Recently bought an 07 Focus, still waiting for dealer to forward manuals...
We want to power the GPS from the power socket under the radio, but it doesn't seem to work. Is there a hidden button/special plug required?
Managed to open the bonnet (vague memories of fiddling with Ford badges helped here!) to check the fuse box, all seemed well but without the manuals I was just looking for a broke fuse!
usually the same fuse runs the radio, so if that works............. Most likely is a dodgy plug on the gps, try something else in the socket would be the first thing to do, you probably need the ignition on to power the socket.
My Mk2 55 Focus has the 20A fuse under the glovebox/above passenger footwell. Remove soft foam cover, undo the two plastic screws holding it up, and it then folds down.
I've had to replace about 6-7 fuses in the few months I've had it. The problem I found was if I didn't push the charger into socket exactly squarely, it shorted and blew the fuse. It became so bad that I never removed it - just kept it plugged in. After blowing 4 fuses in a row (immediately when inserting the fuse, even without anything in the lighter socket!) I discovered an old pin sitting in the socket which was shorting things out - maybe the pin was always there and not pushing squarely pushed the pin? I only discovered it as a small puff of smoke came out the lighter socket when I replaced the fuse.
Anyway - look above the passenger footwell. The exact fuse will be in the manual, but rough placement is middle bank, top row, middle fuse (empty sockets to the right of it in my car, and no other 20A fuses inserted on that row).
I was just going to say that, so take it as an endorsement and not what the other bloke said. Having said that, his advise to try some other equipment in the socket is sound and should be tried first before checking fuses. Have you tried pushing in the plug hard and perhaps twisting it while in socket as sometimes the plug and socket are not a good fit.This is part of the reason they often put a LED on the socket, so you get confirmation its connected ok.
About time the lighter socket / plug arrangement was replaced with something better - and standardised. The lighter socket is only really good for a lighter.
I disagree. Apart from the fact that they're now called 12V DC sockets and tend to come WITHOUT the lighter bit, I've never had an issue. I've run CBs, Satnav, an iPaq, 10" portable colour TV, DVD player and a 12v mains inverter from a cig lighter socket without issue.
What are you going to replace it with? Whatever socket it is, it'll still be fused and the fuse can still blow.
The idea replacement would seem to be a USB socket. Mini USB is pretty much the standard for mobile phone chargers, sat-navs, digital cameras and all kinds of other gubbins. USB ports can be easily and unobtrusively stashed wherever the car designer likes and the power requirements are low. Only thing it's no good for is running high powered accessories such as cigarette lighters and inverters. The standard is well established now and is sure to be around for a long time.
There are plenty of cig socket to usb adaptors around. One came with my MP3/ipod transmitter. I'm highly resistant to changing things as we then end up with two standards and before you know it, every car has a different size USB socket and nothing is compatible anymore. 95% of the time the old cig socket works ok and the old adage of "if it aint broke, don't try and fix it" seems appropriate here.
Yeah, and good for a lot more. I fitted one close the leisure battery in my campervan with about a foot of red and black good for 30 amps continuous (fuse within an inch of the positive battery terminal). I often run a 150 watt inverter off that socket to run a 240 volt TV and the socket doesn't even get warm. Must be drawing at least 15 amps. The USB limitation is down to the current available from the computer or USB hub, but I suspect the socket would get very hot or even melt much above 5 amps. Certainly an unacceptable voltage drop across it. Providing the cig socket and plug are not cheap or poorly designed (a lot are) its a perfect connector for the job.
I will have to accept that the lighter plug might be okay for heavy use items - but for many electronic items the plug is too big hand heavy, the contacts are a bit poor - especially if the lighter has been used and they are a bit burned. I just feel that there could be something much better for items like Sat Nav and phones.
"John" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
How many simultaneous alternatives are you planning to fit to the vast majority of production vehicles? This rate, there's going to be a bank of about four sockets on the dash of every car.
But anything that has a capability to be powered in a car such as Satnav comes with a cig lighter socket. You can buy a cig-socket to USB adapter as well.
As I said there are some very neat adaptors that plug into the ciggy lighter socket and leave you with one of the large USB sockets if that is what you prefer. Don't forget that if manufacturers mounted a USB socket in the car instead of a cigarette lighter socket, 12 volts would no longer available as USB is 5 volts and adaptors have an internal regulator to provide the 5 volts. As said before, even if the bare USB socket was used to provide power (with no regulator), it wouldn't stand much current compared to the ciggy socket.
On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:36:56 +0100, Graham wrote (in article ):
You can get problems at much less than 15 Amps.
I like to run a portable fridge and a sat nav when I go on holiday in my Toyota Corolla. I only have one power socket so I used one of those splitter devices from Halfords. The fridge takes around 5 A and the sat nav 0.5 A. The first splitter device I used got very hot after an hour or so of use and eventually melted inside. Another different one did the same. Eventually I found a plug which was rated at 8 Amps and wired this to a 3 socket device which I rewired inside with heavier wires. This seems to work, but I wouldn't like to try running anything that takes much higher current.
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