I would like to power more portable devices from my cig lighter, specifically a Garmin Nuvi 660 GPS and two cell phone chargers. I have an inexpensive splitter that plugs in and will get me three power outlets with no wiring required. I have not tried it out yet and hope not to blow a fuse. Has anyone else on the forum tried this?

 

Hey, try it - it's only a fuse.
Regarding the cell phone chargers may I suggest you go the iTip route and have 1 charger with 2 ****, I mean tips - That's the way I went.

 

yes' tried and tested with no issues. running a satnav, performance computer and an inverter with no probs

 

I think you will be ok, those devices you want to plug in uses very low current compared to the actual cigarette lighter. The worst thing that can happen is you blow a fuse even though I don't think that will happen.

 

You'll have no problems

 

I run a radar detector and my Gtech without even a hiccup.

The amount of power you're going to draw is just a fraction of what the actual cigarette lighter needs to operate.

 

Ditto with the no problems, I have a Garmin Nuvi 350 and cell phone charger :P works fine

 

When I installed the XM Radio, I ran a cig lighter spliter and layed it in my glove box. I just used a 3M splice connector on the back of the OEM cig lighter. I have an extra outlet, the cell phones and the cigarette lighter to run the Garmin. I also left the the XM radio in the glove box, we rarely change channels. It looks a neat and clean with the exception of the XM antenna laying on the dash nobody knows it's there.

 

For anyone still looking for a splitter:

http://www.nextag.com/car-cigarette-...er/search-html
http://www.vavolo.com/productdetails...tID,3536,,.htm
http://www.sourcingmap.com/car-cigar...h-p-14358.html
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TRIPL...mZ130222878962

Hope that helps.

 

Your "Cigar Lighter" is on a 10 or 15 amp fuse. I blew mine when I put my laptop on it through an inverter. Of course my "Laptop" is more like a desktop replacement and eats up TONS of power.

So I put a two outlet extension in and tapped directly to the hot side of the heated seats. This circuit is always hot, not just when the key is in the ACC or RUN position.

No more blown fuses and I can run pretty much anything I want on the inverter. Of course not at the same time as both heated seats on high (but I don't hardly ever do that anyway).

Cheers!

 

I installed two fuse panels - one switched with the key and one that's always on.


(Click for detailed parts list)

The one that is switched with the key is activated by a relay that is connected to a fuse in the fuse panel, and comes out of the first fuse box I added.

The two fuse boxes are connected to a 40 amp breaker (the 30a shown in the diagram was not enough) that separates the battery from the lead going into the car through a purpose-built grommet in the fire wall.



The two fuse panels are placed under the floor with the stereo amp, etc.

I wired a few single accessory sockets to the fuse panel to power

• XM Radio
• iPod
• harman/kardon iPod controller

The plugs run under the dash and down into the cavity under the passenger side floor where they plug into the outlets.

This provides safe power to the extra devices and leaves the cigarette lighter socket available for temporary devices.

You can buy the fuse box parts and put it together yourself or buy one ready to install from Painless Wiring.