only live when the car is actually running, is to use a caravan fridge + split charge relay.

There are two types - triggered into the on position by..

1. The ignition turned on and the ignition warning light going out.

2. A voltage sensing relay which makes only when the battery is being charged by the alternator.

Both serve exactly the same function and both are usually wired to their own direct fused feed from the battery.

I'm surprised car manufacturers don't include a switch in the ciggy lighter circuit, so that you have a selectable choice of live all the time/ live only when ignition is on.