cigarette lighter question

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mopardude318

mopardude318

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I'm rewiring a 68 cuda with an EZ wire 12 circuit kit. I have a buss block that I installed, powered from the ignition switch. (the ignition switch is powered by a 12 GA wire) and a 14 GA wire goes from the IGN switch power to power the buss block. I have a few terminals each of constant power, and key on power that go out from the buss block for the radio, cigarette lighter, and a couple other things, which are all 14 GA wire.

Should the 14 GA wire not be adequate for the Cig Lighter, I will have to change to 12 GA wire to power the buss block and run 12 GA from buss block to Cig lighter.

So my question is a 14 gauge wire adequate to power the cigarette lighter? or should I jump to a 12 gauge wire?
 
IIRC, the cigarette lighter is a 15A circuit, and a 14ga should be well more than good enough for that...interesting topic to bring up-I need to find out where the wire is broken on mine. Probably some clown in the past used it as a radio power or something...
 
Where the lighter is an intermittent short duty cycle device, and its feed is a rather short 24 inches or so, a 14 gage conductor should be OK.
 
It is 12. Do what ever but when your lighter don't pop your in trouble. You can never over wire constant battery feed . Check the fuse box cig wire . You'll see what it is
 
Point to consider is its usage. Today we commonly plug everything except cigarette lighters into those power ports. The fuse should protect the wire though. A 15 amp fuse should supply most anything you plug in there. If you expect a high draw there, larger components would be required. For instance, I have a thingy here that turns 1 lighter well into 3 wells/ports. I'm sure it could overheat the cars wiring with enough stuff drawing current though it.
 
What is a "buss block?" Is this a multi fuse block? A 14 from the switch to the block in my opinion is entirely inadequate, always go larger if you can.

In my opinion, 14 in this day and age is too small to a lighter, too.
 
Me quoting me:
Where the lighter is an intermittent short duty cycle device, and its feed is a rather short 24 inches or so, a 14 gage conductor should be OK.
Click to expand...



Sorry never gave a thought to running a bunch of devices from the lighter. I have old cars that go to shows and putt around town, and new cars that are loaded with extra stuff to plug in to a lighter. Never made the leap that some folks would be using the antique car as a modern transportation device in daily service.

Rather dumb on my part I guess.

If you are going to power GPS, laptops, i- whatever gismo, inverters etc. than up the amount of amps available to that circuit bypassing bulkhead connector, using #10 or #12 gage conductors with appropriate fusing. I would operate it via a relay triggered from ACC circuit and run ignition circuit.
 
RedFish said:
Point to consider is its usage. Today we commonly plug everything except cigarette lighters into those power ports. The fuse should protect the wire though. A 15 amp fuse should supply most anything you plug in there. If you expect a high draw there, larger components would be required. For instance, I have a thingy here that turns 1 lighter well into 3 wells/ports. I'm sure it could overheat the cars wiring with enough stuff drawing current though it.
Click to expand...

The ONLY thing I will be using it for would be to charge a cell phone or an Ipod.

67Dart273 said:
What is a "buss block?" Is this a multi fuse block? A 14 from the switch to the block in my opinion is entirely inadequate, always go larger if you can.

In my opinion, 14 in this day and age is too small to a lighter, too.
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm using the term "buss block" incorrectly. Here is what I have wired up, powered from the ignition switch.

IMG_3041.jpg
 
Oldmanmopar said:
It is 12. Do what ever but when your lighter don't pop your in trouble. You can never over wire constant battery feed . Check the fuse box cig wire . You'll see what it is
Click to expand...

Looking at the factory wire, I see that it is 14 GA...The new 14GA wire I am using is definitely a heavier 14GA wire than the factory stuff. So I'm not sure.

IMG_3043.jpg


Also, I would be powering up a GPS unit, and the cig plug for that has a 1 AMP fuse built into the plug. So there's no way that particular device can draw more than 1 amp.

Do yall know what this thing is?

IMG_3045.jpg
 
mopardude318 said:
...............Maybe I'm using the term "buss block" incorrectly. Here is what I have wired up, powered from the ignition switch.
Click to expand...

One problem is "Buss" or "Bussman" fuses and products is a brand name...............but............

In my world what you have is known as a "barrier terminal strip" or "terminal strip."

A buss bar is normally one solid conductor, like the ones below:

IMG_1995a.jpg


or..............

210-0448-001-ground-bus-bar.jpg
 
I think you should run 12 gauge wire (or even bigger) for the ignition switch-to-'bus block' connection. If I'm reading you correctly you're considering using a 12-gauge wire for a connection off the block to an accessory, when the wire to the block itself is only 14-gauge... If anything it needs to be BACKWARDS, if the cig lighter pulls enough current to melt a 14-gauge wire it will surely melt the one from the ignition switch before its own; the power supply to the block needs to be able to support the SUM of the potential max current used by all the accessories at the same time.

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I'm surprised no one else mentioned this...
 
Okay. thanks for clearing that up. So on the limited use the cig lighter will endure, (cell phone charger) 14GA in your opinion is too small?
 
MOPEkidD-3 said:
I think you should run 12 gauge wire (or even bigger) for the ignition switch-to-'bus block' connection. If I'm reading you correctly you're considering using a 12-gauge wire for a connection off the block to an accessory, when the wire to the block itself is only 14-gauge... If anything it needs to be BACKWARDS, if the cig lighter pulls enough current to melt a 14-gauge wire it will surely melt the one from the ignition switch before its own; the power supply to the block needs to be able to support the SUM of the potential max current used by all the accessories at the same time.

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I'm surprised no one else mentioned this...
Click to expand...

No, a 12 GA wire powers the ignition switch. A 14 GA wire powers the "terminal strip". and from that "terminal strip" I've ran a 14 GA wire to the cig lighter. in order for me to change that, id have to power the terminal strip with a 12 GA wire, and continue that 12 GA wire on to the cig lighter. if it is totally inadequate, then I will go through the work to change it. My main concern is, how much power does it take to actually "power" the cig lighter? is a 14 GA too small for that load?
 
Yes of course you should have a fuse. If the "buss bar" is powered off of the ignition switch without any fuses what do think will happen if you get a short on the cigar lighter circuit? Without a fuse you run the risk of finding yourself stranded with a potential electrical fire. I am not familiar with the EZ wire kit, it may have circuit protection before the ignition switch in that case a cigar lighter short will only leave you stranded. I have seen many many many accessory socket fuses blown by cell phone/laptop/gps charger cords. Not blown by the device itself just the plug itself can be the problem. The socket has both power and ground and that is all that is needed for a crummy "made in china" charger to wreak some havoc
 
My rule of thumb is

Fuse or breaker everything you can, as close to the battery as you can

If in doubt, use larger wire

All old Mopars are inadequately fused

All old Mopars use undersized wire (Headlights/ tail lights / signals are good example, as is the original battery feed and charging wire.)

Many argue that the wiring was "adequate for the day" but "back in the day" with the simple addition of some amateur radio gear, I managed to pretty well melt the bulkhead connector of my '70, and it only had a 60? amp alternator. I also ran 4537 landing lights back then, 100W apiece X2, so nearly 20A just for those on "dark and stormy nights"

And, I pulled a trailer with that car. I finally got mad one day, and had a great big roll of surplus no 14 silver plated, teflon insulated wire. I yanked the rear harness out, and rebuilt it with no14. HUGE difference. That car had 4 rear lamps, so those plus the clearance/ tail/ signal lamps on the trailer got "pretty dim" back there.
 
mopardude318 said:
No, a 12 GA wire powers the ignition switch. A 14 GA wire powers the "terminal strip". and from that "terminal strip" I've ran a 14 GA wire to the cig lighter. in order for me to change that, id have to power the terminal strip with a 12 GA wire, and continue that 12 GA wire on to the cig lighter. if it is totally inadequate, then I will go through the work to change it. My main concern is, how much power does it take to actually "power" the cig lighter? is a 14 GA too small for that load?
Click to expand...

No what I'm saying is a 14 GA wire might be enough for the cig lighter itself BUT you should make the power supply from ign. switch to the terminal strip bigger. Think about it, that one wire has to supply power to the cig. lighter AND all the other electronics coming off the terminal strip, not just one at a time.

I'd also recommend a beefy fuse for the power supply circuit (ign. switch to terminal strip) to be safe.
 
okay guys thank you very much. i will upgrade to 12GA wire and make the terminal strip fused.
 
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