Cigar/cigarette lighter socket power

[Mark604]

Just saw another post about running a small compressor cool box which is something I'm thinking of doing but I have no idea what the power output is of the cigar lighter socket if I chose for convenience to try and run it from that. Not the best option but the easiest for now.
Unfortunately my K9 doesn't have to socket in the boot like my old Berlingo so I'd need to run it from the front one plus probably a dash cam.
Any idea what the power output is or where I can find out?
Thanks.

[Romahomepete]

That is interesting because my 2021 Vauxhall Combo life K( has a power socket behind the drivers side rear seat. I use it for my Halfords 24L cool box which has a current draw of 3.5 amps. My only wish is that instead of a cigar lighter socket it was a Hella din socket as they are a much betterdesign and handle the power better. (I will change it and also add a usb socket there when I get round to it

Peter

[Sol]

10A max, so 120w @ 12V DC nominal.

[Romahomepete]

10A max, so 120w @ 12V DC nominal.

The weak point on anything that relies on the cigar lighter is not the socket, it is the plug.  The centre electrode in the plug is spring loaded to make sure that it makes contact with the bottom of the socket.  It is not a good connection and due to the resistance the spring heats up anf loses its elasticity and then the electrode gets stuck in the plastic in the plug.

The socket may be up to 10 amps but i am not sure that the design of the plug is up to it

Peter

[Sol]

Depends if you have a high quality plug or something off Chinese Amazon.

[Romahomepete]

Depends if you have a high quality plug or something off Chinese Amazon.

It happens with even the "high quality" plugs unless you buy the sort that convert to the "Hella Din" plug, they dont have a spring in them, they have a removable plastic converter on the end

Peter

[Mark604]

Romahomepete - I'd kill for a power outlet there. It is probably the specifications, or lack of, on mine. I've have stuff I don't need and stuff I need but don't have. The whole set of extras just seems a compromise.
I had a look at the Halfords ones but apart from one they don't seem to be compressor cool boxes. I spend quite a bit of time in hot southern Europe and the thermoelectric ones of which I've had a couple, work well enough but not well enough, if you see what I mean.

Thanks for the info regarding the power output, it should do me nicely. I am aware of the limitations of the connecting plug and would run it like that for now until I can get round to changing it for a proper one.
Thanks again.

[Romahomepete]

Yes compressor fridges are the best but they are expensive, our cool box is more for days out and the odd weekend camping with my classic land rover. I take my milk in small cartons that I have frozen before I leave home. Our camper has a domestic 3 way fridge which works well for us.

It is possible if you are handy with car electrics to fit a socket in the back on the passenger side, with a couple of provisos though. Behind the passenger side boot panel there are the connections for a tow bar, among those is a permanent live (it was white on the last one I fitted a towbar to). Unless you have a towbar fitted the live isn't live yet. You need to fit a maxi fuse into the correct slot in the under bonnet fuse box. However the maxi fuses are in the lower layer of the fuse box, you have to lift the top layer and it is a bit of a fiddle

Peter

[boop]

Yes compressor fridges are the best but they are expensive

Keep an eye on auction sites. I bough my 36L Alpicool for €125. Brand new with a little transport damage.

[Mark604]

I'm handy enough with electrics so I may well have a look at doing as you suggest.

I'm looking at the Alpicool series as well. Don't need one quite so big though.