Lighter socket upgrade

[Eyeman]

I want to upgrade the lighter socket in the cab to be able to use higher current drawing appliances. Any advice on how to do it?

[Bushwacker]

Replace it with a Hella plug

[zepplin]

Then, with double sided tape, attach a box of matches to the dash. Then you'll still have a lighter.

[Mud Dog]

I'm not sure that it's a good idea either. One would have to replace the existing wiring to be able to handle the extra draw and upgrade the fuse. It's probably better better to run new wires with a suitable inline fuse (remember the fuse is there to protect the wiring) to a seperate plug mouted under the dash, A Hella plug as mentioned might well be a better option than the lighter type which are also not designed for heavy loads.

[warthog]

Andy, when I had my dual battery system installed on Forest, I had a seperate -is it a morrison- plug installed on Forest's towbar, which runs of the extra battery, and which I want to use to run things on my big trailer, such as the fridge, extra coolbox/fridge, lights, etc

What do I need for the draad that runs to the trailer?

[Mud Dog]

I think you mean a Brad Harrison plug. Use the same guage cable that you have feeding the Harrison plug (or thicker).

[warthog]

Thanks Andy, it is this Brad-oke thing- sorry, I kinda get evn= more cnfusd lte in th day

[Mud Dog]

[TJV]

Grant
When I first started using the lighter plug I thought it can take a bit of amp's, but after battling for a few hours I managed to dismantle the whole plug and added loose wires to the place where the fuse use to be, then pulled that thru into the little storage area and fitted a 15 A fuse that can easily be replaced. For the more serious amps I've pulled directly from the battery a fused cable into the cab with spade connecters at the ends which is connected to a loose lighter plug. The hella plug lies in the console if something with a Hella is to be powered and the when the inverter is to be used the spade connecters are connected straight to the inverter which is normally on a trip under the co-seat. Thats how I solved all the different connecters inside the cab.

[ThysdJ]

I only use the lighter socket for the Garmin. For all other connetions I have a Brad Pitt (Harrison) plug installed with a bank of Hella and ligher socket plugs. They can handle much higher current than the stock lighter socket. Dont overload the stock lighter socket, because it is more complicated to fix should you burn the wires.

[warthog]

You can NEVER have enough plugs. Forest came out with two lighter plugs in front, which I use for the GPS and the Ipod.
I then had two Hella plugs installed at the back of the box between the front seats which run off the extra battery, converted the lighter plug in the back to a hella plus installed another hella there (which also runs of the second battery) and had the Brad oke thing put on the towbar.
And when everything is packed and in, somebody still always moans because he/she can't plug his/her whatever in...