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07-27-2012, 04:00 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 53
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Simple electrical question... Or so I thought...
Attempted an install of a 12V cigarette lighter-style plug today. Connected it directly to the deep cell marine battery with a 30A inline fuse. No juice, no clue. I would love to understand what I possibly could have done wrong. Perhaps it's time to break out the new multimeter I bought and figure out how to use it...
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07-27-2012, 04:27 PM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 75
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I'll ask two silly questions. Do you have the centre pin on the lighter hooked to the positive terminal on the battery and if so do you have the outside body of the lighter hooked to ground.
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07-27-2012, 04:35 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 53
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Yes. Power is good, seems to be that the
Plug is not making necessary contact.
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07-27-2012, 05:58 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
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That is not uncommon,, NOT all plugs fit properly in all sockets
If you can (Even if it means sticking a straight pin through just ONE of the wires)
Measure the POSITIVE wire on the plug to the negative battery terminal or to the shell of the outlet.
If you do not get 12v, then it's the center pin,, If you do
Same measurement but the other wire pair (Negative wire on plug, center pin on socket)
NOTE: It could be a bad plug or a bad connection IN the plug
Using the multimeter also CAREFULLY contact the center pin in the socket, and touch the negative lead to the shell Should show battery voltage.
Could be a bad fuse.
__________________
Home is where I park it!
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07-27-2012, 08:47 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,797
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Many of the male plugs that go into the female lighter receptacle also have their own fuses. You have to unscrew the tip and there might be a fuse inside. Hope this helps.
ronspradley
__________________
'95 Monaco Windsor DP 32' Cummins 5.9
Toads '96 Tracker 4x4, '06 Honda CRV AWD
Life's too short to drink diet soda. 
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07-28-2012, 07:10 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 53
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The culprit ended up being a POS receptacle. Everything was wired perfectly, it just didn't work. Installed with a 30A inline fuse and everything is working great.
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07-28-2012, 11:22 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,126
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Jeff don't attempt a 30 amp load through that power outlet...it will not handle that much electrical draw
__________________
96 Dynasty 36' that does NOT wander, thanks to RuppParts.com and their superior "poly" suspension bushings
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07-29-2012, 12:25 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 53
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That was simply the fuse size recommended to me. The outlet is there primarily for a small fan and charging an ipod or ipad. I might consider a small power inverter in a pinch, but nothing too substantial.
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07-29-2012, 01:57 AM
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#9
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Registered User
Vintage RV Owners Club Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Indiana
Posts: 4,951
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffdubya
That was simply the fuse size recommended to me. The outlet is there primarily for a small fan and charging an ipod or ipad. I might consider a small power inverter in a pinch, but nothing too substantial.
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3 amp is usually what the fuse is, not 30 
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07-29-2012, 12:51 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Anacortes, WA (Stick & Brick)
Posts: 2,643
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An actual cigarette lighter has a high initial current draw when the element is cold (at its lowest resistance), which is why the recommended fuse is so high a rating. Using it purely as a 12Vdc power socket wouldn't need a 30A fuse and it certainly wouldn't protect any of the stuff you're planning to connect to it. The biggest draw would be the start-up current on the fan.
Just remember that an inverter will draw roughly 10x as much current on the DC side as it's supplying to the AC side. The draw is inversely proportional to the voltage for a given power flow.
__________________
Frank Damp -Anacortes, WA,(DW- Eileen)
ex-pat Brits (1968) and ex-RVers.
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07-29-2012, 01:45 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Treasure Coast, Florida
Posts: 63
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30 amps seems like a lot of amps to be put through "a POS receptacle" as you called it.
Whats the receptacle rated for ?
What gauge wire did you use to run the receptacle?
How long of a run from the battery ?
Simple things can get complicated 
__________________
2003 Journey DL 330 Cat 6 speed Allison
in motion DVR Directv
Mazda3 on a Tow Master
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07-29-2012, 05:40 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 53
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I'll be the first to admit that I know NOTHING about automotive / 12V electrical. I'll get you all the answers and see how small of a fuse I can get for that fuse holder.
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07-29-2012, 05:42 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RMinflorida
30 amps seems like a lot of amps to be put through "a POS receptacle" as you called it.
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Replaced the POS receptacle with one that works, if it matters. 
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07-29-2012, 05:44 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frankdamp
Just remember that an inverter will draw roughly 10x as much current on the DC side as it's supplying to the AC side. The draw is inversely proportional to the voltage for a given power flow.
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Do you have a way of saying this that would be more understandable by someone like me 
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