This site is going to cost me more money... I really like the idea of an extension for my cigarette lighter to use when inflating my air bed.Where could I get one, and how much should I expect to pay?
Thanks for that. I was just about to post a thread asking do I have to buy an electrical hook up cable and have a pitch with an electric supply just to pump my air bed up.
I don't mind doing the above apart from the whole point of me starting this camping thing was to get away from all the electrical stuff like computers etc for the weekends, and I know as soon as I have a mains power supply to the tent it will be 'lets take a portable tv next time, and then it will be the lap top, and then it will be the microwave, and then the playstation, and then.....'
Last Time we camped we pumped up the airbed by taking it to the car and plugging it in, the only problem with this was topping up the mattress, My solution is to use a little sealed lead acid battery (2.3Ah) with a cigarette socket attached , This should run my Pump for about 25 minutes
Or my 8W fluorescent light for about 3 Hours,
( The battery I'm using used to belong to a radio control car that my son broke , but maplin sell a similar sized on for about £14 )
I've been using an extended car lighter socket inside my tent for the last couple of years.
My previous car had 2 permanently live sockets in the boot which I could run the cable from and keep the car safely locked up at night. However, my new car doesn't so now I've got 2 mini crocodile clips on my car battery terminals instead of plugging into the cigar lighter.
If you cut the cable that the extension lead comes with you can join a piece of 12v cable (I've used B&Q garden lighting cable that I had left over from when I put lights in my garden) and then join it up. For added safety I cut the pieces so that one join is inside the car and the other is inside the tent, although both joins are wrapped in waterproof tape.
This arrangement means that provided I've got the tent within 15 metres of the car I can have 12v electricity. I've also got a 75w invertor that I can use for an Ikea IP44 rated lamp with an 11w low energy bulb meaning that I can also have some 240v electricity as well.
For this whole arrangement you need 1 car accessory socket adapter, some 12v garden light cable, 4 strip connectors to make the connections either side of the extension, black and red waterproof tape (to insulate the joins and mark the live and earth terminals if you use crocodile clips) and depending on you car's wiring 2 small crocodile clips (I got mine in Halfords), scissors and a small screwdriver. The 240v light and inverter are completely optional. The whole project should only take a few minutes.
Two final tips
1) Don't be tempted to make the cable too long as the voltage will start to drop off over 20 metres or so and be very noticeable on cable lengths of 30 metres;
2) Don't cross the cables over when your joining the pieces.
I've been using an extended car lighter socket inside my tent for the last couple of years.
My previous car had 2 permanently live sockets in the boot which I could run the cable from and keep the car safely locked up at night. However, my new car doesn't so now I've got 2 mini crocodile clips on my car battery terminals instead of plugging into the cigar lighter.
If you cut the cable that the extension lead comes with you can join a piece of 12v cable (I've used B&Q garden lighting cable that I had left over from when I put lights in my garden) and then join it up. For added safety I cut the pieces so that one join is inside the car and the other is inside the tent, although both joins are wrapped in waterproof tape.
This arrangement means that provided I've got the tent within 15 metres of the car I can have 12v electricity.
Could I ask - how long will it run a light before I need to stat the car (to recharge)
Thanks
------------- Loved the tent, but pitching/striking became less & less fun. Motorhome = arrive to brewing up in 10 minutes!
It depends on your car battery, what else your car has running (e.g. alarm, cool box, etc.), the size of the appliances you use, etc. but with an AA battery charger and my Ikea low voltage light I've left it running for several hours at a stretch with no problems.
Why not get a leisure battery for use in the tent and save risking running your car battery down? I use a portable power station to run 12v lights from.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
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Topic: Car lighter extension?
