# Cigar lighter receptacle

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/cigar-lighter-receptacle/25888>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [February 1, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cigar-lighter-receptacle/25888 "2009-02-01T20:57:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![juliette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@juliette](https://community.cartalk.com/u/juliette)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cigar-lighter-receptacle/25888/1 "2009-02-01T20:57:56Z")

</div>

Are the cigarette lighter adapters for electronics in the US (portable dvd player, garmin GPS, etc) compatible with european automobile cigarette lighters? (i.e. Denmark).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cigar-lighter-receptacle/25888/2 "2009-02-01T21:15:11Z")

</div>

Cars all over the world run on the same 12 volt system. I don’t see why the adapters wouldn’t work in Denmark.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cigar-lighter-receptacle/25888/3 "2009-02-02T05:46:53Z")

</div>

Voltage-wise they’re the same, but actually the receptacles are a little bit different as anyone who’s ever tried to replace the actual lighter part on a European car will tell you! However, I think that most of the electronic devices are spring loaded to fit in both, so it shouldn’t be an issue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![juliette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@juliette](https://community.cartalk.com/u/juliette)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cigar-lighter-receptacle/25888/4 "2009-02-08T19:40:57Z")

</div>

Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![juliette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@juliette](https://community.cartalk.com/u/juliette)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cigar-lighter-receptacle/25888/5 "2009-02-08T19:41:41Z")

</div>

Great, thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SLdriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SLdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SLdriver)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cigar-lighter-receptacle/25888/6 "2009-02-10T23:31:46Z")

</div>

i used to have a 1980 grey market mercedes, and i can tell you that, yes they are a little different in size, and yes, most electronics are designed to work with both, but some are designed better than others. look for devices where the spring extends a little more outward. you’ll probably run into more devices loosing connection on rough rouads, etc.