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:
“I never can understand how anyone can not smoke—it deprives a man of the best part of life ... with a good cigar in his mouth a man is perfectly safe, nothing can touch him—literally.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“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)
“And in their blazing solitude
The stars sang in their sockets through the night:
“Blow bright, blow bright
The coal of this unquickened world.””
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)