Power Outlets

OEM Power Outlets

In most vehicles, at least one car outlet is present. Some vehicles, especially vans, tend to have more power outlets, usually one for the front passengers, one for the rear passengers and one for the luggage trunk. An automobile auxiliary power outlet (also known as car outlet, automotive power socket, automobile outlet, vehicular outlet, cigarette lighter receptacle, cigar lighter receptacle, CLR, or cigar lighter socket) in an automobile was initially designed to power an electrically heated cigarette lighter but became a de facto standard DC connector to supply electrical power for portable accessories used in or near an automobile, directly from the vehicle's electrical system.

The voltage of the power outlet is usually near 12 V DC, (13.5V to 15V while the running engine is turning the alternator, in order to charge the car battery while providing electrical power), because it is directly powered without regulation from the car's electrical system. The 12V power circuit is protected by a car fuse, often rated at 10 to 20 amperes. Large appliances such as hair dryers or toasters draw too much power to be fed from an auxiliary power socket.

The sockets and mating plugs are defined in the ANSI/SAE J563[5] specification. For the 12 volt systems, the center contact is the positive terminal and the shell is the negative terminal. Most automobiles connect the negative terminal to the frame of the vehicle (negative ground). 12-volt auto connectors are made to comply with a standard by Underwriters Laboratories for safety. UL2089 was developed to cover the requirements for portable adapters rated 24 V DC or less that are intended to be supplied from the battery-powered electrical system of a vehicle. Products covered by the standard include cord assemblies of a plug that mates with the standard cigarette receptacle found in automobiles.

In newer cars, the socket is equipped with a plastic cover without the lighter heating element. However, the socket has been repurposed and continues to be used to power consumer electronics in vehicles.[8] Often, a vehicle may come with several outlets for convenience, some in the rear passenger area of the vehicle or even the cargo area, for powering portable devices. These outlets usually have a plastic cap tethered to them and are usually labeled as being only for DC power, because they are not intended to withstand the heat produced by an electrical cigarette lighter.

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