Powering bits and bobs via cigar lighters

[FullyFlapped]

A recent thread suggested that things such as GPS, PDA, PCs etc should not be powered (presumably via an appropriate adaptor) from the cigar lighter in one of Mr. Cessna's fine Gentleman's Aerial Carriages, or similar.

Do the wise heads out there know if there any particular reasons why this should be so ?

FF :ok:

[Monocock]

I used to power my colour Skymap via the cigar lighter in my Luscombe. I had to stop because each time I disconnected the jack plug to enable me to light up a Monte Cristo Havana (No. 4) the damn Skymap would die.

It was a right old kerfuffle so I now just carry loads of batteries.

:}

That was not a serious comment before the "right on" brigade launch an attack. I don't smoke Havanas in the a/c.

I can't since the ashtray became full

[L-Band]

Some aircraft have a 24 volt electrical system, and they do not make 24 volt lighters so Cessna put a resistor in to drop the voltage. Now if you connect a piece of equipment that does not take the same current as the lighter you are at risk of putting 24 volts on your expensive toy.:{

[Spiney Norman]

Monocock.
I do like your style! I looked at the possibility of getting hold of a kettle for that fresh brewed cup of tea whilst farm strip visiting in my Luscombe. Problem was the enormous power drain! You sound like the sort of man who has one, or even a coffee perculator??

Spiney :ok:

[FullyFlapped]

Mono,

I would recommend a switch to No.2's ... after all, they tell me that extra inch makes all the difference ...

L-Band,

You can get 24-volt adaptors for the special toys .. I have one for the Tablet PC I'd like to power. (They're not all that unusual, actually, because many trucks have 24V PSUs).

What I really wanted to know, though, is does anyone have any evidence to say that using an adaptor into the fag lighter (usage would after all be more or less continuous) cause anything to cook or go pop ?

FF :ok:

[Monocock]

Spiney

I just make sure I only drop in to strips where women are still women and are intent on satisfying their male visitors with large bacon sandwiches (with deep rind) and fresh Assam broken pekoe tea.

If they are wearing those Little House on the Prairie dresses all the better but they seem to be less fashionable these days.

[VP959]

Love it! (the cigar anecdote that is....)

I used to fly a certain 2 pilot A/C with a chap who regularly smoked cigars. As he wasn't permitted to smoke whilst we were on the ground, he'd invariably hand control over to me on the climb out whilst he lit up. Mind you, the A/C in question did have ashtrays in the armrests, and was, according to the ODM, approved for "smoking on the flight deck". I doubt that such a bold statement would be allowed in the politically correct world we live in today.

[FullyFlapped]

Come along chaps, focus, focus !!

Let me try this another way. Does anyone regularly and happily use a cigar-lighter socket adaptor to power anything whilst flying along ? I really don't mind if it's Mono's portable dehumidifer, electric Havana topper etc ... although I'd prefer to hear the following :

"Yes, FF old china, I happily use my cigar-socket-adaptor to power a veritable array of GPS/PDA/etc in my Cxxx, and it doesn't cause the compass to spin wildly, nor the radios to buzz, nor..." - I'm sure you get my drift ...

Ah well, a man can dream ....

FF :rolleyes:

[Three Blades]

I do not have a cigar lighter as a standard fitting but rather arranged for the switched AUX power to terminates in a trailing cigar socket so that I could easily alter what was plugged in.
As I have a 24v aircraft, this output also comes at 24v.
I run a Garmin GPS through it using the standard cigar plug. I checked with Garmin before doing this and they confirmed that the input voltage for the plug can be up to about 36v.
In general, cigar plugs have a solid state voltage regulator in them that can be supplied with any voltage from a minimum close to the voltage required by the end device and up to something like 36v.
I would emphasise that you should check with the instruction book or the manufacturer of the particular plug if your aircraft has anything but a 12v system. However I would be surprised if 24v is not acceptable on many plugs as this is standard on trucks.

I hope this helps a bit
TB

[dublinpilot]

I regularly power my PDA/GPS via the cigarette lighter in a PA28.

Doesn't blow it up, cause the compass to swing wildly, regular engine failures or any such.

dp

[Davidt]

I have a CO Guardian carbon monoxide detector plugged in all the time its specifically made to run off a ciggy lighter and specifically for light aircraft. I have heard there is a problem running stuff off the lighter but dont know exactly what the issue is if there is one!

[Three Blades]

On the assumption that manufacturers of light aircraft do not expect pliots to light up whilst on board, I would assume that any cigar socket as a standard fitment is actually designed to be used to power GPS/PDAs etc

[Final 3 Greens]

You just be kidding!

Most of the GA fleet were built long before GPS, in the days when smoking was considered safe and flying light aircraft was dangerous.

[FullyFlapped]

DublinPilot and DavidT,

Many thanks !

FF :ok:

[Genghis the Engineer]

On my microlight I have a 12 volt generator. What I've done on that is put a smallish 12V battery there, fed continuously by the 12V supply, and which in turn supplies any gadgetry I happen to have fitted (certainly an ICOM, possibly other bits and bobs).

In my light aircraft flying, I'm fortunate in not really needing to supply anything from the lighter socket, but if I did would probably contrive something similar to avoid power interruptions.

In my car I run a CD player and a radar detector from the 12V cigar socket. The supply is irritatingly fragile and I'm seriously considering putting a small Yuasa battery in the circuit to prevent short-term outages (particularly irritating if in the middle of an audiobook!).

Incidentally, I also use "phono" plugs in the microlight rather than cigar lighter plugs - not only are they smaller and lighter, but I find them much more secure and unlikely to fall out.

G

[david viewing]

I have a feeling that plugging a GPS into the cigar lighter probably consitutes a mod. Who cares? Well I didn't, until coming back to my aircraft at Shawbury to find a CAA man photographing the GPS yoke mount that my partner was in the habit of using (note past tense) to illustrate some bizarre article on "evil GPS causing control flutter" or something. (The article wasn't entitled "GPS rescues 100's of lost pilots" or "GPS prevents 1000's of infringements" for some reason.)

[Keef]

To answer the question: there's no generic reason not to plug stuff into the cigar lighter socket, rather than (for example) to power it off internal or external batteries.

If your device pulls more than the rated power output, the contact breaker will pop. This is a hint not to plug that thing in there again.

However...

You need to decide whether or not it is a good idea to have the particular device in the aeroplane in the first place. A different decision.

AND

If your cigar lighter is 24v and you plug in some 12v equipment, it will not survive the experience. Some stuff has the necessary voltage protection, but I would make a simple rule "nothing 12v goes in a 24v aeroplane". Safer that way.

AND

If the device has rechargeable batteries, check very carefully the manufacturer's instructions about what voltage may be fed into the device. Some rechargeables can get extremely hot and do some very antisocial things.