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Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:13 pm
by Foz.Foz
Guys,
I have just bought a new cigarette lighter for the Bongo as the old one broke (long story so please don't ask). I have now got my hands on a new one which lights up in the dark =D> .
Now I don't have a problem with fitting it to the existing connections, that's straight forward. The problem I have is, for it to light/glow in the dark, the bulb bit has to be wired to the lighting circuit. Any ideas as to which colour wire this would be under the dash??

Thanks....

Foz

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:44 pm
by g8dhe
OK, well the wire colour is R/B most likely Red/Black, and it goes to many places! It is switched by a relay under the bonnet on the Nearside which is the second one from the rear (depending on model between 2 and 4 relays may be fitted), it goes to all the sidelights and also to the fascia panel and the LCD display on the electronic version of the A/C, all wires are thankfully R/B so I think the best bet would be look for any R/B wire and then test it! It should also go to the radio connector as I recall to dim the display.

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:14 pm
by daveblueozzie
Why don't you connect it to the bulb under the centre console, the bulb that lights the ash tray up is connected to the side lights, just test which wire it is then make your connection.

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:31 pm
by Foz.Foz
daveblueozzie wrote:Why don't you connect it to the bulb under the centre console, the bulb that lights the ash tray up is connected to the side lights, just test which wire it is then make your connection.

Top dollar.... will give that a go

Thanks Foz

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:54 pm
by dobby
DBO beat me to it, that's what I did worked ok :D

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:34 pm
by Foz.Foz
Well I got it fitted in. The new one was slightly bigger than the one I removed and I had to "shave" a little of the dash away to get it to fit snug, but it now works. I'll Do the lighting side of things when the pub doesn't beckon. Thanks for the replies guys.....

Foz

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:47 pm
by dobby
If it was a halfords one, you may find that the plug in bit is a bit sloppy and when you plug a lead in you don't always get a decent connection.

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:20 am
by jaylee
It is possible to take a feed from one of the wires that back-light the blind switches near the lighter socket.. (It's a lot closer.)

I set mine up with a blue led that shines through the green! :D
dobby wrote:If it was a halfords one, you may find that the plug in bit is a bit sloppy and when you plug a lead in you don't always get a decent connection.
Are they still like that?
I remember fitting one of those 10 years back for a phone charger in my old van & had the same problem... :roll:

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:43 am
by Foz.Foz
Right guys.......

The fag lighter will glow orange and light fags as intended. Problem now is that which ever adapter i plug in for satnav, Ipod, phone charger etc, they all blow their fuses.
I have a direct wires coming off the starter battery, with an in-line fuse (10amp) on the live.

Any ideas that could help me??


Thanks... Foz

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 12:05 pm
by g8dhe
Which fuse blows ? The 10A in-line or the individual fuses in the plugs themselves ?

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 12:16 pm
by missfixit70
Have you wired the positive & earth the right way around?

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:31 pm
by Foz.Foz
g8dhe wrote:Which fuse blows ? The 10A in-line or the individual fuses in the plugs themselves ?
The individual ones.... the 10amp is fine. It is also wired the correct way around :)

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:13 pm
by g8dhe
I would double check that polarity then ! There is no reason for all the devices to blow, unless you have fitted a 24volt battery ....

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:14 pm
by Foz.Foz
g8dhe wrote:I would double check that polarity then ! There is no reason for all the devices to blow, unless you have fitted a 24volt battery ....

:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: Feel a right t!t. I wired it the same as the old one without looking at the polarity. Turns out the terminals needed swapping :oops: :oops: :oops: .

Although, now I have done that and it is wired correctly, some chargers are smoking when plugged in #-o . not sure what it could be?? any ideas

Re: Illuminated Cigarette Lighter

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:47 pm
by g8dhe
Well if they were plugged in previously and didn't blow the fuse (or even if they did) electronics blow quicker than fuses hence why transistors are referred to as 3 legged fuses. The chances are you have damaged those devices probably beyond repair economic repair :-(

Either that or having been plugged into a Cigar lighter that's what they now think they are - Cigars - I can feel a Havana moment coming on ......