# Question About Cigarette Lighter Near Television



## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

Well on our big trip, we are not tele people but thought we could use the cigarette lighter with a small invertor to run a fan or two. I went and bought a 175 watt invertor to use and it does not fit the plug. Is there an adaptor or some type of special invertor to be able to use battery power for a fan. I really do not want to tie into the batteries and run wire.


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## MO7Bs (Apr 11, 2009)

mike said:


> Well on our big trip, we are not tele people but thought we could use the cigarette lighter with a small invertor to run a fan or two. I went and bought a 175 watt invertor to use and it does not fit the plug. Is there an adaptor or some type of special invertor to be able to use battery power for a fan. I really do not want to tie into the batteries and run wire.


This outlet is known for being a really tight fit, problably because it's not designed for high draw equipment.

If you feel comfortable doing so, you can wire the inverter directly to your converter connections or you can wire around the outlet in the ceiling like I did for my emergency radio.


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

That 12 volt plug is a tight fit. I've been able to use it OK, just have to take care unplugging stuff. Some people have done a mod putting a little larger size socket there.

If you just want to run one fan, you could get a 12 volt fan and just plug it in directly - I found one at a Pilot truck stop that works great.


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

Are the twelve volt fan connections any smaller that the invertor?


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

mike said:


> Are the twelve volt fan connections any smaller that the invertor?


Mike...just replace the one that came with the outback. Local auto store will have it for about $5. Takes about 10 mins to do the job. Remember to cut the 12v power.


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

I doubt it, just be careful plugging the inverter in and out the first few times or just leave it in place, hold the cover in the ceiling when removing and use a twisting motion. I use a 150w inverter in that plug all the time, it's almost loose now or just right.


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

I just tried it again and pushed it in hard, it was enough to power a small fan, i will try a bigger fan tommorow. It did not power the small vac. that we bring with us or the television that is burried under the bed. But if it powers the bigger fan it may just be the ticket. Thanks to all.


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## wntx_camper (Apr 6, 2008)

mike said:


> I just tried it again and pushed it in hard, it was enough to power a small fan, i will try a bigger fan tommorow. It did not power the small vac. that we bring with us or the television that is burried under the bed. But if it powers the bigger fan it may just be the ticket. Thanks to all.


I plug in a pig tail adapter which we use for cell phone chargers. My connection is tight. I ruined a similar one in the pop up and knew right away that this adapter would be a problem. I leave the pig tail adapter plugged in full time and use its better-fitting inserts to use on a regular basis. Hope this helps.

Here is a link to one....

http://www.12voltaccessoryoutlet.com/catal...p;idcategory=55


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

The outlets in the Outback are low amp sockets. I had a very small inverter that was only good for 75 watts and it fit perfectly. It also had a sleeve to slide around the plug so it would fit snug in a regular 12vdc outlet.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

So thats an actual real thing? If the socket is tight, then that means its a low amp socket?

I just cussed that it was a cheap china made socket.. Didnt know it supposed to be that way..

I just ran a pigtail with a socket off of the radio wiring to power the sirius and cell ph charger..

Always learn something everyday around this place..









Carey


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

CamperAndy said:


> The outlets in the Outback are low amp sockets. I had a very small inverter that was only good for 75 watts and it fit perfectly. It also had a sleeve to slide around the plug so it would fit snug in a regular 12vdc outlet.


x2

I've acutally bought a few 12V plugs things that had a sleeve so if they went into the large 12V socket, you could install the sleeve, but leave it off if you had the small outlet.


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## OregonCampin (Mar 9, 2007)

wntx_camper said:


> I plug in a pig tail adapter which we use for cell phone chargers. My connection is tight. I ruined a similar one in the pop up and knew right away that this adapter would be a problem. I leave the pig tail adapter plugged in full time and use its better-fitting inserts to use on a regular basis. Hope this helps.
> 
> Here is a link to one....
> 
> http://www.12voltaccessoryoutlet.com/catal...p;idcategory=55


Us too - got it in the socket in the ceiling and there it stays. I use it to charge my cell phone & MP3 player and occasionally run my 12 volt blanket on cold nights


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> So thats an actual real thing? If the socket is tight, then that means its a low amp socket?
> 
> I just cussed that it was a cheap china made socket.. Didnt know it supposed to be that way..
> 
> ...


We are here for you.


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## MO7Bs (Apr 11, 2009)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> So thats an actual real thing? If the socket is tight, then that means its a low amp socket?
> 
> I just cussed that it was a cheap china made socket.. Didnt know it supposed to be that way..
> 
> ...


I learned it here!


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## phxbrit (Jul 24, 2007)

Go to Best Buy and get a 12 volt extension cable. Now you have 12 volt power where you want it. We leave ours in all the time (removed the LED power light on the cord so it doesn't draw power). As for low amps, I don't know. I've run a 12volt piston air compressor off that socket. I kept blowing the fuse in the cable because I attached the air hose then turned on the air compressor. I fixed the fuse problem with some aluminum foil. We also run a 12v TV/DVD combo off that socket with the extension cord and it's an old CRT TV.


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

phxbrit said:


> Go to Best Buy and get a 12 volt extension cable. Now you have 12 volt power where you want it. We leave ours in all the time (removed the LED power light on the cord so it doesn't draw power). As for low amps, I don't know. I've run a 12volt piston air compressor off that socket. I kept blowing the fuse in the cable because I attached the air hose then turned on the air compressor. I fixed the fuse problem with some aluminum foil. We also run a 12v TV/DVD combo off that socket with the extension cord and it's an old CRT TV.


Good idea. 
I was cramming my charger cable in there until the led came on. i always wonderd why it was not fitting correctly.


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## MO7Bs (Apr 11, 2009)

phxbrit said:


> Go to Best Buy and get a 12 volt extension cable. Now you have 12 volt power where you want it. We leave ours in all the time (removed the LED power light on the cord so it doesn't draw power). As for low amps, I don't know. I've run a 12volt piston air compressor off that socket. I kept blowing the fuse in the cable because I attached the air hose then turned on the air compressor. I fixed the fuse problem with some aluminum foil. We also run a 12v TV/DVD combo off that socket with the extension cord and it's an old CRT TV.


It's not the amps available to the outlet, but the amps the outlet is rated to carry w/o overheating, etc. The wire coming into that circut on my rig is large enough to handle just about any load, but the outlet itself is not rated for high amp service, hence the size restriction. If you replace it with an good outlet you'll be set. More than likely you'll be able to run what you want on that outlet, but it may not carry the load safely, and because of the smaller size and the heat generated, it will pull more amps than it would if properly sized.


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## rock hill (Apr 17, 2009)

CamperAndy said:


> The outlets in the Outback are low amp sockets. I had a very small inverter that was only good for 75 watts and it fit perfectly. It also had a sleeve to slide around the plug so it would fit snug in a regular 12vdc outlet.


Ah-Ha! Learn something everyday. I was wondering why I needed a hammer to get my 200 watt inverter to fit!


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

Thanks for all the responses


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## Partsman Ed (Aug 26, 2008)

mike said:


> I just tried it again and pushed it in hard, it was enough to power a small fan, i will try a bigger fan tommorow. It did not power the small vac. that we bring with us or the television that is burried under the bed. But if it powers the bigger fan it may just be the ticket. Thanks to all.


Geez Mike, I bet it is cramped under the bed trying to watch TV.


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

Thanks to all for the info. We discovered the "too small" socket problem while in Glacier Nat Park 2 weeks ago. Dry camping. No 120 va/c. How do you inflate the new air mattrees that the OB has? Got a 175w inverter and then discovered that the DC socket was about 1/8" too small in diameter.

We plugged the inverter into the Expedition and used an extention cord--no problem.

But thanks, all, for the help. I'll yank out the smaller socket this weekend and replace with a normal one that can also charge the cell phone, etc.

This one hint saves me $30 in gas to take the trailer twice to the repair shop--once to get them to ask Keystone to warranty replace and once to have the work done. This is why I joined!


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## Dan H. (Jul 14, 2006)

The DC socket is sized for an 8 amp DC connector.

Check the amp specifications on the plug-in connector you are buying to make sure it has an 8 amp rating and it will fit in the trailer.


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

> Well on our big trip, we are not tele people but thought we could use the cigarette lighter


I read that as "tall" people and wondered why you'd try to light your cigarette that far up anyway.









Then I continued with the post. Never mind............................

Mark


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