Car Charger

The cigarette lighter receptacle (also called a cigar lighter receptacle or cigar lighter socket) in an automobile was initially designed to power an electrically heated cigarette lighter, but became a de facto standard DC connector to supply electrical power for portable accessories used in or near an automobile.



While the cigarette lighter receptacle is a common feature of automobiles and trucks, as a DC power connector it has the disadvantages of bulkiness, relatively low current rating, and poor contact reliability.
Examples of devices that can be operated from a cigarette lighter receptacle include lights, fans, beverage heating devices, and small motorized tools such as air compressors for inflating tires. Many portable electronic devices such as music players or mobile telephones use a cigarette lighter receptacle to recharge their internal batteries or to directly operate from the vehicle electrical system.
Adapters for electronic devices may change voltage to be compatible with the supplied device.
Devices that require alternating-current mains electricity can be operated with a plug-in inverter.
With the decline in the popularity of smoking, automobiles may provide several 12 V receptacles that are intended only to operate electrical accessories, and which cannot be used with a cigarette lighter.
Car manufacturers may offer a cigarette lighter only as an optional extra-cost accessory. Usually, only one 12 V receptacle near the driver will be able to accommodate an actual cigarette lighter, with other receptacles designated as "12 V auxiliary power outlets" which are not physically able to power a lighter.

Use as an electrical outlet

A 12 volt cigarette lighter plug, with a tip that may be unscrewed to replace an internal fuse
In newer cars, the socket is equipped with a plastic cover without the lighter heating element, due to declining popularity of smoking.
However, the socket has been repurposed and continues to be used to power consumer electronics in vehicles.

The use of cigarette lighter receptacles to supply 12 volt DC power is a classic example of backward compatibility to a de facto standard.
The connector falls far short of ideal, being physically large and awkward to use, while being less reliable than alternatives such as the Anderson Powerpole connector (which is often used by amateur radio enthusiasts in mobile operations).
Nevertheless, cigarette lighter receptacles are in widespread use, and all but the lowest-cost cars, trucks, RVs, and even boats can be expected to have at least one such receptacle.

The male plug is sometimes used to feed power into a vehicle to recharge its battery. For instance, portable solar battery maintainers generally connect to a vehicle's battery in this manner.
Trickle chargers also sometimes connect in this way, eliminating the need to leave a vehicle's hood open, as well as eliminating the possibility of reversed polarity.

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