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Wow! You're right -- and they don't come with lighters anymore either, at least not standard ... I guess cigarettes are also to blame for our lousy 12v outlet

Wow! You're right -- and they don't come with lighters anymore either, at least not standard ... I guess cigarettes are also to blame for our lousy 12v outlet design?

mikestew 8y ago
I guess cigarettes are also to blame for our lousy 12v outlet design? Pretty much. There's some business school case study waiting there about network effects, or backcompat, or something. Someone a long time ago needed 12VDC for their new KarDooHickey(tm), but how is the user easily going to get 12V to the device? And here we are. VWs and BMW motorcycles used/use a Hella plug that is similar to a lighter plug, but was actually designed to be used the way lighter plugs are now. Our '81 VW camper van has one on the dash. Sadly, despite being a better design for the purpose, BMW motorcycles are the only vehicles I now of that still use them. I can run a 75W electric jacket off those plugs, something I would not try with a lighter plug (it might work for a while, but not reliably).