Car lighter - working?

Manchee

Kinda a dense question prob, but if your car lighter gets hot when you press it in, that does mean the lighter unit is getting power right? We've just bought a tomtom but the charger unit doesnt seem to be getting power (the light on the unit doesnt come on and the the tomtom doesnt charge), but the lighter works as an actual lighter. Could it be that its rusty so not connecting properly? We're hoping its just the actual charger so we can just return it. I'm gonna see if I can check it in a mates car later, but thought maybe someone had experience with this previously.

mad_rich

As you say, you need to do some checks.

1. Try your TOm Tom in a known working socket.
2. Try a known working item in your socket.

If the lighter is getting hot, then obviously there is power there. Check everything's clean in there and that there's nothing interfering with the terminals.

WTFH

Is the ciggy power adapter a genuine tomtom one, or was it a cheapy? Des it definitely output a high enough current to power it?

Hintza

Sandpaper all the connections and try again.

Manchee

WTFH wrote: »

Is the ciggy power adapter a genuine tomtom one, or was it a cheapy? Des it definitely output a high enough current to power it?

Yes, its the official one that came with the tomtom.

Hintza wrote: »

Sandpaper all the connections and try again.

Good idea, thanks

Thanks for the replies

forgotmyname

Is it a new unit or a 2nd hand one? Fuse in the plug. The end unscrews.

Do you have the ignition on? Are you pushing it in far enough?

Manchee

forgotmyname wrote: »

Is it a new unit or a 2nd hand one? Fuse in the plug. The end unscrews.

Do you have the ignition on? Are you pushing it in far enough?

Its a secondhand car but i think its the original lighter (no reason to think otherwise). Would it still heat up if the fuse was gone?

I've tried it with the ignition both on and off.

forgotmyname

I meant the tom tom. Fuse in the plug OK?

No it wont get hot with a blown fuse.