Installing a DC, Direct Current Power Outlet or Cigarette Lighter in Your Car or Truck

Installing a DC, direct current, power outlet, or cigarette lighter in your car or truck is easy and well worth while.

To install a cigarette lighter, or DC outlet, in your car you must first salvage one or purchase one. I would suggest purchasing one, due to the time and effort it would take to rip one out of an old car. Trust me I have done it.

If you decide to buy a new one, try to find the best one for your needs. If you smoke you will want one that can handle a cigarette lighter. Some are not able to and that is why they are much cheaper. You will also need a way to attach it. It is best to buy one that either comes with or is integrated into a mount. If it does have one with it simply find a good spot to put it and attach with screws look on the box for wiring there should be instructions in it, but if there is not read the part of this article under pulling one out of an old car.

If you choose to take one out of an old car, due to lack of money or a wealth of time, here are some tips. First off do not choose a car you plan on using for anything but parts, you will ruin the dash board. Take a tin snips and cut a large circle around it. This will be important to installation it in your new dash. If the dash was made of metal, you can bend it to have a little shelf to screw into the underside of your dashboard. It will then stick out underneath so you can attach your air freshener or what ever.

Now all you need to do is attach the hot wire, one with electricity going to it to a source, and attached the ground wire to a piece of metal.

To attach the hot wire simply find a live spot that is only live when the keys are on. You do not want to drain your battery by not unplugging something, remember it would be continuously running. Just be careful not to get a shock

To attach the ground simply crimp one of the ends with one of those circle or half circle. Then undo a screw that is not near anything close to something that shouldn't have sparks by it and retighten it with the circle under it. If the thing is touching metal you will then have a ground.