I plugged an inverter into my accessory socket, and it blew a fuse in my truck. I replaced the truck fuse but now the accessory socket still doesn't work (I've tried plugging in other items that I know work). Any ideas? Are there any other fuses or relays that it might have tripped and where would they be? It's a 2002 Tundra. Anyone got an idea or wiring diagram? Storm victim here trying to watch TV on inverter. Thanks
There is a thermal link 'fuse' on the back of the lighter socket body, meant to blow from heat if someone shoves in the lighter and jams it into place - the thermal link pops before the dashboard catches on fire. Your factory lighter socket is only good for about
10 amps continuous, as you just found out, and it's switched through the ignition key. *** Read the warning boxes at the bottom. It's Important stuff. ***Normally, you just change out the whole lighter socket when it goes bad - but in an emergency you can pop the socket out of the dashboard and replace that link with a glob of solder, reassemble, Fixed. It might get a little hotter before it pops, but you still have _some_ protection.
Your best bet for a semi-permanent fix is to hardwire your inverter straight to the battery terminals with the appropriate size wire and fuse in line. If you have an inverter that's 200 - 250 watts or larger, you really need to do this.
If it's one of the "baby" 75 to 150 watt inverters, you can install a separate "Accessory Outlet" socket under the dashboard fed straight from the battery, again with the right size fuse inline at the battery. Those sockets do not have the bimetal 'clip' for a lighter element, and can easily handle 25 to 30 amps continuous.
*** WARNING: Do Not sit there watching TV for more than about a half hour at a time without running the truck engine to recharge the battery - and to get the voltage high enough to recharge properly you need 'fast idle' over 1500 - 2000 RPM. At the normal 700 RPM curb idle the alternator barely puts out enough to keep the engine running. *** WARNING Pt. 2: If you deep discharge a regular car starting battery by running the inverter for a few hours before recharging with the alternator - or worse, let it sit half dead all night and wait till the next morning to recharge it, you can ruin the battery very quickly. Car starting batteries are made to give a big burst of power to start the engine, then be fully recharged immediately. In about a 6 to 12 deep discharge cycles it will just die, and now is /not/ the time to kill your battery.If you plan to do this often, install a second "Deep Cycle" battery in your truck that can handle that use with ease (same type used in motorhomes and travel trailers) and a diode or relay charging isolator. You can run them down pretty low for several hundred cycles, and they bounce right back.
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