Cigar Lighter Socket

A cigar lighter socket was integrated in vehicles in a traditional manner to offer convenience in lighting up cigars and cigarettes for riders and drivers. A flat knob covers the socket which is just out of the dashboard of the vehicle. Over the years, few people used to smoke and hence the demand for a cigarette coil was less. However, a large number of car models and brands have a lighter socket in the car. But the use of socket is not limited to lighting up cigarettes and cigars. The adapters can be plugged in socket for charging up small devices like portable vacuum cleaners, mobile phones and much more.

The car’s battery powers a cigar lighter socket. Besides powering the lighter socket, it powers other car accessories like a radio and to access power windows. A bright light indicates that the socket is turned on. A lighted cigarette image indicates the knob that covers the lighter socket.

Though the features of lighter socket have been in use for some time, the use of a lighter socket is hit by numerous problems. The difference in sizes of sockets and plugs is one of the common problems. There are no standard size of sockets and plugs. It is easy to find adapter plugs in shops that carry car accessories. But the differences in sizes make them loose and shaky. When the car happens to shake or move through rough paths, these plugs easily gets detached. As a result, drivers and other users have to plug the adapters again and again when it gets detached or buy a new unit with a better fitting.

Beside this, the cigar lighter socket provides unstable power. Hence there is a danger of malfunctioning of devices, if the devices are plugged in sockets which provides fluctuating current. For example, a 12V socket will not always offer the same power. When the vehicle is at rest, it may provide 12V but when the vehicle is moving it may provide 14.5V. Thus a discrepancy of five to six volts can be expected by the users.


In order to protect the plugged in adapter plugs from power fluctuations, car users can try certain suggestions and tips. If possible, have a DC/DC converter. They help to compensate smaller fluctuations in power. It is better to unplug the device when the car battery gets disconnected or when the vehicle is jump-started; this will avoid power fluctuations from damaging the device. When a vehicle is jump-started, the battery produces high voltages, especially when a car is jump started from a truck. This results in plugged device in lighter socket to get short-circuited. It is like plugging a 120V gadget in to an electrical socket which provides 240V power.