Electrical - Fan pull/car lighter issue/XM (1 Viewer)

[Mark - CdnCruiser]

Okay -- heres the thing. Since plugging in my XM radio and powering it via the cig. lighter, I have noticed an issue.

First, occassionally the power cuts out (and then comes back very quickly) - typically during bumpy sections of road. In addition, I notice that when the heater fan is on it provides interference to the radio. (Should this happen at all ? I dont remember it last summer)

I also have the same issue with the fan pull -- sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt... didnt think it was a big deal and eventually I would deal with it.

Does this sound like a ground problem ? A power issue ? Is there (I assume) a relationship between the cig lighter power and the fan?

Ideas ? Or should I say, does anyone know SPECIFICALLY where I should start my search ?

Thanks,
Mark CC

 

[dgangle]

I have found that the cigarette lighter plug provided on at least my 40 has the same problem, no matter what's plugged into it. I believe they were designed for just that....lighting smokes, not powering up cell phones, radar detectors, inverters, satelite radios, on & on. And it does work very well..for that purpose.

Do like I did and goto RadioShack. Buy & install a DC power supply plug anywhere of your choosing. Problem gone. Compair the terminal inside and you'll see what I mean.

Let me share with you something else I learned the hard way. I cut off the cig plug from my Sirius Sportster4 and hard wired to a keyed 12V. No worky. I learned that the male plug has a transformer in it reducing the voltage from 12VDC to 5.3VDC, IIRC. So I had to either use the cig plug or do as I suggested above and hide it under under the dash.