Cigarette Lighter USE

Heard that using the cigarette lighter as a power source (power adapters) can cause problems, but what specifically are they?

I am referring to use for phones or CD players. Perhaps there are other uses???

Most lighter sockets will provide 20 amps of 12VDC power. You can use it any way you want to. Said another way, you can power things up to about 140 watt.

Just be careful you don’t pump anything back into the lighter socket, like 110VAC or high energy R/F feedback like from a cheap CB linear amplifier.

Sockets that stay “hot” when the key is off can be used to trickle-charge the battery as long as the 20 amp limit is not exceeded…

I do want to add that cigarette lighters stay “hot” when a power adapter is plugged in and if you leave the adapter in when you shut the car down it may drain the battery dry, depending on the adapter application.

Uses? Well, you can light your cigarette with one. Not very original.

In the movie “Guarding Tess,” Shirley Maclaine used a rear lighter as a weapon on the driver who kidnapped her. Now THAT’S original!

Toddlers use them as places to store pennies.