I'm out of Cig. Lighter Holes!

[mkewman]

Hey all!

I've got two cig lighter connections, and one is running a 3hole splitter, and the other isn't running anything (it's inside my ashtray door, so i can't use a splitter.)

im worried about screwing my power system up, should i be worried? and is there any safe way to add more connections?

 

[oregontreehugger]

Howz about running a line directly from the battery to a fused power block?

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/100499/10001/753/118/9

Then you can hookup whatever you want!

 

[MacombMonitor]

Hey all!

I've got two cig lighter connections, and one is running a 3hole splitter, and the other isn't running anything (it's inside my ashtray door, so i can't use a splitter.)

im worried about screwing my power system up, should i be worried? and is there any safe way to add more connections?

The average cigarette lighter receptacle is fused for 20~25 AMPS. The average scanner draws no more than 1/2 AMP. I think you're OK!

Or...you could bolt one of these to the front of your glove box!
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamacc/0171.html

 

[Al42]

Hey all!

I've got two cig lighter connections, and one is running a 3hole splitter, and the other isn't running anything (it's inside my ashtray door, so i can't use a splitter.)

You can use an extension out of the socket, then a splitter out of the extension.

im worried about screwing my power system up, should i be worried? and is there any safe way to add more connections?

If you want to drill holes, sure. Just make sure you fuse the new socket with the next smaller size fuse than the socket rating, it there isn't one that matches. IOW, I'd fuse a 15 amp socket at 15 amps, but a 12 amp socket at 10 amps (unless you can get some 12 amp fuses).

As long as all the sockets are properly fused, there only limitations are:

1) Blowing the fuse if you try to draw too much current (no problem, it just costs money to replace the fuse)
and
2) Damaging the alternator and/or regulator if you have enough sockets to draw a total of more than they can supply (although the battery will supply most of the current until it goes dead). But, as MM said, a scanner draws so little current that you could leave it on for days without having the engine on and you wouldn't have any problem.

 

[tom_guess]

Just as a good and properly grounded antenna is important for the signal, the power supply is equally just as important. It would be better to route a fused negative and positive 12 ga wire from the battery to inside your vehicle and make all your connections off it. Plus it will help with eliminating ignition noise.

If you have a lot of ignition noise you might consider using the center conductor of rg8 as your neg/pos leads due to the extra insulation around the center conductor.

 

[bnjmik]

I agree that your power handling should be fine. A cigarette lighter is a heating element which is a high resistance thus high current consuming device. Almost anything you can plug into it will handle it. Long before you do damage to your electrical system, the fuse will blow.

You should consider hardwiring any permanent equipment as suggested already. This is a great way to reduce in-car clutter and safety hazards from lose wires and it reduces the succeptibility of EMI and alternator noise.

Make sure your lead is properly fused and protected from sharp edges from holes through the firewall. Connect directly to the battery lead if you can. Also, if alternator noise or EMI is a problem, consider using shielded power leads and make sure all body panels on the vehicle share a common ground.

But to the point, as already noted, you will not damage your electrical system by using splitters.

 

[grem467]

Another suggestion is to get a three-way outlet, and run power directly to it.. that way you arent coming off the existing cigarette lighter outlets..

 

[kd5knr]

Or, consider using a "Rigrunner" and Anderson Power Poles, great for installing muptiple radios, etc. Check out Powerwerx at http://www.powerwerx.com/category.asp?CtgID=1841 for several different models.

 

[EMSJUNKY]

My suggestion would be to run an accessory strip like some of the previous individuals mentioned. The ambulance i worked in for several years was built on a ford f350 chassis. We had 4 cigar plugs for cell phones, GPS etc, and had 3 radios (1 cdf, 1 ems, 1 scanner), 2 bendex kind chargers (for fire HT's) and 1 motorola charge for ems radio, a code-3 siren/lights package, and a 6 disk cd player (very nice during long transports... patients even asked us to turn on music in the back of the bus for these transports). We had a company in Sonora, ca that specialized in vehicle audio put in all of the electronics in the ambulances and fire engines. They also did consumer electronics for your average hondas etc.

To make a long suggestions short, I would go to a car stereo place and have them put in an accessory strip. You care can handle it (when its running) but dont forget to turn everything off or else the tow company might be liking you for having to come and jump your car.