How to use a car cigarette lighter and what to do if it breaks down

Did you know that you can extend various useful functions such as using household appliances and listening to music on your iPod from the cigar lighter socket of your car? Actually, it is a cigar lighter socket that is convenient to use, but in this article, we will also introduce maintenance methods in detail!

How to use a car cigar socket

listen to music

Nowadays, many people are enjoying the downloaded music from the Internet to portable players. You can also use your car’s cigar socket to connect to these portable music players.

To listen to the music of a portable music player on a car stereo, attach a device called “FM transmitter” to the cigar socket and connect the FM transmitter to the earphone terminal of your iPod. Next, you can listen to the music playing on the portable music player from the car stereo by matching the channel of the FM transmitter with the channel of the FM radio of the car stereo.

It’s a very convenient way because you can listen to music just by connecting it to the earphone terminal without messing up the inside of the car with wiring.

Outlet

With a device called a “DC / AC inverter”, a car’s cigar socket can be transformed into a household power supply.

Inexpensive products can be used to charge laptops and mobile phones. For home appliances that consume a lot of power, such as compact refrigerators and TVs, buy an inverter with a high price. You can use large-capacity home appliances in a stable manner.

However, when using a compact refrigerator or TV, a type of product that can take out electricity directly from the cigar socket is also sold at car supplies stores. If an inverter is used, the power for the inverter device will be consumed and a loss will occur when converting electricity. Therefore, if electricity can be taken out from the cigar lighter socket, take it out from the cigar lighter as much as possible. Let’s make use of it.

USB connection etc.

Some USB outlets are shaped like FM transmitters. Recently, the number of devices that can charge the battery using USB has increased, but these devices can be charged or used in the car.

Of course, it can be fully supported for charging mobile phones and tablet PCs, and for utilizing mobile devices using the power in the car. You can use your favorite USB pendant light to find small items in the car, or use a USB fan … USB is convenient because you can use home appliances for various purposes.

The general USB outlet products currently on the market also have a built-in fuse circuit for safety, so it is also a point that you can use it with confidence.

What to do if the cigar socket breaks down

Symptoms when it breaks down

If the cigar socket breaks down, basically nothing happens when you connect it to the plug socket. Since the circuit is equipped with a safety fuse, the switch is automatically turned off in case of emergency. Since the cigar socket is a device that uses heat, there is no need to worry about a fire, so you can use it with confidence.

However, there is a risk of fire if the circuit is modified or if the cigar lighter is connected to the cigar lighter. Since the cigar lighter socket has a mechanism that allows a high current to flow, be careful not to wire the octopus legs.

Is it safe even if it breaks down?

The car’s cigar socket has a fuse between it and the battery. In fact, when it breaks down, it is possible that this fuse has been damaged for some reason. However, in the first place, a car fuse will not blow without any cause, so if the fuse has blown, it is important to consider the cause of the blow.

Most car fuses are generally located under the driver’s seat, under the dashboard, or in the engine room, but the fuse storage locations differ slightly depending on the manufacturer.

You can find the location of the fuse on the Internet, but you may also be able to refer to it in the electrical parts catalog in the car accessories section. Replacing a car fuse is very easy and the unit price of parts is cheap, but remember the color and number of the blown fuse and replace the fuse with the same color and number. If you install a fuse of a different color, it may cause a failure of the electrical circuit or the fuse circuit may not work properly, so be careful.

Inspection points in case of failure

If your car’s cigar socket fails, first check the fuse. The fuse may blow due to overcurrent. For example, it is necessary to check whether rainwater has entered the circuit of the cigar socket, whether there is a part where the wire is about to break, and whether there is a part with poor contact.

You can use an electric tester to check the smooth flow of electricity between the battery and the terminal of the fuse to find out where the fault is. Talk to your dealer or garage.

The other is poor contact of parts. For example, if the terminal part of the electric heater that is inserted into the cigar socket is extremely rusted, the current will not flow properly or the electric resistance value will increase, causing overcurrent and causing fuse damage. ..

If the rust is so severe that the fuse will not be damaged, the function of the cigar socket cannot be used because no current flows in the first place. In this case, replace the electric heater in the cigar socket. Electric heater parts are sold as general-purpose products and can be purchased at car accessory stores and on the Internet.

Do some cars have no cigar socket?

Vehicles without cigar socket

Some cars are not equipped with a cigar socket when a new car is delivered. Recently, the number of people who dislike smoking in the car is increasing, so the chances of seeing a car equipped with a cigar socket ratio have increased. Vehicles without a cigar socket have a silicone rubber cover on the cigar socket.

Some cars are already equipped with cigar socket wiring

many cars, the wiring itself is already considered to be available at any time. Therefore, if you install only the parts of the cigar socket, you can use the cigar socket at any time. When installing on a non-equipped vehicle, it is necessary to disassemble the dashboard once. Therefore, please consult your dealer or maintenance shop.