Depending on your make and model vehicle, the cigarette lighter—or accessory outlet—fuse may be labeled differently, but many car’s designate the lighter fuse as “LTR”, short for lighter, and you can find it in the fuse box under the hood.
How can you tell if a cigarette lighter fuse is blown?
Check for Power
The easiest is to simply plug in the cigarette lighter if you have it. If the lighter heats up and pops out, then the socket has power. You can also use a test light to check for power, if you have one, or examine the fuse panel to see if the cigarette lighter fuse is blown.
How do you fix a blown cigarette lighter fuse?
Use the fuse gripper tool included in the fuse box (or your fingers) to pull out the fuse. If the metal on the fuse looks broken or burned, it will need to be replaced. Buy a new fuse of the same amperage from your dealer or auto parts store and replace the bad fuse. Once installed, try the cigarette lighter again.
How many amps is a cigarette lighter fuse?
Most cigarette lighters run on a 10-amp fuse that allows for 12 volts or 120 watts of power output at maximum. There may be some variance on this depending on your vehicle.
What fuse is for cigarette lighter? – Related Questions
What current does a car cigarette lighter draw?
The voltage of the power outlet is usually near 12 V DC, and may be elevated between 13.5 V to 15 V while the engine is running. The 12 V power circuit is protected by a car fuse, often rated at 10 to 20 amperes, which amounts from 120 to 240 watts.
Why do my fuses keep blowing?
Overloaded Circuit
The most common cause of a blown fuse is when something draws too much power from the circuit. This is most often caused by either too many lights or from using too many plug-in appliances at once. The biggest culprit for this kind of issue is a multiple outlet adapter plugged into a socket.
How many amps is 20 watts at 12 volts?
To work out the amps you just divide 20 watts by 12 volts and you get 1.67 amps.
What can a 12V outlet power?
The 12V socket, also known variously as a car cigarette lighter or 12V auxiliary power outlet, is the primary method by which power is delivered to portable electronics in cars, trucks, recreational vehicles, boats, and in a handful of other contexts.
How many amps is a car battery?
Size and type of vehicle dictate a battery’s amps, but most car batteries are 550 to 1,000 amps. For example, some experts recommend a heavier duty truck’s battery be over 1,000 amps. Meanwhile, a smaller car may be in the 400 to 600 amp range.
Can I replace a fuse with a higher amp?
Do not replace a blown fuse with one that has a higher amperage rating. The fuse has a specific amperage rating because it is intended to be the weak link in the circuit to protect the electrical components. A blown fuse indicates excessive current has entered the circuit.
What happens if you put the wrong fuse in a car?
If you use a fuse with the wrong amperage, the fuse won’t blow as intended, damaging the circuit and resulting in a much larger repair bill. Rather than risk blowing the circuit, take the car to a repair shop to determine what is causing the fuse to repeatedly blow.
Can you put a 20 amp fuse in a 15-amp car?
The answer: It’s possible, but not advisable without an electrician evaluating the situation. You should never just upgrade from a 15-amp breaker to a 20-amp one just because the current one is tripping. Otherwise, you may burn your house down via electrical fire.
How do I know what size fuse I need?
B Calculate MINIMUM FUSE AMPERAGE by multiplying product amperage rating by 125%. Minimum fuse amperage provides more protection for the wire but may result in nuisance blows. Example: 80A x 125% = 100A. C Choose FUSE AMPERAGE near the middle of this range.
What size fuse do I need for a 12V cigarette lighter?
Ever wondered what the appropriate fuse amperage for a cigarette lighter is? Well, it’s recommended that you use an amp fuse with an amperage between 7 and 10, but never anything over 15.
How do I know which fuse to use in my car?
Look under “Fuses” in your owner’s manual for help finding your fuse panels. Most manuals have a diagram showing you where each fuse box is. Each fuse panel cover should have a diagram listing each device and the corresponding fuse.
How do I know what type of fuse to use?
The simple calculation is watts divided by volts equals amps. After you have calculated this, it is a simple case of adding around 10% to the value and choosing the nearest fuse to match. This is a more precise method then just guessing should you require a 3, 5, or even 13 amp fuse.
What are the 3 types of fuses?
Classification of Fuses
Fuses can be classified as “One Time Only Fuse”, “Resettable Fuse”, “Current limiting and non – current limiting fuses” based on the usage for different applications.
What are the 5 types of fuses?
The low voltage fuses are divided into five types and those are of the rewirable, cartridge, drop out, striker, and switch fuses.
What fuse do I need for a 12V battery?
You can use a 32A fuse for each battery. Use real thick wires! and as short as possible. One voltage drop over a wire uses 83 watt, that will fry your wire for sure.
What size fuse should I use for a battery?
Fuses should be at least 25% larger than the maximum continuous current you plan to draw. It is OK if surge current (for a couple seconds to start a motor) is higher, up to twice fuse rating. If your batteries have maximum 100A draw, then 125A fuse is appropriate.