Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Accessoires and improvements on my Morgan

Hi PeterD,
Thanks for your reply.
I have been doing a bit of surfing and I think that I have found the same product as the one that you have, available from a UK supplier through Ebay. Take a look at the link:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LED-LENSER-12v-Car...=item43a14373dd

I can see that there have been many good reviews of this particular product, but it seems that the adapter does not fit very well in some makes of cars. It seems that in some cars the contacts can become separated easily through vibration and bumps in the road etc.. One has also caught fire ! (not good in a car made of wood !! )
If it is the same product, Peter, take care that you don't leave it plugged in all the time, just in case.

I think many people would be interested in the "glove box door opener". I've done a bit of googling but cannot find anything like it. If anyone knows exactly what it is, or something very similar, please do share!

Nigel

I'd hazard a guess that is because not all 'cigarette lighter' plugs and sockets are created equal. I worked for a company that made cellphone chargers and acquired many different plugs, few of which were a snug fit in the Morgan 'lighter' socket. In any event, these rechargeable LED 'torches' will always be draining the vehicle battery slightly as the outlet is permanently live. My advice - just buy a cheap LED torch form Deals Extreme. One thing I did to make my Plus 8 a bit more functional at night was hook up the illumination on the socket using a splice from the instrument lighting.

Sorry, that was for Peter and Northern Mogman - not Nigel - we have two topics here it seems!

Hello,

on my Morgan, the adapter fits perfect and tight.

The torch will drain the battery, but the current will be marginal. The clock does the same. After 4 winter-months, without a battery conditioner connected (the clock run), I started my Mog without problems. So, this aspect can be ignored.

I just liked the torch as it fits perfect, is small, powerfull and it has its own place in the glow box. However, I am non-smoker

Regards


Peter

Hi Peterd - you are a very lucky man! On my 2003 Plus8 I could not go more than 2 or 3 weeks without a recharge for the vehicle battery. In fact, I decided to remove the Morgan clock and keep it on my desk (powered using a small ac-dc converter) because it is so far over on the right I could not really see it. In its place I fitted an ambient temperature gauge so now my wife knows what to wear..........This is also how I got the cigarette lighter socket to light up as there is already a wire to the clock for illumination so you can splice into that - on mine the socket already had the light and connection, I don't know why Morgan didn't connect it at the factory

I replaced the cheap and nasty cig lighter socket on my 4/4.

I used a marine item - made by Sutars - much higher quality, has a rubber cap, and a defined ridge inside the opening which helps retain the "plug". This was essential to make a reliable connection with my CTEK charger, which is also now fitted with a Sutars plug rather than the suppled one. Total cost around £10.

The OE one is something you can buy for 99p or less in any Halfords etc, not exactly a quality item, and I do wonder why the car industry is still using a socket designed for intermittent connection with a pop-up cigarette lighter, for continuous 12v power, a really poor choice. All sorts of things will pop out of the standard socket, and if you don't have a cap (as in the Morgan) there is the potential for a short. The "DIN" socket used by BMW is not much better in my opinion. What we really need is a switched, polarised, protected socket that makes a good reliable connection, not some hangover from the past.

Nigel

PS still interested in the "glove box door opener thingy".

Nigel - you are correct, the whole subject is a complete dog's breakfast IMO
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigarette_lighter_receptacle

I completely agree! In my other cars, I changed or installed beside a DIN 12V socket and all devices I am using in the car have got the responding plug. This is save solution. For use in other cars (e.g. rented cars) I have an adaptor DIN<->cigarett-lightener socket, Just a short cable.

However, there are plugs for the cigarett-lightener socket very well made, fitting tight and staying on its place save fixed. I have got such in shops with electronic stuff.

The torch mentioned just fits well in design and function, and is a kind of "alibi" for the original cigarett lightener socket, as I didnt want to pull it out.

Peter

hello nputtick,

could you add a link where to find the marine tpye lighter socket made by Sutars?

Thanks!