Cigarette lighter charger

flyingcheesehead said:
Nice and tiny, specs say 12-24V, but the 2nd port is only 1 amp. Not quite perfect yet. Now if they can get both ports up to 2.4 amps and give it away for free, it will be. ;)
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My search on Amazon found a few that had 2 USB ports that would trigger the charging on iPads.

I borrowed a Belkin branded one recently that did a great job keeping the Mini and the Maxi topped off on a trip to Dalhart, TX and back (2.75hrs each direction)

So they are out there... just need to hunt for them.


I now need to find a quality something that will be a good "splitter" of the cigarette receptacle. With summer here, I need the second one so I can run my Icebox cooler in addition to the iThingies.
 
I have a dual output 1.0A charger that says it's good for both 12v and 24v systems (don't have a 24v system so I can't vouch to how it would work). I keep my phone and iPad plugged in while flying.

It won't charge the iPad when the screen is live but rather the iPad will discharge ever so slowly.

It will slowly charge the iPad when it's sleeping.

I've never had an issue with exhausting the iPad battery even on day-long (6 hour flight time) PnP missions...especially if I remember to "sleep" the iPad at every stop.

I used to have a 2.1A/0.8A dual charger that worked great but I blew it up.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Nice and tiny, specs say 12-24V, but the 2nd port is only 1 amp. Not quite perfect yet. Now if they can get both ports up to 2.4 amps and give it away for free, it will be. ;)
Click to expand...

It charges my Nexus 7 tablet in use and with the screen on and Samsung Galaxy S3 phone.

I have been on a 12hr. xc flight with a copilot using an iPad and it would not charge the iPad with the screen on, only slow the drain.

Yet another advantage of an Android based EFB. ;)
 
Jay Honeck said:
I stopped effing with underpowered cigarette lighter chargers entirely, and installed this:

http://www.commitlift.com/usbchargers.html

The joys of experimental aircraft are many. This thing keeps my Nexus 7 and Samsung Galaxy S3 fully charged, all the time.
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Color me jealous... our club installed a single USB charging port into the Bonanza V35 as part of our panel upgrade.... $400 part/labor/paperwork
 
AggieMike88 said:
Color me jealous... our club installed a single USB charging port into the Bonanza V35 as part of our panel upgrade.... $400 part/labor/paperwork
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See, that's the sort of crap that drove me to experimental aircraft. $400 to install a USB charger!

It's ONE WIRE! That's right, one red wire that you run to (in my case) the main bus. It literally took less than an hour, and that included cutting the hole.

Oh, and I made a logbook entry. Add 30 more seconds. lol
 
Jay Honeck said:
See, that's the sort of crap that drove me to experimental aircraft. $400 to install a USB charger!

It's ONE WIRE! That's right, one red wire that you run to (in my case) the main bus. It literally took less than an hour, and that included cutting the hole.

Oh, and I made a logbook entry. Add 30 more seconds. lol
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Did you put a fuse in that wire? I hope?

I did that once in a car with set of driving lights. Due to not so great routing one wire developed a short to ground and the contact relay welded itself shut. The wire was glowing orange when I opened the hood to see why one light was on with the car off. I'm glad I was on the ground...

John
 
jsstevens said:
Did you put a fuse in that wire? I hope?

I did that once in a car with set of driving lights. Due to not so great routing one wire developed a short to ground and the contact relay welded itself shut. The wire was glowing orange when I opened the hood to see why one light was on with the car off. I'm glad I was on the ground...

John
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Nope. We use that wire as an auxiliary heater now. :)

It has its own dedicated circuit, with its own fuse, in the main panel.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Nope. We use that wire as an auxiliary heater now. :)

It has its own dedicated circuit, with its own fuse, in the main panel.
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Glad to hear it. It was enough fun in a car. I never want that to happen in an airplane!

John
 
jsstevens said:
Did you put a fuse in that wire? I hope?

I did that once in a car with set of driving lights. Due to not so great routing one wire developed a short to ground and the contact relay welded itself shut. The wire was glowing orange when I opened the hood to see why one light was on with the car off. I'm glad I was on the ground...
Click to expand...

Who needs fuses?

In my old Stepvan I ran some AWG 20 twisted pair wire from the bat buss to a box on the panel. As I was driving the hot end got grounded. The insulation melted and I had instant toaster wires. I yanked the red hot cable the to disconnect it and got some very interesting grey scars on my hands from the wires that lasted for a year or so.

Lesson learned.
 
Jay, if we were to start an -8 project from scratch, what is a fair estimate of time and budget needed to complete?
 
AggieMike88 said:
Jay, if we were to start an -8 project from scratch, what is a fair estimate of time and budget needed to complete?
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I suggest visiting the Vans Air Force website and asking that question. I'm a buyer, not a builder, but have learned that building time and budget is as variable as the weather.

I've seen guys do it in three years while others took 15 years. My personal belief is that building an RV is something you should do only if you have a burning desire to do so, because it's not going to save much (if any) money.
 
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