Question: Electrical / Cigerette Lighter / Altenator, Ipad/Ipod. . .questions. . .

[Bolisk]

So. . .the wife and I are going to take a long road trip in the 1970 coupe this weekend. The trip we are taking follows a bunch of back roads through the forsest of WI. Was planning on using GPS in our iPad or iPhone.

Friend of mine just warned me against charging my phones or iPad with the old car's lighter. He didn't have any technical reason. . .just an "I wouldn't do it".

So, I'm not paranoid. Is there any harm in charging my iphone or ipad using my corvettes lighter? Please remember that an iPad charger draws approximatly 2.1 amps. Is there a potential problem witht he wireing?

Any help would be appreciated.

-JR

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I've run all sorts of devices off the lighter socket without problems. No idea what your 'friend' is worried about. :confused

 

[Bolisk]

Only thing I could come up with is maybe drawing to many apps on a small cable. . .therefor burining a wireing harness out.

 

[6880 Mike]

Here's a thought: take the cruise, leave the Ipad at home, turn the phone off unless you need it, get a map - one of those old fashioned, antique, impossible to refold paper thingies. Passenger serves as navigator.

You drive a while, then let her drive a while.

All you really need to be concerned with is where you want to be at sun down.

 

[Bolisk]

Ahhh. . .that's exactly the problem

The trip we are taking is a Fall color run throught he Kettle Morine senice route of WI. It's all backroads (many not shown on a old fashioned maps. . .I know because. . .I'm holding one in my hand right now) and there a litteraly hundreds of turns.

I've looked in vain for weeks for a GPS device that allows you to import KML files for waypoint turn-by-turn naviagtion. Evedently models that do this are few and far between. . .and are way more money than I want to spend. What I really want is the new google maps naviation app, but it's only for Andorid right now. . .

Since this is a caravan trip. . .and I'm the lead car. . .it's rather important that I get the directions right. The ONLY way I seem to be able to do this is use Google Maps to plot the root, then follow the root in Google earth on my iPad or iPhone. So hence. . .I need to bring them. Since the iPad is bigger and easier to read from. . .it would be nice if the ipad (while pluigged in) doesn't catch my car on fire.

 

[navy2kcoupe]

So. . .the wife and I are going to take a long road trip in the 1970 coupe this weekend. The trip we are taking follows a bunch of back roads through the forsest of WI. Was planning on using GPS in our iPad or iPhone.

Friend of mine just warned me against charging my phones or iPad with the old car's lighter. He didn't have any technical reason. . .just an "I wouldn't do it".

So, I'm not paranoid. Is there any harm in charging my iphone or ipad using my corvettes lighter? Please remember that an iPad charger draws approximatly 2.1 amps. Is there a potential problem witht he wireing?

Any help would be appreciated.

-JR

The only thing that I've ever heard is that you should have whatever's plugged into the lighter socket UNPLUGGED when you start the engine, and also when you shut it off. Start the car, plug in the device, drive, drive, drive, unplug the device, shut off the motor. Repeat each and every time. There can be voltage spikes during start up and shutdown that can adversely affect the plugged in device. There should also be a fuse in the lighter circuit that prevents overloading and melting the wiring harness...........UNLESS Bubba's been in there! As long as you use the adapter that's designed for the device (ipod, ipad, GPS), there should be no problem. There are even plug in expanders out there that take the one lighter socket and turn it into two (or four) sockets. Lets you plug in multiple devices! I use one of those to run my GPS and charge my cell phone (or iPod) at the same time, and it works great. The only downside is the birdsnest of wires. Hope you have a GREAT time!
Andy Anderson

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Only thing I could come up with is maybe drawing to many apps on a small cable. . .therefor burining a wireing harness out.

The circuit is protected by a fuse which will blow if too many amps are drawn- long before any wires would be in danger. I'm pretty sure your iWidget draws less current than a cigarette lighter element.

 

[JohnZ]

Only thing I could come up with is maybe drawing to many apps on a small cable. . .therefor burining a wireing harness out.

The lighter is on a fused circuit, as shown in your owner's manual.

 

[Crimson Thunder]

Please post some pics of your trip when you get home.

 

[6880 Mike]

...a Fall color run...

Enjoy. Sadly, no fall color in these parts yet.

 

[Bolisk]

Trip was great. The ipad and iphones works without a hitch. . .and the lighter is fine.

I'm not sure there is a fuze on the cig lighter. . .as I accidently grounded the wire on several occasions while testing. . .and didn't blow a fuse. . .which I would think it should have done.

 

[JohnZ]

I'm not sure there is a fuze on the cig lighter. . .as I accidently grounded the wire on several occasions while testing. . .and didn't blow a fuse. . .which I would think it should have done.

Yes, the lighter is fused - the lighter, clock, and courtesy/dome lights all are fed from the same fuse in the fuse block.