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| | | | Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 814 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 814 | I want to use the cigarette lighter in my 56 Chevy pickup to operate GPS/cell phone. The truck has a generator and I've read that that can cause problems for devices like GPS and cell phones. I just wanted to get the opinion from the guys on the forum. Bad idea? Will it ruin an electronic device? 12 volts, by the way.
1956 Chevy 3200
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,263 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,263 | I picked up a charger that’s also a volt meter Similar to this type ...link...I have the hot lead to the charger fused Others can advise about the generator issue. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,792 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,792 | DC generators produce a "noisy" voltage signal that might confuse a digital device and make it perform erratically, but I don't think it would damage it in the process. I'd suggest installing a small auxiliary battery such as one of the the gel cell batteries used to power a kid's ride-on toy or something similar, and wire a power port to that. You could get several days' worth of use from a cell phone or other device before the battery would need recharging. A simple toggle switch could be used to isolate the second battery from the generator while electronic devices are in use.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | If the GPS is on the cell phone, check your cell phone once in a while to see if it needs charged. Then charge it at home. Life is not that difficult. If you go on a long 8 day trip, charge it in the hotel room.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,215 Moderator | | Moderator Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,215 |
A few weeks ago my electricity was off for 13 hours due to an ice storm. The only way I could charge my phone was in my old truck, in the cigarette lighter. On my trip to the homecoming I used it as well, no problems.
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | If 1953 panel has a generator, there's your answer.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 222 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 222 | Was the engine running at the time of charging 1953 Panel?
Last edited by DaveV; 05/16/2018 11:02 AM.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | A few weeks ago my electricity was off for 13 hours due to an ice storm. The only way I could charge my phone was in my old truck, in the cigarette lighter. On my trip to the homecoming I used it as well, no problems. Thank you, 1953 panel Other people have posted the same results. They have posted that USB charging adapters work fine in 6v-powered cigar/cigarette sockets. I am somewhat of a doubting Timoth, so I will eventually test this with an old/semi-lame iPad in my 6v Suburban. People have reported powering iPhones/iPads/GPS via a USB adapter in their 6v socket. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,215 Moderator | | Moderator Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,215 | If 1953 panel has a generator, there's your answer. yes, I'm running a generator, 12v. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,215 Moderator | | Moderator Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,215 | Was the engine running at the time of charging 1953 Panel? Not at home when the electricity was off. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | Still keeping Old Blue my '50 3600 bone stock, which means it's still got the 6v generator and
6v electrical system.
I use the lighter socket for my TomTom GPS regularly as most all of the solid state devices
actually only need 6v to operate them. Works like a charm. However, the Sony radio/cd player
needs a voltage cube to up the 6v to 12v as does my SunPro tach.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
Denny G
Sandwich, IL
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