HOME BUILT EXTERNAL CIGARETTE LIGHTER SOCKET

Many auto parts stores sell external cigarette lighter sockets. They are intended for installation under a dashboard, on a boat, etc, and are thus designed to be used exposed and uncovered. The same auto parts stores sell a small loop of 14 gauge wire with a 15 amp fuse installed. Hold the loop by the fuse, and cut the wire on the bottom. Now you have a straight wire with a fuse in the middle. One end of that wire can be attached to the CENTER electrode on the external cigarette lighter socket, and the other end attached to a small RED battery clamp. Another wire is attached to the side electrode on the lighter socket on one end, and the other end attached to a BLACK battery clamp.

 

You now have made a pig tail adapter which can be clipped to battery terminals and power anything that plugs into a cigarette lighter socket. The RED clamp is attached to the POSITIVE (+) battery post, and the black clamp to the negative (-) terminal, and it is ready for use.

The Recoton battery adapter's cigarette lighter plug can now be inserted into the home built lighter socket, and the other wire from the Recoton adapter plugged into the "DC in" receptacle on the appliance, and it will operate directly from the 12 volt battery. Be sure to read the voltage marked on the appliance beside tie "DC in" receptacle and set the Recoton adapter to the correct voltage before operation.

But now you don't have to build your own as I did.  There is a VEC-005 12 Volt DC Adapter available for $8.99 plus postage from http://www.boatandrvaccessories.com/ACCESSORIES.htm .

 

Many small battery powered appliances need a trickle flow of current for 12 to 15 hours to become fully recharged, and the system described above will work perfectly for this use. Running a generator to provide 110 volt AC power for recharging small appliances is enormously wasteful: the cost of the fuel for one day's use would be more than the cost of the external cigarette lighter, wiring and clamps, AND the Recoton battery adapter described above!

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