Cig lighter circuit conked out?

[e9999]

Great!
Tried a new portable cheapo air compressor off the cig lighter. Ran for 5 mins then stopped.
Seems like I lost power on that plug. Didn't physically check the fuse, but the manual says that this fuse also covers the radio, mirrors, clock, etc, all of which are still working.
Before I take it all apart etc, any well-known foible of that circuit to be aware of?
TIA
Eric

 

[baby_troupe]

My 70 series has a seperate fuze for the cig lighter.
Fuze panel for mine is beside the kick panel.

 

[NorCalDoug]

first step is to check the fuse.
have you tried plugging something else in there to verify that it's not the compressor that's dead? I'm guessing you did...but I just have to ask.

 

[e9999]

if the manual is correct, the fuse should be good. Will check.
I did try the compressor in another car and it works fine there, just no longer in the LC.
Could be that the receptacle or a wire got too hot or somtin. Will check with a Voltmeter if it's still giving juice.
I think the compressor draws 15A max, so shoulda been OK.
Sheesh...
E

 

[reffug]

I've got one of those little POS compressors and I've had problems with it in all my cig lighters regardless of vehicle. I think the damn little things make the receptacle overheat due to draw possibly . But Toyota, Honda, doesn't seem to matter if I need to use it for any extended period of time it conks out. Try my cell phone or the cig lighter itself and works fine. On board air !

 

[Docmallory]

e9999-
Had the same problem. Searching here on IH8MUD taught me that there is a fusible link built into the back of the lighter receptacle. It is easily removed. Just make sure you have lots of light and a steady hand and it will take no time at all to pull the fusible link out. No instructions are needed - it is straightforward once you get the dash apart.

Of course Toyota put that link there for a reason, but I'm not sure what... maybe as a way to protect the fuse from blowing?

 

[cruiserdan]

The fuse link prevents wiring harness damage.

 

[e9999]

e9999-
Had the same problem. Searching here on IH8MUD taught me that there is a fusible link built into the back of the lighter receptacle. It is easily removed. Just make sure you have lots of light and a steady hand and it will take no time at all to pull the fusible link out. No instructions are needed - it is straightforward once you get the dash apart.

Of course Toyota put that link there for a reason, but I'm not sure what... maybe as a way to protect the fuse from blowing?

oooooo! thanks!
exactly the sort of info I was hoping for!
Man, is this site great or what?
No way to reach this link without taking it all out, eh?
thx
Eric

 

[e9999]

and you know, if it's really the fusible link, it did its thing. Cuz it took 5 mins for it to melt, so it seems to be designed to avoid long overheating, rather than peak load, which is probably what you'd want on a real cig lighter (after all designed to run for 30 secs, probably, not as a fixed power source)
E

 

[scottm]

I did the same thing with a compressor. Slee's site has a good writeup on getting to the cig lighter, in the cdl switch area. If you take apart the back of the cig lighter and lay the parts in a line, you'll eventually get to a fiber washer. The fusible link normally passes current around that insulator, unless it's blown. If you take out the insulator, the fusible link is out of the circuit. hth

 

[e9999]

is this link a standard buy-it-anywhere affair or Toy specific?
E

 

[Dino]

just a sugestion but, why not put so gator clips on the compressor and just hook it to the battery. Seams like that would be best because then you wouldn't have to worry about over loading a wire and causing a fire?

Just my two cents!!

 

[e9999]

just a sugestion but, why not put so gator clips on the compressor and just hook it to the battery. Seams like that would be best because then you wouldn't have to worry about over loading a wire and causing a fire?

Just my two cents!!

sure, that would be better. Could not do it with this borrowed one, but would if I do get a decent one. Man, if that thing had caught fire...

E

 

[scottm]

just a sugestion but, why not put so gator clips on the compressor and just hook it to the battery. Seams like that would be best because then you wouldn't have to worry about over loading a wire and causing a fire?

Just my two cents!!

I still needed to repair the cig lighter socket. I've since installed a separate socket on 10ga wire, ran wires to add another in back. Opening the hood and clipping to the battery is a little less convenient.

 

[e9999]

I still needed to repair the cig lighter socket. I've since installed a separate socket on 10ga wire, ran wires to add another in back. Opening the hood and clipping to the battery is a little less convenient.

with plenty of fuses, I hope...?
E

 

[e9999]

OK, took out the cig lighter receptacle.
Had to remove the whole center dash area. The receptacle is held in there by a couple of plastic detents that are had to get to when the center dash is only lifted a bit so I undid all the connectors and removed the whole center piece.
Anyway, the back of the receptacle does indeed have a piece of "wire" looking thing closing the circuit. It is open now. This link is soldered on apparently.
How does one repair this? Can you buy this fusible link stuff - but then soldering it without melting it might be interesting.
Or does one have to buy the whole thing? C-Dan?
TIA
Eric
(looked in the FSM, it has a million body electrical diagnostics in there, but nothing on the cig lighter stuff...?)

 

[Docmallory]

The fusible link, now melted, bridged an insulator washer ( as mentionedby ScottM). Unless you plan on putting another fusible link in there, just take out the insulator. That closes the circuit.

 

[e9999]

The fusible link, now melted, bridged an insulator washer ( as mentionedby ScottM). Unless you plan on putting another fusible link in there, just take out the insulator. That closes the circuit.

I don't want to do that. This link did its job and perhaps protected the harness from melting, not to mention a possible fire. So I'd like one in there. Seems like this is one safety device that did what it was designed to do! If I can find another one that I can put in line, then I might bypass the one that's melted but I don't know what characteristics this thing should have, so I might need to go OEM.

E

 

[cruiserdan]

A popped fuselink requires replacement of the lighter assembly.

 

[e9999]

out of curiosity, how does one go about buying fusible links in general?
are these things rated for both amperage and time?
E