ok so i use my 12 v lighter in three ways, i have a sirius radio, a radar detector, and a cell phone charger. i bought a 3 way plug from wal mart (cheap one) and discovered how much power it drains. my radar detector has a built in voltmeter and when i have the 3 way splitter plugged in it will show like 13.3 volts. however when my radar detector is plugged straight in it is about 14.0 volts. this is during the daytime, no lights, no a/c or heater running. so i was wondering if anyone knows of a three way splitter that does not drain that much power or has some ideas on how to have my sirius and radar and stuff plugged in and not murder my battery.

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The proud owner of a 85 gt,
Ace
My build thread (in progress and will be for a long time):
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/066596.html

want to get $20,000 and 100% tuition assistance and much more?
just pm to find out how.

it's not the 3 way splitter using the power, it's the things you're plugging in to it.

^^^^ What he said.^^^^
Murder your battery? Is it causing a problem? As long as the Fuse holds up you should be OK. There are things in your car that drain way more power than the things you listed. Cooling Fan, Lights, A/C Fan etc.

Bonzo

[This message has been edited by bonzo (edited 10-31-2007).]

And, anything in the 13v range is good, it means you're charging OK. Not fast, but fast enough. The only other option is to hard-wire a power bus to the front compartment, I've seen three-hole cigarette lighter-style blocks that would work for that.

JazzMan

Also a radar detector that read volts needs to not be trusted to be incredibly accurate. Radar detectors detect radar, they are not calibrated voltmeters. Trust it's voltmeter readout as much as you would trust an electric impact wrench that has a toothbrush attachment.

If you want to know real voltage changes, get a real voltmeter and test that way. Accurate voltmeters start at $40.00 The cheapies out there can vary by up to 25% in the 12-20 volt range and I have seen some that read different every time you use them.

On the technical side, every device you have plugged in draws more power, multiple devices on a outlet splitter will cause a voltage drop even more so if the splitter is cheap and has less than 12 gauge wire in it, very thin wire means you get a higher voltage drop with more load as the thin wire is a higher resistance.

well no but i can see a significant drop in the reading when i plug in the three way. and when i cut my sirius on it drops like .2-.3 volts (nothing major) the drop readout is like 1 volt between if the three way is plugged in or not. so does anyone else have a three way splitter or has anyone installed extra 12 volt pluggs?

So with the three way plugged in and only the detector you still get a drop? If so then it might be the cheap 3way. If not then it's the load you put on the cig wire.
You might try Radio Shack for one.

exactly dodgerunner. ok so then i should probably look into another three way splitter. i saw one made by bell that has an on/off switch and looks good. is bell an ok company for things like this?

Hey Acesurfer I like your SCNG label. What is your MOS? I am a retired 13E30. My on ships off to Ft. Jackson this June for basic.

Bel is good. (but........they do have inexpesive ones, medium priced, and the REAL GOOD ones.)

i got a medium priced one.

i am a 31B= military police officer. hooah! i am w/ the 133 Military Police Company out of Florence, SC

So, they are made on the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan?

what?

i installed the three way today and it seems to be a lot better