[BigMountainBigAir]

Hey all; I'm the most inexperienced guy when it comes to putting electrical stuff together. I want to have three charger sockets for phone, nav,and any other accessories. I'm going to be putting a black plastic plate over the ashtray and installing the two jacks you can see in the photos. The other photo is of the wires that connect to the back of the current cigarette lighter adapter.

There are three connection points on the new adapters...one is the outer shell, the other is the inner copper ring, and the last i'm guessing is the ground (in black).

Here's the question:

-how do i connect each one of these together? I'm thinking maybe I could even make it so the two others are always on, but i'd guess I'd have to run a power wire direct from battery for that. not super important unless there's an easy fix.

please bear in mind i'm a simpleton... diagrams wouldnt be bad...hahah. I dont even know which is positive on cig adapter, i'm guessing the outer shell?

HEEELPP

Thanks!

 

[BigMountainBigAir]

shoot i forgot the photos
in the ashtray:

 

[RRToadHall]

The lighter only has two wires. Center is power, rim is ground. The third wire is for lighting power wich is grounded by the same rim ground as the lighter. Remember when running multiple items on a single lighter circuit not to exceed your original amp rating. Also keep in mind that you may rin into interferrence on audio or video equipment.

 

[Tango]

What about one of these instead?

 

[BigMountainBigAir]

i have one and i'm tired of the sloppiness of wires...

toadie, thanks brother. shouldve just pm'd you..haha.

 

[BigMountainBigAir]

what's my amp rating on that circuit? i'm thinking ipod adapter, nav, and cell phone charger. how can we avoid interference?

 

[rogan]

wiring as rrt..h.. suggested. All earths get connected together. Connecting power supply is your issue. Figure out what ampage you are going to draw and see if it exceeds the standard fuse. If it does then I'd run new power from the battery and use a relay to switch it from an ignition power source if needed.

Remember to fuse any new power wires you run as close to the battery as possible. The smell of burnt human is difficult to get out of the upholstery.

 

[rogan]

My home cellphone charger has a 5.1v 0.7a output. So on a 12v system it's going to be about 0.3a.

Ipod would be about the same I'm guessing. No idea on nav, but mine will charge off usb which is low ampage. Allow 3a total and you should be good

 

[munichp38a]

The original cigarette lighter should be rated for 10 amps (at least it will power a 100W handheld light (about 8 amps) without problems).

I don't think you'll run into problems, but you should check it just to be on the safe side, it should be written on the devices/plugs.

Sigi

 

[JeremyD]

Wow its lats and im tired so excuse me if I dont make sense but I will try and help. I also needed another socket for my GPS and didnt want wires everywere so I tapped into the wires going to the OEM cigarette lighter and attched an aditional one I then plugged the GPS power supply in and taped it up and tucked it under the dash I then wired the other end of the cable under the drivers footwell and then up between the dash and the windscreen and then plugged it into the gps unit. I ended up with a neatly wired in GPS with no wires anywere and a still open to use cigarette lighter for my cell of I-pod.

Like I said it late and im tired so drop me a message and I will try help.

 

[waveydavey]

I do like this idea if we can make a nice plate to go over there. Like many I never use the ashtray, in fact its removed. The hole is a useless cubbyhole as things fall out the bottom.

Considering the feed is designed for a resistive heating load you really would be going some to overload it on pocket electronics! OK it never hurts to check but that is really a bit of excessive worrying.

 

[BigMountainBigAir]

Yes I'm going to make an adapter and probably throw a few of them together for the others on the forum if interested. I'm thinking a piece of black plastic cut to fit, fastened with superglue. Two adapters installed. Only issue is that the ones I have are going to light up orange rather than Rover green because the ring around them is orange (see photo).

 

[996TURBO]

I'm in the same boat but IMHO a range rover deserves better than an open astray with 3 or 4 power adapters in view.
All that world would be better with hidden cables. I'll see what can be done when i'll replace my blend motors

 

[BigMountainBigAir]

Flush mounted sockets inside the ashtray aren't unsightly.

It sure as hell beats those extension cord types with a few extra sockets u wedge betwee your seat and center console.
Many suvs now have a bunch of sockets available all over their dash. I like the ashtray BC if in not plugging anything in I just close it. I'm just going to buy some 16 gauge wire and jumper it in with those quick connects. Anyone know exact diameter of socket rim so I can get the right hole saw bit? They will actually screw down tightly right to plastic.

 

[JeremyD]

I think its a 17mm but use a micrometer to check but make sure your not measuring the neck that will protrude