Cigarette lighter for charging cell phone question

[jvelde]

Have converted our ‘39 Buick to 12 volt, wondering if charging cell phone from cigarette lighter will be a problem. Don’t want to experiment and start a fire, but going on 5 day tour and could sure use a charger for cell phone and GPS.  Anyone have experience?
Thanks, John V. 

[Gary_Ash]

 A 12 volt power outlet with 5 amp fuse should be OK.  We just got back from a 5-day tour in our 1941 Studebaker without 12 volt charging ability, so I immediately bought a 6 volt, positive ground to 12 volt, negative ground converter sold by Custom Autosound that delivers up to 5 amps at 12 volts. Having communication and navigation via cell phones in an old car is really useful.  I’ll hide the outlet under the dash. 

[Jim Bollman]

As long as you converted to 12v negative ground your cell phone charger should work just like in your modern car. Cell phone chargers don't pull anywhere near as much as a cigarette lighter does.

[Jim Bollman]

If your still nervous, assuming your cell phone charger is really a USB charger, most are these days, they sell USB testers for under $10 that you can plug in and it will show the voltage and if it is around 5v plug your cell phone in and it will tell you how much current your cellphone is pulling.

[jvelde]

Thank you, the Buick is negative ground, so I will check the lighter socket output and then check that of my modern cars’ socket to see if we are still in business. 
Thanks again, John V. 

[joe_padavano]

There are about a bazillion different USB outlets for automotive hardwire installation, including snap-in, flange mount, bracket mount, etc.

 

 

[Pete O]

13 hours ago, Jim Bollman said:

As long as you converted to 12v negative ground your cell phone charger should work just like in your modern car. Cell phone chargers don't pull anywhere near as much as a cigarette lighter does.

Actually, it isn't even necessary to have converted to 12v.   A cell phone car charger will work perfectly plugged into a 6v  cigarette lighter outlet.

[JACK M]

I took a road trip a few years ago in a rig that didn't have  cig lighter but was 12v neg ground.

I ran some wire from under the hood and thru the passenger side vent window and hooked up to a cig lighter socket and laid it on the seat beside me.

It didn't charge my phone worth a damn.

 

Jump forward a few years to last week and driving a modern pick up I must have grabbed the same plug in charger as I didn't have very good luck charging this time either.

The red led came on but would not charge the phone.

That cord was in the hotel trash can when I left.

The quickie gas stop store had a cord for cheap that the new truck could accept (I think its called a USB port).

I am obviously not up on the new stuff.

Didn't mean to hijack, I hope you have better luck than I did.

Edited October 3, 2021 by JACK M (see edit history)

[jvelde]

Took about a 30 minute drive this afternoon and the phone charger worked fine.  Only charged up about 15 points, but that tells me it will work fine on our tour.  Appreciate the comments confirming this would work.

Thank you, John

[Frank DuVal]

On 10/3/2021 at 10:37 AM, Pete O said:

Actually, it isn't even necessary to have converted to 12v.   A cell phone car charger will work perfectly plugged into a 6v  cigarette lighter outlet

I do think the car needs to be 6 volt Negative ground, though.

[49-P15]

I have A 1948 Plymouth (6v positive ground).  I rigged up a cigarette lighter socket with the poles reversed (so that the lighter would see a negative ground for anything plugged into it.  It ran my GPS just fine.  

 

So 6V is fine,  but you will need to reverse the polarity.  I just tuck it up under the dash when not in use.

[Pete O]

On 10/4/2021 at 10:17 PM, Frank DuVal said:

I do think the car needs to be 6 volt Negative ground, though.

Yes, just reverse the wires on the socket when hooking it up.