useful socket

What can be common between a lamp, a mug, a TV and a breathalyzer? All these devices can be connected to the cigarette lighter in the car.

The cigarette lighter socket, as the name suggests, is used to connect an electric cigarette lighter to it. After briefly heating up to redness, it can be used to light a cigarette. But manufacturers of various gadgets have come up with a different use of this connector. It turns out that there are at least 20 different types of devices that can only be powered from the cigarette lighter. Some of them are well known, but some may surprise you. ingenuity.

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You can get several of these gadgets in supermarkets. The small compressor is definitely one of the most popular. Connected to the car's installation, it inflates the wheels in a few moments, including all the camping equipment that requires air (mattresses, pontoons). The cost of such a device - depending on the origin - from a dozen to 50 zlotys.

Home goods come from the same source. For example, for PLN 150-200 you can buy a car refrigerator. This is the perfect outfit for long trips - drinks and other food will definitely stay fresh even in the hottest heat.

Can you make hot coffee in the machine? Of course – all you need is the right mug. Made of metal and equipped with a slotted lid, it provides not only hot water, but also safe drinking without fear of spills and burns.

A heater with a suitable plug has a similar use. But in this case, you must also have a vessel in which you can boil water. Of course, you cannot use the heater while driving.

Car vacuum cleaners can also be replaced by popular cigarette lighter-powered devices. The only problem is that they have little power, which ensures that only lighter debris is picked up.

 

Heating devices also include seat heating. This provides special comfort in winter, when it can be cold inside the car. Especially recommended for people with root problems during long journeys. Such a cover costs about 35-50 zł. Mostly available at online auctions.

A mini-heater performs a similar function - the device resembles a former "farelka". It blows warm air, although it is difficult to talk about high efficiency (power, as a rule, up to 150 W). This can be useful for defrosting windows or as extra airflow to your feet. The cost of such a device is 30-70 zł.

On hot days, you can cool off with a small fan attached to the suction cup. Available for just a few PLN.

Multimedia and communication

The largest selection of gadgets powered by a cigarette lighter is related to communications. These are all types of chargers for phones, as well as power supplies for hands-free kits. Similarly, you can power other devices such as mp3 players, floppy drives and portable tape recorders, laptops, PDAs, and even TVs. The only problem is that such a TV is more expensive than a standard 230 V. Both color and black and white are available, with a diagonal of 10 to 14 inches. Their cost ranges from 70 to 400 zł. This is a great device for not-so-polite kids traveling in the back seat or camping out in a tent. But while driving, with frequent changes in direction and a rather poor antenna, it does not guarantee proper reception.

In the same way, the cigarette lighter powers the navigation systems if they are not built into the car permanently. The GPS consumes a lot of power, so the batteries can run out after just a few hours of use. Similarly, CB radios are powered, although these - if they are permanently installed in the car - it is better to constantly connect to the installation.

winch and converter

It is very useful to carry a lamp powered by a cigarette lighter in the car. They provide a much longer run time in an emergency (or, for example, on a hike) compared to a flashlight (in which, in addition, batteries age and wear out even if they are not used).

But this way you can connect not only lamps - you can use searchlights (spotlights) and all kinds of signal lamps (yellow “beacons”).

Other more specialized devices that can be powered by a vehicle installation include a car air ionizer, breathalyzer, and winch. However, most winches have too much power, so only the smallest ones should be connected to the cigarette lighter socket, with the power to pull, for example, a light water scooter onto a trailer. Such a device is mounted on a car hook. Its cost is about 150 zł.

Owners of portable or mobile retail kiosks will certainly be pleased with the presence on our market of cash registers that can operate on battery power. These include, among others, Novitus cash registers (formerly Optimus IC). As a result, they can last much longer than batteries.

One of the most interesting electrical devices that can be plugged into the cigarette lighter socket is the converter. At its output, a voltage of 230 volts is obtained, so theoretically any electrical device can be connected to it. However, you should be aware of the limited power consumption - up to 10 A. In addition, connecting a device that uses this current will quickly drain the battery - with a capacity of about 50 A. And such a power supply will last only 5 hours. And you don’t need to dream about turning on the engine in the car ...

Devices can be connected directly to the cigarette lighter or using extension cords and adapters of various lengths. So you can connect multiple devices at the same time.