Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) cigarette lighter in 1991 cvh 4/4

If I have a cigarette lighter in my car - where will I find it ? and can it be used to charge the battery or even start the car in an emergency flat batt situation.

Probably not fitted in 1991 Mike (?). Easily fitted in your glove box using a 12v outlet with a coily lead and connecting to a permanently live feed. I use mine for the battery conditioner without issues but wouldn't charge a flat battery through it.

+1

in the past Bosh have some strong car lighter can be use for charge or start, but i think they have stop it maybe try to look for Hella products, but because of the thick cable it need it will be hard to hide (but easy access) in the cockpit, butter to fix it in the bonnet ... but you can't use for charge a GPS or mobile

I fitted a dual lighter outlet into my 88 4/4, it was easy enough to wire up and it is fitted to the outside of the glove box underneath the dash, out of sight. Make sure you have an inline fuse, and it is wired to the accessories so the power goes off, otherwise if you leave something plugged in it will drain the battery.

Don't use for emergency starting!
The socket and cables are not heavy enough for the several hundred amps that a starter can draw...
As there wasn't one on my '91 I wired one directly (via a 10A fuse) to the cut off switch behind the driver's seat, feeding though a small hole I made in the heelboard. I also wired, again via a fuse a CTEK charge lead, direct to the battery.
Both connectors sit between passenger seat and trans tunnel.
Do you have a master cut out switch (big red key)? Is it located on the bulkhead or behind the seat?

Cigarette lighter sockets are of very poor design and barely able to perform their primary function. The spring loaded centre pin on the plug makes contact over a small surface area on a flat blade in the socket. This is outdated clunky technology that is not fit for purpose although sadly still used by car manufacturers and adopted to power satnavs, charge phones etc.

Don't even dream of using one to boost the battery for starting purposes - if you don't blow the fuse the wiring will burn out. Even using one to charge the battery will be inefficient due to volt drop on skinny wiring and poor connection. Even then only a low capacity charger could be used, say max 5 amps.

A far superior plug and matching socket is the Hella/DIN type. Here the central pin is firmly gripped between two blades on the socket and with a greater outer contact area. Typically they have at least a 10 amp rating despite being more compact.

If you wire it this way, it cannot be used for maintenance charging of the battery.

Harald

[quote=Richard Wood [/quote]

this is exactly the one i am talking about just before, normally they are used in truck (24V) and some camping car , in the past bosh have a stronger one but it look like they have stop it, such car lighter for the best should be use after contact but with a strong relay so doing like this you don't fear any trouble, the more trouble in the era of today is find the socket for the relay only in truck & camping car field you can find such little jewels ...

I fitted one to my '93. 4/4.
Made an aluminium mount and screwed it to the ash frame behind/below the dash above passenger well.
I wanted it for my satnav and mobile charging. I took power from the unused radio power supply wire and fitted an inline fuse.
DON'T use it for emergency starting! You will melt the wiring and risk a fire. Think how many amps the starter draws!!!!!!
Low amperage plug in accessories are safe enough though.
if you want a battery boost then you need to think about suitable access to the battery which is under the rear shelf near the axle?