Saalro

iTrader: (8)

I've purchased a 12V heater that plugs in to the cig lighter socket.
The heater is rated at 150W.
I plugged it in and after a couple of minutes it stopped working.
I checked the fuses and all was fine.
I then tried it in my dads car for a couple of seconds and it worked fine.
I had a spare cig lighter socket that i put in and it started working again, but after a couple of minutes, like before, it stopped working.

The cig lighter sockets appears to have a little sort of fuse or something on the back as protection and this was damaged twice.

The cig lighter socket on my classic runs off a 20 amp fuse, 20 amps * 12 V = 240 W, so running a 150 W heater shouldn't be an issue.

What would be causing the damage to the cig lighter socket?

Thanks

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

What's the rating of the protection device in the rear of rthe cig-lighter socket?

Can you check the current draw of the cig lighter itself? Try measuring it's resistance, then divide that by 12 to get current.

My guess is that the cig lighter is less than 10A so your heater is overloading it.

Saalro

iTrader: (8)

Not to sure, it does say anywhere.

It would be odd for the cig lighter to be less than 10A though wouldn't it, seeing as it's a 20A fuses on the system? Or is that just the amp before the wires start melting?

Thanks

subzerokent

iTrader: (1)

Normaly lighter sockets are only 5-10 amp. Don't forget the 20amp fuse will normaly be working the interior lights radio aswell

Saalro

iTrader: (8)

Ah okay, so basically the cig lighter socket can't handle it and the little safety device is probably 10A or under.
I'll have to wire it.

Thanks

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Fuse for lighter socket isn't there to protect the lighter, it's there to stop anything overloading the wiring, likle a dead short, which, with no fuse in place, would cause the wiring to melt the insualtion and COULD catch fire

You can buy car-related sockets that AREN'T cig lighters, here are some, the DIN ones: http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.e...hes/12vacc.php

Saalro

iTrader: (8)

Thanks a lot for the help.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Pas de probleme, mon pote............