Cigar Lighter Sockets and Plugs
The car cigarette lighter socket is also called a cigar lighter receptacle, since it was originally designed as a lighter for cigars—hence its rather large size. These sockets were not originally designed to provide DC power, and are not an ideal DC connector for several reasons. Three sizes exist (one for 6 V DC and two for 12 V DC) and the mating of the different sized 12 V DC plugs and jacks is problematic. Because of this, and the small gauge wire sometimes used, they may provide unreliable power connections.
The polarity for 12 V DC sockets is center pin positive (+), outer collar negative (−). Reversed polarity will damage some electronic devices.
Although the nominal voltage of a 12 V lead acid battery is 12 volts, when the engine is running the car's battery charging system will bring the system voltage to 13.8 volts or higher. The possible range of battery voltages from 11–15 volts must be taken into account by devices attached to the cigar lighter socket.
Read more about this topic: DC Connector
Famous quotes containing the words cigar, lighter and/or sockets:
“You should hurry up ... and acquire the cigar habit. It’s one of the major happinesses. And so much more lasting than love, so much less costly in emotional wear and tear.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)
“The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line—the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea. It was a phase of this problem that caused the Civil War.”
—W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt)
“Webster was much possessed by death
And saw the skull beneath the skin;
And breastless creatures under ground
Leaned backward with a lipless grin.
Daffodil bulbs instead of balls
Stared from the sockets of the eyes!”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)