"Fred McKenzie" wrote in message
...
In general, the concept of the cigarette lighter plug is not a bad
idea,
PROVIDED that the wiring from the device requiring power and the wiring to
the socket itself is more than adequate. For 12v related applications, it
is too bad that this is not utlized more. Again, for those who want to
read differently into this, I am saying the concept is a good idea, but
current manufacture of such sockets are less than to be desired.

Ryan-

I agree and disagree. I think it IS a bad idea. As you say, current
manufacture of such sockets is such that it makes a poor connector for the
currents involved.


And read the last line of the quote of me..... The CONCEPT is good, but
current manufacturing of them is less that to be desired. Looking a select
design faults of such sockets, wiring etc, and "vamping up" those would
create a nice way to get power.


While you may install sockets to meet your specifications, those installed
by
auto manufacturers often are limited by a ten ampere fuse, which means
they
were designed for a five ampere load. Many lighter plugs available on the
market, may be adequate for five amperes, but not much more. I recall
melting
insulation on the wire to a lighter plug on a car I used to have, and the
fuse
never blew. The rig I was using only ran 25 watts output, but it had a
problem!

And thats why I wouldn't run more that it is rated for, for the factory
ones. Running low current draw devices is not a problem with those factory
designed ones, unless they are specifically designed to run a higher draw.


I agree with the suggestion of Dick - W6CCD. I don't know if the Andersen
Power Pole connectors are a perfect solution, but they are the best, most
readily available mobile power connector I've come across. To test them
out, I
recently switched over to West Mountain Radio's smaller "Rig Runner"
outlet box
for mobile operation. They certainly are capable of greater current than
a
common lighter plug and socket combination. Of course you can bypass the
Rig
Runner if you only have one radio to connect. The genderless feature is
one of
the things I like about the Power Poles.


I haven't seen those but will search later on and see. I have seeen some
type of connector device, but it looked like one of those strips used in
larger phone network interfaces, or at least something like it. If this
powerpole thingy is anything close to that.... I do not want it.



--
Ryan, KC8PMX
FF1-FF2-MFR-(pending NREMT-B!)
--. --- -.. ... .- -. --. . .-.. ... .- .-. . ..-. .. .-. . ..-.
... --. .... - . .-. ...



After using the Power Poles for a few months, the only drawbacks I've
found are
a difficulty in crimping ten guage wire, and the "roll pins" that some
recommend to keep the connector pair from sliding apart, keep falling out.
Per
West Mountain's suggestion, I'm now using Super Glue to keep them from
sliding
apart, but I'm still looking for a good hand-operated open-terminal crimp
tool
for the ten guage connectors.

73, Fred, K4DII

Trying locating one of the grommets on the firewall and feed a fairly decent
wire (two conductor wire) to the battery that way. No damage if you are
using an existing source entry point. Works well especially for those
leasing a vehicle.
If it is large enough, you might also be able to run other devices as well.


--
Ryan, KC8PMX
FF1-FF2-MFR-(pending NREMT-B!)
--. --- -.. ... .- -. --. . .-.. ... .- .-. . ..-. .. .-. . ..-.
... --. .... - . .-. ...
"VHFRadioBuff" wrote in message
...
Why not wire in a bank of PowerPoles instead. Much neater and smaller
installation. I use PowerPoles on everything now.

Dick - W6CCD

Because my car has an accessory port and I am not about to go "hamifying"
my
car, short of a dualband antenna and a radio with a remote mount head.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
73! de Andy KC2SSB - WPYI880 (GMRS)
Beachwood, NJ USA! Grid FM29vw
http://vhfradiobuff.tripod.com

Trying locating one of the grommets on the firewall and feed a fairly decent
wire (two conductor wire) to the battery that way. No damage if you are
using an existing source entry point. Works well especially for those
leasing a vehicle.
If it is large enough, you might also be able to run other devices as well.


--
Ryan, KC8PMX
FF1-FF2-MFR-(pending NREMT-B!)
--. --- -.. ... .- -. --. . .-.. ... .- .-. . ..-. .. .-. . ..-.
... --. .... - . .-. ...
"VHFRadioBuff" wrote in message
...
Why not wire in a bank of PowerPoles instead. Much neater and smaller
installation. I use PowerPoles on everything now.

Dick - W6CCD

Because my car has an accessory port and I am not about to go "hamifying"
my
car, short of a dualband antenna and a radio with a remote mount head.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
73! de Andy KC2SSB - WPYI880 (GMRS)
Beachwood, NJ USA! Grid FM29vw
http://vhfradiobuff.tripod.com

But again, I am not asking about the CIGARETTE LIGHTER PLUG. I am asking
about
the ACCESSORY port in the car, which is supposed to be used to power
"accessories", like inverters, computers, etc.

Andy-

I had assumed that the accessory port used the common lighter sockets as power
connectors. If that is not true, perhaps they use a connector that would be
better for general high current use. Please elaborate.

If it does use lighter sockets, that was the basis for my suggestion to use
something different where more than 4 or 5 amps of current is involved. Yes,
that would result in "hamifying" your vehicle, but it would provide the
capability for higher current equipment.

You mention inverters being used with the accessory port. A common inverter
would be one like Radio Shack's 300 watt unit. Fully loaded, it might draw
about 25 Amps. Although your accessory port may be rated for more than 25 Amps
total, I don't think it is a good idea to draw that much out of any one lighter
socket connector.

73, Fred, K4DII

But again, I am not asking about the CIGARETTE LIGHTER PLUG. I am asking
about
the ACCESSORY port in the car, which is supposed to be used to power
"accessories", like inverters, computers, etc.

Andy-

I had assumed that the accessory port used the common lighter sockets as power
connectors. If that is not true, perhaps they use a connector that would be
better for general high current use. Please elaborate.

If it does use lighter sockets, that was the basis for my suggestion to use
something different where more than 4 or 5 amps of current is involved. Yes,
that would result in "hamifying" your vehicle, but it would provide the
capability for higher current equipment.

You mention inverters being used with the accessory port. A common inverter
would be one like Radio Shack's 300 watt unit. Fully loaded, it might draw
about 25 Amps. Although your accessory port may be rated for more than 25 Amps
total, I don't think it is a good idea to draw that much out of any one lighter
socket connector.

73, Fred, K4DII

I think the most important thing here is to find out what your
particular vehicle shows in the specifications for those accessory
ports. There are obvious differences between vehicles. Our 2003
Honda Accord, for example, has two accessory sockets and no cigarette
lighter socket. They can each provide 10-amps (120 watts), but not
simultaneously. The total power between the two is still 120 watts,
so they are obviously on the same circuit. We would have to have the
owner's manual to your vehicle to answer your question.

Dick - W6CCD

On 04 Oct 2003 18:53:32 GMT, (Fred McKenzie) wrote:

But again, I am not asking about the CIGARETTE LIGHTER PLUG. I am asking
about
the ACCESSORY port in the car, which is supposed to be used to power
"accessories", like inverters, computers, etc.

Andy-

I think the most important thing here is to find out what your
particular vehicle shows in the specifications for those accessory
ports. There are obvious differences between vehicles. Our 2003
Honda Accord, for example, has two accessory sockets and no cigarette
lighter socket. They can each provide 10-amps (120 watts), but not
simultaneously. The total power between the two is still 120 watts,
so they are obviously on the same circuit. We would have to have the
owner's manual to your vehicle to answer your question.

Dick - W6CCD

On 04 Oct 2003 18:53:32 GMT, (Fred McKenzie) wrote:

But again, I am not asking about the CIGARETTE LIGHTER PLUG. I am asking
about
the ACCESSORY port in the car, which is supposed to be used to power
"accessories", like inverters, computers, etc.

Andy-

I had assumed that the accessory port used the common lighter sockets as
power
connectors. If that is not true, perhaps they use a connector that would be
better for general high current use. Please elaborate.

The accessory port I am refering to is seperate from the cigarette lighter. As
a matter of fact, the owner's manual says not to use the cigarette lighter plug
for anything other than the cigarette lighter. There is no rating in the book
or on the cap for the accessory port that tells the max amps that can be drawn.
It looks like I'll have to run wires to the battery after all.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
73! de Andy KC2SSB - WPYI880 (GMRS)
Beachwood, NJ USA! Grid FM29vw
http://vhfradiobuff.tripod.com

I had assumed that the accessory port used the common lighter sockets as
power
connectors. If that is not true, perhaps they use a connector that would be
better for general high current use. Please elaborate.

The accessory port I am refering to is seperate from the cigarette lighter. As
a matter of fact, the owner's manual says not to use the cigarette lighter plug
for anything other than the cigarette lighter. There is no rating in the book
or on the cap for the accessory port that tells the max amps that can be drawn.
It looks like I'll have to run wires to the battery after all.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
73! de Andy KC2SSB - WPYI880 (GMRS)
Beachwood, NJ USA! Grid FM29vw
http://vhfradiobuff.tripod.com

"VHFRadioBuff" wrote in message
... for anything other
than the cigarette lighter. There is no rating in the book
or on the cap for the accessory port that tells the max amps that can be
drawn.
It looks like I'll have to run wires to the battery after all.

In the manual it should say what fuse covers what circuit, and what it's
amperage is. My guess is your acc. port is a 20A circuit.