12 volt lighter installation

[gregmsr]

Trying to install lighter on 89 Capri. Mounted in dash left of steering wheel in aluminum plate. Hooked up hot and ground wires but keeps blowing fuses. Double checked ground and installed second ground wire with same results.
Where the heck can I get good ground?
The aluminum plate attaches only to plastc frame with no metal nearby.
Do I have a bad 12 volt socket?
Any help thankful.

Greg

 

[jtexas]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

What device are you using that's causing the blown fuses? And what amp fuses?

 

[gregmsr]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

Its a 12 volt lighter w/ chart light. I have it wired to the positive fuse panel under dash (10 amp fuse) and the negative wired to the grounding block under dash. I even wired a separate / additional ground to the only metal in the area which is the steering cable bracket.
I also replied to an older post that I found that was similar to mine.
I even wired the lighter directly to the + and - on the battery. When I pushed the lighter in, it started melting the wires (16 guage)! Do I have a bad lighter?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

Yes you do. #16 could be marginal for that application depending on how far it is to the battery, but still it should be a long way from meltdown.
You could try the lighter out of a car (if you can find one with one anymore!) to confirm the problem. Also, have a look down the socket to make sure nothing fell down there like a washer or some such thing.

 

[gregmsr]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

Thanks. The #16 i'm using is connected to the fuse panel under the dash (2' of wire tops).
I have heard that a lighter socket gets it's ground from actually touching the metal that it's mounted to. The small aluminum plate where I have it mounted is mounted to the "plastic" dash with no metal in contact.
I will shut up now and try a new lighter. Thanks again to everyone.

Greg

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

If you bought what's typically called and "accessory" outlet you didn't buy the correct thing to operate a cigarette lighter. You need a "regular lighter" socket. Fifty cents will get you a bucket full of them from an auto salvage yard. An accessory outlet does not release the lighter and are simply not intended to run a lighter so things are overheating. 16 ga wire is too small for a lighter but it would be ok to run just the map light. Lighters draw a lot of current so I suspect a 15 or even 20 A fuse and 12 ga wire would be in order.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

If it's the typical lighter/chart light did you flip the switch and try just the light?

 

[gregmsr]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

It is a lighter w/ chart light. The light only works fine. It's when I try to push in the lighter when it blowes fuses.
UPDATE: I bought another lighter from parts store and it works fine. So, bad lighter i guess.
Should I change 16 ga wire to 12 ga?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

if you don't have 12 run from the battery to the fuse, and ground block, i would run it directly to the battery with an inline fuse. don't burn up your main source of power.

 

[gregmsr]

Re: 12 volt lighter installation

Actually the wires to fuse box from battery and the ground block from battery look larger than #12. Probably 1/4 inch dia. (whatever guage that is). I have 16# wired from lighter socket to the fuse box and ground block. Am I OK with the #16. I already have a 20amp in-line fuse between battery and fuse box. Do I need another in-line fuse between the fuse box and lighter socket?
Just to be safe i'm going to change the 16ga to 12ga and add an in-line fuse. Done.