Difference between Cig lighter socket and 12v Power socket?

[timmo666]

Hi all,

Now last night over a few beers with mates i got into discussion\disagreement (lol) about cig lighter and 12v sockets.

the argument was that they are the EXACT same thing, and even though i am not that well armed with the details behind it,
my understanding is that the 12v power socket can draw more load and you cannot heat up a cigarette plug in it.
and the cig lighter socket draws less load and allows you to head up the cig lighter plug coil.

can someone correct or confirm me on this? i have done a search and cant find anything on the forums and i might be searching wrong terms, but google doesnt seem to clarify it for me.

so i guess im asking:
What is the difference between the 2 sockets?
can you heat up a cig plug in a 12v socket?
what should a multi meter read on a cig lighter socket opposed to a 12v socket?

just wanna clear this up as it was annoying me last night trying to go to sleep haha!

answers appreciated.
Timmo

[yogi_b]

To heat up the going on the ciggy lighter would draw a significant amount more current than say a phone charger as youre essentially short circuiting the coil to get it hot nice and quick. The difference between a 12v sockets and a ciggy lighter is number one, is smoking became a bad thing and auto makers don't want to be seen promoting that. Practically, I imagine they're the same unless they're one of those cheap aftermarket ones in which case they'll melt when you try and put your lighter in there.

[Jesterarts]

Same thing. Both had a 12v output, both will heat the lighter and both will run the same 12v devices with a cigarette lighter adapter.

The difference is that one ACTUALLY contains a cigareete lighter which the other is just a socket point with nothing in it.

[timmo666]

ok then, well in my car i have 3 12v sockets. one in the rear passenger area has a cigarette plug already in it, which when i push it in, it clips in, heats up, then pops out.
the socket in my Center console, will not click in with a lighter plug or heat up the cig lighter coils, and nor will the one under my stereo.

the one under my stereo has its own cig lighter already in the socket. and that lighter heats up in the rear passenger socket, but neither of the cig lighters heat up in the center console 12v socket or the one under the stereo.
the center console and under stereo plugs receive the cig lighter no worries but when i press the lighter in, it just springs back and doesnt clip in at all.

i have tested with a multi meter on all 3 of my sockets (as recommended from my post in the VE section about cig plug issues) and i have 12v from all of them. could there be something else wrong?

thanks in advance,
Timmo

[wrx884]

wat car is this in? after 1995 cars didnt come out with ciggy sockets (unless its imported) and as yogi_b said they were re named as 12V sockets so they could still provide the same power from the outlet.

[m1lky]

A cigarette lighter is made of steel to handle the heat of the lighter. The 12v sockets usually have plastic housings. They're usually both fused and designed to handle 10amps

[wamboin23]

a 12v socket has a spacer in the bottom of it, so that only a plug makes contact with the positive, and a cigarette lighter won't.

so you can't heat up a cigarette lighter in it.

[DAKSTER]

wat car is this in? after 1995 cars didnt come out with ciggy sockets (unless its imported) and as yogi_b said they were re named as 12V sockets so they could still provide the same power from the outlet.

So the ciggy lighter in my 96 Berlina is not really a ciggy lighter?

[wrx884]

ahh sorry was after the VS series but the law was introduced then hense y they deleted ash trays ect.... u can find them in the exported models tho.

[timmo666]

its in a 2006 VE SSV, ill check for any visible difference from the front to the back sockets.
but the socket under my cd player is a holden genuine part sold as an extra, Holden VE smokers kit. (which came with the car when i bought it 2nd hand)

[derrro]

A cigarette lighter is made of steel to handle the heat of the lighter. The 12v sockets usually have plastic housings. They're usually both fused and designed to handle 10amps

Yep this is true. There may also be an amperage rating difference btwn the 2 as well