How do I install a cigar lighter in my boat to be used for spotlights, gps, marine radio or other electronics?
paul h
Buy a cigarette lighter kit and possibly an inline fuse holder from a parts store that includes the lighter housing and retaining ring....drill a hole where you want to mount the lighter using the lighter housing and retainer as a guide to the size of the hole....the hole has to be big enough for the lighter housing to fit into but not too big that the retainer won't be able to grab onto the area where it mounts. The retaining ring usually screws onto threads that are on the lighter housing and as you screw them together, the retainer will tighten onto the material of the area where you mount the lighter. Make sure to pick a mounting area with thin metal, wood or plastic since there is not much threads on the lighter housing to accomodate anything very thick. Some lighter kits come with a mounting bracket that you simply screw to an area and then attach the lighter unit to the bracket. Then wire the center post on the back of the lighter unit to a battery positive terminal with an inline fuse holder or a tap on the fuse panel or other fused 12V power wire and wire the ground side terminal of the lighter unit to the battery negative or a common ground point on the fuse panel or other negative wire.
Boatin' in VA!
Add on to Paul's note...
Get a lighter kit that has a cover for closing off the housing. This will prevent water from getting into the unit when not in use. Here's one site where you can order it and the pricing isn't bad...
http://www.danamarineproducts.com/CigaretteLighterACPlugs.htm
jtexas
A bit more expensive, but a "marine grade" 12V power outlet from Basspro or West Marine will hold up better in a marine environment. Or, the RV aisle at walmart has some heavy duty outlets.
Design your circuit for the heaviest load you might plug into it. Be sure your 12V outlet, fuse and wiring are all adequate.
There's a 12VDC wire gauge chart on this page:
http://www.windsun.com/Hardware/Wire_Table.htm
Example, typical spotlight is 130 watts. 130 divided by 12 volts is a little over 10 amps. If you use a 15-amp fuse, and you're running wire 8 feet to the battery (16 feet round trip), you need 12 gauge (AWG) wire at a minimum. If you're just running it 3 feet to the fuse box, 14ga is ok.
Don't underestimate the risk -- those wires get hot enough to melt the insulation and start a fire (don't ask me how I know).
ABYC standard is marine grade tinned stranded copper, with crimped or crimped and soldered connections, but not solder alone. Wire nuts are out of the question. It's because shock and vibration in a corrosive atmosphere is the norm on a boat, and vibration will break a solid conductor, and tinned wire resists corrosion. Many boaters crimp, solder and heat-shrink. I've used automotive wiring with satisfactory result (fresh water only).
A professional grade crimping tool is a real good thing for a boater to have in the toolbox.
Drummer Dan
piece of cake.... get a 12 volt DC outlet from west marine. Probably an inch and one eighth hole saw... cut the hole where you want to mount it. drill 1/8" pilot hole for the two screws that secure the outlet. run a black 12 gauge wire to your battery negative and and a red 12 gauge wire to your battery positive. the DC outlet probably comes with a pig tail and directions for hook ups...
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