Fixing New Lighter/utility Sockets

[luckey007]

Dear Friends,

I am using a rather old car (Corolla 110)and it has only one lighter socket . I wanna fix few sockets as I have seen in some SUVs cos I need to use two phone chargers (One of them use as a navigator )and a FM modulator . I have seen some after market "multi plugs" can fix in to lighter socket but I don't want compromise my lighter(The other thing after pushing this and that to lighter socket changes the thermostat control ). Experts, please help.Eg.Where can I buy those stuffs, cost (roughly), is it DIY job? etcetera .

PS: I wish to have a good finishing /looks like original

Thanks in advance.

[Ripper]

if you can find space in your cockpit...this should be an easy DIY

[LashNeo]

Wouldn't something like this 'Lighter Socket Splitter' will solve your problem? I think they are available in some car accessory stores in Sri lanka as well.

[jdnet]

Wouldn't something like this 'Lighter Socket Splitter' will solve your problem? I think they are available in some car accessory stores in Sri lanka as well.

Arpico had it the last time I was there.

[luckey007]

Wouldn't something like this 'Lighter Socket Splitter' will solve your problem? I think they are available in some car accessory stores in Sri lanka as well.

Nope mate.... Then I have to compromise my lighter and it makes my dash congested.I wanna fix few sockets under the dash or "middle column " (I don't know the exact name)where the gear liver & the hand break liver is.

[VVTi]

Why don't you just pull a few extra power lines and keep them hidden in the glove box? That way, no clutter and no drilling and making holes. But get a proper Auto Electrician to do it as you will need to have a stable power supply, this will involve adding extra fuses and all.

[luckey007]

Why don't you just pull a few extra power lines and keep them hidden in the glove box? That way, no clutter and no drilling and making holes. But get a proper Auto Electrician to do it as you will need to have a stable power supply, this will involve adding extra fuses and all.

The thing is all these accessories are designed to put in the lighter socket. Thats why I need lighter sockets.

[VVTi]

The thing is all these accessories are designed to put in the lighter socket. Thats why I need lighter sockets.

Well, you can always cut the wires and splice them. Getting the power in to a DC system is easy. What are the chances of you mixing up the red and black wires?

[LashNeo]

Nope mate.... Then I have to compromise my lighter and it makes my dash congested.I wanna fix few sockets under the dash or "middle column " (I don't know the exact name)where the gear liver & the hand break liver is.

Then you can tryout something as shown below. I have been using this splitter for several months for my MP3 modulator and Phone charger without any issues. It does not cramp up dashboard space and can be detached without much fuss. You can install it with some double sided tape in any place you want. Mine does not support the lighter but there maybe models which does support it. Anyway, you can always detach the splitter from the socket when you need to use the lighter. So i don't see why you are so worried about compromising the lighter.

Don't you think something like this would be more easy to install than what you are mentioning? It's a DIY job and It will cost you less Rs1500

[luckey007]

So i don't see why you are so worried about compromising the lighter.

Because after pushing those jacks thermostat in the lighter impairs and lighter pops up before coming to the right temperature.

[The Stig]

Dear Friends,

I am using a rather old car (Corolla 110)and it has only one lighter socket . I wanna fix few sockets as I have seen in some SUVs cos I need to use two phone chargers (One of them use as a navigator )and a FM modulator . I have seen some after market "multi plugs" can fix in to lighter socket but I don't want compromise my lighter(The other thing after pushing this and that to lighter socket changes the thermostat control ). Experts, please help.Eg.Where can I buy those stuffs, cost (roughly), is it DIY job? etcetera .

PS: I wish to have a good finishing /looks like original

Thanks in advance.

well fitting a second lighter socket isnt the only solution.

You can actually use the circuit of your charger and wire it to a 12v supply without having to fix a second port.( note if you do this you wont be able to move your car charger as it will be fixed; soldered to be precise)

On the other hand fitting a secondary lighter port wont be any different from fitting something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/12V-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-3-Way-Splitter-Charger-/280662968968?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4158d10a88 or this http://cgi.ebay.com/3-Way-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-Splitter-DC-12V-USB-/140528803792?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b82b5fd0.

And dont worry too much about frying a fuse or something as the equipment you are planing to use wont exceed 5A, so no big issue.

I saw one of these in a shop in darley road, basically most of the shops there will have this and if you still cant find any the best thing is to order off ebay

Edited April 20, 2011 by The Stig

[luckey007]

Please let me know how to fix a second lighter socket.

[The Stig]

Please let me know how to fix a second lighter socket.

Well first thing to do is to get some wires (something around 20-16 gauge would be enough) get them in 2 colors, red and black or anything they give you About 1-2 meters would be enough.

Then you will have to buy a second lighter port, might be able to find one from darley road or panchikwatha or on ebay

Then you will have to remove the existing lighter port and find its + and - terminals (the wires that are attached to it).The center pin is always + and the outer shell is -

Then simply solder the red/+ wire to the + wire in the lighter or terminal and solder the -/black wire to the - wire or terminal.

Then take the wires to where ever you want to place your second lighter port (hide the wires as much as possible cause wires hanging out wont look good) center console/front compartment basically where ever you want to place it and then solder the the - terminal to the - (black) wire and the + terminal to the + wire (red).

And Voila you have a second lighter port. Glue it to something if you need to or just keep it inside the center console, what ever floats your boat

PS-Remove the battery before doing anything !

Edited April 21, 2011 by The Stig

[luckey007]

Well first thing to do is to get some wires (something around 20-16 gauge would be enough) get them in 2 colors, red and black or anything they give you About 1-2 meters would be enough.

Then you will have to buy a second lighter port, might be able to find one from darley road or panchikwatha or on ebay

Then you will have to remove the existing lighter port and find its + and - terminals (the wires that are attached to it).The center pin is always + and the outer shell is -

Then simply solder the red/+ wire to the + wire in the lighter or terminal and solder the -/black wire to the - wire or terminal.

Then take the wires to where ever you want to place your second lighter port (hide the wires as much as possible cause wires hanging out wont look good) center console/front compartment basically where ever you want to place it and then solder the the - terminal to the - (black) wire and the + terminal to the + wire (red).

And Voila you have a second lighter port. Glue it to something if you need to or just keep it inside the center console, what ever floats your boat

PS-Remove the battery before doing anything !

Thanks so much...

Edited April 21, 2011 by luckey007

[luckey007]

Will this help?Whats the "marine" grade.what are the other grades.Lighter socket Ebay

Edited April 21, 2011 by luckey007

[charitha19]

Will this help?Whats the "marine" grade.what are the other grades.Lighter socket Ebay

think it means its water proof.. mainly for marine stuff like boats and ships..

the other grade will be the normal dry grade i guess.. which is not water proof..

[luckey007]

And the other prob is how to make it to see like factory fitted.

[The Stig]

And the other prob is how to make it to see like factory fitted.

Well my friend this is exactly why we told you to buy a splitter rather than to make one yourself cause its next to impossible to make it look like a factory fitted one.

BTW where are you planing to fix it ?

[MeanGreenZ28]

If you want it to look like a factory installed socket, it's not that hard. Get a replacement/aftermarket unit for your car, make another hole wherever you want to match the hole that your current unit occupies/or needed by the new socket and stick it in there and take the same wires from your existing and wire it up.

you'll get something like this ..

If you can't find it in SL, I'll bring you one in June, just let me know

My current project is to take apart a 12Vdc (lighter socket) to 120Vac inverter and mount the plug point permanently somewhere in the new project car as a standard outlet for charging a laptop/ipod/etc. It's not too hard, just figuring out where to mount it/etc. is what'll be the hardest part.

like this ...

Sorry for thread highjack

Edited April 23, 2011 by MeanGreenZ28

[The Stig]

My current project is to take apart a 12Vdc (lighter socket) to 120Vac inverter and mount the plug point permanently somewhere in the new project car as a standard outlet for charging a laptop/ipod/etc. It's not too hard, just figuring out where to mount it/etc. is what'll be the hardest part.

Me too going a little OT but you dont actually need a 12v lighter socket to mount the inverter right ?

Cant you just directly pair it with a 12V rail from the fuse box ?

So that way you can keep both the lighter socket and have your inverter

[luckey007]

Well my friend this is exactly why we told you to buy a splitter rather than to make one yourself cause its next to impossible to make it look like a factory fitted one.

BTW where are you planing to fix it ?

Under the dash, in the side walls of the central portion of the dash board

[The Stig]

Under the dash, in the side walls of the central portion of the dash board

Well wouldn't be much visible to others so i guess you can drill a hole, but thing's like this might actually reduce your cars value when you decide to sell it

[luckey007]

Well wouldn't be much visible to others so i guess you can drill a hole, but thing's like this might actually reduce your cars value when you decide to sell it

I visited a place today and they agreed to sell me the gadget for 275 rupees,and will be able to fixed by them for a nominal charge.

But I am thinking about a one with a lid.Local market stuffs are with lighters and not with a lid. There are ebay stuffs with lid,so still thinking about what to buy.

And why do you think these stuff will reduce cars value? Anyway I would like to forget about the selling price after some time to my driving comfort

[The Stig]

I visited a place today and they agreed to sell me the gadget for 275 rupees,and will be able to fixed by them for a nominal charge.

But I am thinking about a one with a lid.Local market stuffs are with lighters and not with a lid. There are ebay stuffs with lid,so still thinking about what to buy.

And why do you think these stuff will reduce cars value? Anyway I would like to forget about the selling price after some time to my driving comfort

275 sounds cheap

Well bro here is the thing, even thought the initial price might be the same on Ebay the shipping cost would at least be around 5-6$ and it could take upto 3 weeks to come here.

I think the best option for you is to contact meangrean and ask him to bring one when he is coming to SL

Good that you are not bothered about the resale value much, what i meant was a new buyer wouldn't like a car with holes drilled everywhere for lighter sockets

[MeanGreenZ28]

Me too going a little OT but you dont actually need a 12v lighter socket to mount the inverter right ?

Cant you just directly pair it with a 12V rail from the fuse box ?

So that way you can keep both the lighter socket and have your inverter

Yeah, you can directly get it off the fuse box using a fuse tap or off the acc/on side of the ignition with an inline fuse.

Here's what I did with my last project, I installed terminal strips so I can get all the power I needed off of them without having to tap into power wires multiple times in the future. One of the strips is (+) and one is ground (-). The circuit board you see hanging there was for the shift light that was hidden in the AC vent.

Edited April 25, 2011 by MeanGreenZ28

[luckey007]

Whats exactly the shift light? s The name suggests about a timing for gear shift or something. If its so how does it work? what are the inputs. what is this circuit.If its not so whats the shift light and how does it work?