Board voltage socket
An on-board voltage socket , also known as an automobile socket , is a socket for connection to an on- board network , for example in a car , motorcycle (6 or 12 volts DC voltage each ) or truck (24 volts). In the car it was mostly used for cigarette lighters , today mainly for powering small appliances.
Possible applications
There is often an on-board power socket near the ashtray (see cigarette lighter ). A wide variety of electrical devices can be connected, either directly or through voltage adapters.
- Examples of devices that can be connected directly: searchlights , fans , beacons (yellow all-round light), portable refrigerators , tire compressors
- Examples of devices that are connected via a voltage adapter: navigation device , notebook , MP3 player , mobile phone
- Sidecars from early motorcycles that only had lights.
Vehicle equipment
Many vehicles have additional 12-volt sockets for connecting electrical cool boxes or entertainment electronics, for example, often in the trunk or under the back seat. This equipment is now standard in newer vehicle models with higher equipment, other vehicles can be retrofitted.
Dimensions
The actual on-board voltage or car socket according to DIN ISO 4165 is smaller (12 mm diameter) than the cigarette lighter according to the SAE J563 standard (approx. 21 mm diameter). The smaller variant usually offers more secure contact because the plug is locked in place on the positive pole by a spring that engages, while the plug of the larger variant is only held by the friction of the contact springs on the side. Some plugs are designed as combination plugs, they taper in the front area (whereby mostly an insulating adapter - often fastened with a bayonet lock - ensures guidance in the larger socket and avoids possible short circuits) and can be used in both socket variants.
Almost always the inner contact is plus (+) and the outer contact is the mass (-).
In most cars with a voltage of 12 V, the on-board power socket is protected by an electrical fuse . However, the sockets in cars should not be subjected to excessive loads, since the cable cross-sections used to connect to the car battery are usually 1 mm², which would be permissible for a maximum current of only 13 amps, even if the fuse is designed for higher currents. Therefore, the connection is more suitable for short-term higher currents, such as a cigarette lighter or for electronic devices with a low power consumption such as navigation devices or mobile phones.
The standardized dimensions according to SAE J563 are for
tension | Inner diameter of the sockets |
Diameter of the connector |
---|---|---|
6 volts | 21.34-21.46 mm | 21.08-21.23 mm |
12 volts, size A. | 20.93-21.01 mm | 20.73-20.88 mm |
12 volts, size B | 21.41-21.51 mm | 21.13-21.33 mm |
Size A is mainly used in American cars, size B mainly in European cars. The accessory trade offers adapters from ISO 4165 to SAE J563.
See also
photos
literature
- Rudolf Hüppen, Dieter Korp: Car electrics, all types. Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-87943-059-4 .