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I've got my 65 F100, it has a cigar lighter, back then they didn't have all the fun electronics that we do now, so my question is this. Has there been a change in the aux/cigar lighters that allow them to have adapters plugged into them and ran all day long?
Not sure on your ?, but in my 66 F-250, in my stock cigar lighter socket, I will run a double outlet USB to power GPS and keep phone plugged in for hrs on trips from CT to ME and MA and back.
Shane, I have been doing a restro mod on my unibody and I did a rebel harness in my truck. I was not happy with my original lighter and found a almost exact one at Autozone that works just fine in mine!!
Anyone know how to convert the factory lighter wiring from "always hot" to only on when vehicle is running and acc position?
Would like it to use as usb charger but not always charging.
The element one pushes in to light the smoking product is simply a resistor that completes a circuit, but offers the resistance to produce the heat. I have had no problems using the charging adapter that mimics the element. And I see no reason why you could not replace the element receiver with a USB receptacle; only if you are concerned with period appearance. If you make the conversion you will need to provide a ground wire (if I recall correctly the cigarette lighter is grounded through the receptacle mount.
Same one you get for anything. Same adapter I use in my 99 Toyota, remove element , insert phone charger, inverter, etc...two points of contact complete circuit just like cigarette lighter element.
So cigar lighter receives power from wire 40 (blue/white in 66 accessories diagram). The circuit is completed when the lighter element is depressed within the receptacle. The receptacle is attached to ground. The completion of the circuit is through a resistor that heats a coil to the point it can ignite your smoking preferences. The element is designed via bimetallic temperature differences to “pop” the element out and break the circuit at a given temperature. A charging adapter replaces the element in completing the circuit, but since there is no current draw (like the element coil to produce heat) the happy little electrons surge through with minuscule resistance. If you plug your cell into the adapter, a small current draw occurs which charges your phone. The adapter itself limits the amperage output to the device you are charging. It’s dark and raining, but I do believe it is a 15 amp fuse feeding from the fuse box.