Can I Use a Cigarette Lighter Inverter? GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Smart & Connected Life > Connected Car Tech 117 117 people found this article helpful

Can I Use a Cigarette Lighter Inverter?

Yes, but only use devices that pull 10 amps or under

By Jeremy Laukkonen Jeremy Laukkonen Writer Shoreline Community College Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles . lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 10, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Connected Car Tech Android Auto Apple CarPlay Navigation While there’s nothing wrong with plugging an inverter into your cigarette lighter socket, or any 12V accessory socket, there are some limitations on what you’ll be able to power with that type of connection. If the electronics you want to plug in draw less amperage than the cigarette lighter fuse is rated for, then the inverter should work fine. That’s typically about 10 to 15A. If you need more amperage than that, then you'll need a different wiring solution.

The Problem With Plug and Play Cigarette Lighter Inverters

While cigarette lighter inverters are convenient, they all suffer from the same design limitations. Unlike inverters that are wired directly to a car battery (or to a dedicated circuit), a cigarette lighter inverter draws power from the cigarette lighter circuit. That means you can’t put a load on this type of inverter that draws more current than the cigarette lighter fuse can handle, or else you’ll blow the fuse. Additionally, cigarette lighter circuits may have more on them than a lighter socket. These circuits often have additional 12V accessory sockets tied into them, and they sometimes also provide power to dash lights, the head unit, and other electrical components. If the cigarette lighter circuit in your vehicle has any of these additional loads, that further diminishes the amount of current you can draw from an inverter that’s plugged into it.

Bigger Isn' t Better When It Comes to Fuses

Before you swap out your 10A cigarette lighter fuse with a bigger one, consider the following: Every fuse in that fuse block is sized appropriately for the corresponding circuit, and those fuses serve a vital function. They are designed to sacrifice themselves to save the rest of the circuit. In some cases, this may prevent a fire. If you simply replace your cigarette lighter fuse with a bigger one, you may be fine. But since the circuit in question was only designed to handle 10A (or whatever the fuse is rated for), you may also be creating unnecessary risks. Say, for example, some of the wirings in the circuit are only designed to handle a little over 10A. If you plug enough stuff into your cigarette lighter inverter to pull 20A, then those wires are going to be the primary point of failure instead of the fuse. In a best-case scenario, you’re then looking at some inconvenient, costly rewiring. If you aren’t that lucky, you might end up with an electrical fire.

What Can You Plug Into a Cigarette Lighter Inverter

First find out the size of your cigarette lighter fuse, as well as how much amperage your equipment draws. If a device draws less amperage than the cigarette lighter circuit is rated for, then the inverter should suffice. Remember there is a difference between the amperage that an AC device draws and the amperage that the inverter draws in order to convert the ~12V DC from your car’s electrical system into 110V AC. As a rule of thumb, a cigarette lighter inverter shouldn’t draw more than 100-120W. Some dual-use car power inverters are wired with this in mind. If that’s the case, the inverter will be limited to around 100W when plugged into the cigarette lighter and, thus, able to handle its full continuous rating when hooked into the battery. Some devices you may be able to plug into a cigarette lighter inverter include: Laptops.DVD players.Handheld video game chargers.Mobile devices.Phone or battery chargers. These devices fall into the general range of amperage usage that a cigarette lighter inverter uses. But if you want to use a cigarette lighter inverter, you should check the amperage rating of the device to make sure the inverter can handle it. Of course, anything that you can safely plug into a cigarette lighter inverter you can also be powered directly from a 12V accessory socket with the correct adapter, which is much more efficient. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Why Doesn't My 12v Socket Work? Do Cigarette Lighter Jump Starters Work? Can You Replace a Cigarette Lighter With USB? How Are Cigarette Lighters and Accessory Sockets Different? Wiring a Cigarette Lighter to a Battery Why Does My Cigarette Lighter Fuse Keep Blowing? What Is a Car Power Inverter, and How Does It Work? Do I Need a Car Amp Fuse? 10 Appliances You Can Plug Into Your Car Reasons a Car Power Inverter Might Suddenly Stop Working How Cigarette Lighters Became 12V Accessory Sockets How to Fix Vizio TV Black Screen of Death Headlights Not Working? Try These Fixes How to Fix a Car Horn That Won't Stop Honking Can a 12 Volt Car Battery Really Electrocute Someone? Car Fuses and Fusible Links Explained Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies