A variation of Martin's electrical connection: So many electronic products today run off of a transformer which converts AC to DC. With Martin's IKEA light or some others, instead of hardwiring into the van, could you just cut the wires near the transformer and attach a plug to go into the cigarette lighter, called a power source in newer vehicles? Plugs like this, with or with out extra cords are available at Radio Shack and elsewhere. ( I stepped on the lighter plug to my portable tire pump and replaced it with one that had an extra 36" of cord from RS - make pumping the rears up much easier.) My electronics knowledge is limited and rusty - so there may be "obvious" reasons why this is a clear cut "no can do." There may be good reasons to install an inverter and then use the transformers that come with the products. But it seems unnecessary to change DC to AC and then AC back to DC. But I have just bought an 85 Westy Weekender with 10k miles on a rebuilt engine and am thinking about improvements to enhance camping and traveling. Sam Walters Baltimore |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.