Rewiring Phone Charger

You can get double (and triple) socket adaptors... E.g.

David.

This is trivial, you just pick up +12v from a wire and ground either from a wire or by screwing down a connector onto the metalwork.

Connect the + and -ve to those wires. Don't even bother with the cig lighter socket, although the +ve to the back of it is a decent place to pick up some power from the car wiring. +ve is the centre pin, -ve is the surrounding metal, by the way.

Apparently >Hi All,

Cheers for the posts guys.

Had seen the double adapters but wasnt sure how reliable they were but having an extension lead will mean I can hide it behind the dash or out of sight.

Cheers for the wiring answer, thing I get what you mean, will have a look at the back of the cig lighter at some time.

Cheers Again

If you're going to use the ciggie lighter feed to supply your phone charger I'd bung a fuse in line. In the tip of the ciggie lighter plug you'll find a fuse (1,2,3 ? amps) I'd put the same value fuse in line.

If you were intending just hacking off the charger plug and wiring direct to the car, I'd be careful. There is almost certainly charging electronics in that plug.

Why not get a proper car kit? This will include a charger designed to be connected direct.

The message from "Andrewr At Work" contains these words:

Are you positive?

I've just had all the electrons removed from my body. Are you sure? Yes, I'm positive.

Similar question. On our Opel Astra the ciggy lighter is switched through the ignition key. Where would I best find the nearest none switched + ?

Fuse box is the ideal place. Interior light and Radio memory wire are two others.

Thanks. I'll go take a look.

You risk draining the battery plugging anything in this way.

On most cars, the interior light has a permanent +12v and when you open a door, the switch grounds the other side to turn the light on. Also, the headlights and hazard lights will be +12v because they have to be able to work with the key out.

As has been mentioned, you want to ensure there is a fuse in there somewhere rather than wiring it straight onto the battery terminal.

In message , Bob Mc writes

The hazard light switch is one of my favourites, provided that the power drain is going to be fairly low. They're usually fairly easy to pop out and you should find both +12v permanent live and ground on the connector.

If you're going to use the ground, then make sure it's actually the ground! The low resistance of the bulbs will happily trigger the continuity beep on a multimeter, so check it with a voltmeter against a known 12v source with the hazard lights switched on and make sure it doesn't pulse.

I'm thinking of things like charging mobile phones - nothing heavy.

The problem is when the wiring shorts out. I've been there, and with no fuse, you get clouds of acrid smoke coming out of the heater vents. Thin wires are just as good at burning out.

Good point, well presented!