Wiring cigarette lighter up?

Hequn · 17 Jan 2006 at 17:08

Hey, i need some help. Basically the cigarette lighter in my car isnt wired up and has no wire so i went and bought one of thsoe adapters with the intention to wire it up.

Can someone tell me the best way? can i just wire it to the sidelights/headlights? or the battery? or what?

Need to know asap as its for my pda+gps and im going on a journey tomorrow!

Brynn · 17 Jan 2006 at 17:15

type of car?

VBDub · 17 Jan 2006 at 17:21

you need to run a wire from the battery with a fuse within the first 6 inches of the cable (so the wire doesnt melt inside the car if it goes mad.)
then run the wire thru the bulkhead and to the dashboard, connect the + to the + on the cigarette lighter, then run a cable from the - to a bolt or something touching the car body.

job done.

Stonedofmoo · 17 Jan 2006 at 17:54

Spot on

Dont wire it to anything else!

Brynn · 17 Jan 2006 at 18:17

I will be doing this too, as my ciggy lighter has stopped working

Stonedofmoo · 17 Jan 2006 at 18:27

If it's stopped working I suggest you try checking the fusebox and see if one has gone. Usually they are fused.

Brynn · 17 Jan 2006 at 19:26

Stonedofmoo said:
If it's stopped working I suggest you try checking the fusebox and see if one has gone. Usually they are fused.

Doubt its that, as it still has light emitting from it, but it just doesn't do anything when I press the lighter in, or plug something into the slot.

icyshore · 17 Jan 2006 at 19:29

The light will be connected to the side lights, the actual lighter is on a different circuit.

PuG106 · 17 Jan 2006 at 19:40

VBDub said:
you need to run a wire from the battery with a fuse within the first 6 inches of the cable (so the wire doesnt melt inside the car if it goes mad.)
then run the wire thru the bulkhead and to the dashboard, connect the + to the + on the cigarette lighter, then run a cable from the - to a bolt or something touching the car body.

job done.

This is just the post ive been looking for, saves me posting it, My phase one 106 doesnt come with a standard cigarette lighter so i bought one from halfords with out a clue how to wire it up lol
Cheers

Hequn · 17 Jan 2006 at 20:23

VBDub said:
you need to run a wire from the battery with a fuse within the first 6 inches of the cable (so the wire doesnt melt inside the car if it goes mad.)
then run the wire thru the bulkhead and to the dashboard, connect the + to the + on the cigarette lighter, then run a cable from the - to a bolt or something touching the car body.

job done.

how do i put a fuse in?

i assume the bulkhead is the battery?

how am i to know whats the + and - of the wires?

can someone explain it to me in really simple terms as i dont know much at all about electrics :confused:

Ry@n · 17 Jan 2006 at 22:57

I think the negative wire usually has a line all the way down the wire to show its the negative one. So the positive will be a plain colour.

Find your fuse box. Take a look at them individualy and see whats gone pop and whats ok. Replace burnt fuse/s.

I think that info is correct. Please correct me if i am wrong.

Hequn · 17 Jan 2006 at 23:28

Ry@n said:
I think the negative wire usually has a line all the way down the wire to show its the negative one. So the positive will be a plain colour.

Find your fuse box. Take a look at them individualy and see whats gone pop and whats ok. Replace burnt fuse/s.

I think that info is correct. Please correct me if i am wrong.

Thing is im wiring up an adapter thing so i think theyre both just silver wires.

Uh? I dont get the second bit, theres nothing wrong with my fuse box, never said there was. Think you're confused, my original cigarette lighter just isnt wired up.

Mickey_D · 18 Jan 2006 at 09:24

In the above image, you'll see that there are two wires, one black one red. The black is negative, the red is positive. If there are two wires of the same colour on yours look for one that is connected to the center electrode of the socket. That will be the positive. If you can't verify that one, check to see if one of them is connected to the outside casing. That will be the negative.

The only other way to check which wire is which is to use a test light or a test circuit. I could describe this process in more detail, but it would take a while. Let me know if you need any more help.

P.S. The bulkhead is also called the firewall. To translate, it's the hunk of metal that separates you from the engine compartment. If you sit in your driver's seat and stretch your legs out, the bulkhead is the part that stops you from getting REALLY comfortable in doing this stretch-out!!

Let me know if you need more help. I can include pictures if it would help!!

Hequn · 18 Jan 2006 at 14:12

thanks a lot mickey but i bit the bullet and booked it into a garage, they say they are experts in 'electrical repairs' on the sign so they should be able to do the job fine.

They said its likely to be upto an hour and they charge £40ph, hopefully (although i doubt it with garages) it will only take 30mins as he said they only charge £20 then.

moss · 18 Jan 2006 at 14:27

Hequn said:
They said its likely to be upto an hour and they charge £40ph, hopefully (although i doubt it with garages) it will only take 30mins as he said they only charge £20 then.

Hequn · 18 Jan 2006 at 14:52

moss said:

I know

Stonedofmoo · 18 Jan 2006 at 15:13

LOL

Dude thats pretty sad. Wiring in a ciggy lighter is so easy it's untrue. Try taking on a few of these easier jobs yourself or you'll end up as one of those people who are fleeced for their cash every time you need something done at a garage.