I had an 06 S40 and now I have a 2010 c30, and I remember the s40 had cigarette lighters that were flaky at best. At the time I thought it was just that car... but my C30 cigarette lighters don’t always supply power... but sometimes they do. Is the problem poor quality cigarette lighters or is there some kind of wiring issue? Is the circuit just overtaxed? It won’t even light up the power light on my GPS power supply without the GPS attached right now. Nothing else is plugged in. Ideas? Thanks!
What is the deal with cigarette lighters?
FatalXCept10n
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I had an 06 S40 and now I have a 2010 c30, and I remember the s40 had cigarette lighters that were flaky at best. At the time I thought it was just that car... but my C30 cigarette lighters don’t always supply power... but sometimes they do. Is the problem poor quality cigarette lighters or is there some kind of wiring issue? Is the circuit just overtaxed? It won’t even light up the power light on my GPS power supply without the GPS attached right now. Nothing else is plugged in. Ideas? Thanks!
Check for corrosion or something impeding contact with the terminal... for several weeks my wife kept telling me hers had stopped working, but it never got quite to the top of my to do list... when I finally did get to look at it there was a small piece of cellophane, probably part of a candy wrapper or similar sitting at the bottom of the socket, perfectly placed to isolate the positive terminal.
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Many ciggie lighter type power points have negative terminal contact issues, which is the part making contact with the barrel. The socket may have a contact point in only part of the barrel surface area, instead of a full concentric contact area. Some of my chargers and such only have contact at a metal springy bit in the plastic plug. If that doesn't actually clock to the limited contact area in the lighter hole, there are problems.
Check your adapter. You've probably got an American style device, where as the Volvo is a euro style which is a bit bigger.
12-volt cigarette lighter receptacle and plug, size A:
Receptacle inside diameter: 20.93-21.01 mm (median 20.97 mm)
Plug body diameter: 20.73-20.88 mm (median 20.805 mm)
Most often used in American automobiles
12-volt cigarette lighter receptacle and plug, size B:
Receptacle inside diameter: 21.41-21.51 mm (median 21.455 mm)
Plug body diameter: 21.13-21.33 mm (median 21.18 mm)
Most often used in European automobiles,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_auxiliary_power_outlet#Technical_details
12-volt cigarette lighter receptacle and plug, size A:
Receptacle inside diameter: 20.93-21.01 mm (median 20.97 mm)
Plug body diameter: 20.73-20.88 mm (median 20.805 mm)
Most often used in American automobiles
12-volt cigarette lighter receptacle and plug, size B:
Receptacle inside diameter: 21.41-21.51 mm (median 21.455 mm)
Plug body diameter: 21.13-21.33 mm (median 21.18 mm)
Most often used in European automobiles,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_auxiliary_power_outlet#Technical_details
That explains a lot... thanks... never knew that, was putting it down to an inherently flawed design and ten years of use... but if the hole is a half mm bigger that’s a whole lot less friction on the plug.
So where can one buy the Euro size USB plug?
It confounds me that with so few people smoking now, car designers kept that design for power cords when it was originally intended to light cigars! I think I will remove mine and fasten a USB socket in there somehow.
Ken
Ken
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It's a legacy thing. Some smart guy years ago made a power adapter that fit in the lighter, maybe for a spotlight. I have a lot of devices that plug into ciggie lighter holes. Many of them won't work on 5v USB, like a portable inverter, 12v coffee maker, 12v blender or a map device (now redundant). But I have a very stylish double USB that is almost a flush fit that fills the hole on mine. Good fit, too. Bought it at the swap meet (car boot sale, to some).
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