The good thing is that you can use other entertainment devices if you have power adapters. Let's further understand what power adapters are.

Whether it’s an MP3 player or GPS navigation unit, you can get this powered up with a 12V power adapter. But before you plug anything in your 12V socket, there are some things you first need to understand.

Check out everything you need to know right in this article from Philcarnews.com:

Your vehicle’s electrical system

Before we jump into the more complicated part, let’s first understand what it means for your vehicle’s electrical system. For example, in most cases, the electrical system in your vehicle provides 12V DC.

If you have a bit of knowledge when it comes to electronics, you’ll know the difference between AC and DC. But to put simply, AC power is more like the power you use at home.

With that said, we should also take into consideration another thing. It’s that there are two options for you to power your devices while in a car. You can either get yourself a 12V accessory outlet or a cigarette lighter.

You can also settle for the better option which is a power inverter. With that said, the initial ways of using a 12V car power for you to run electronic devices while driving are the following:

• 12V adapter and hardwired plugs
• Universal 12 volts USB adapters
• Car power inverters

The electrical system in your vehicle provides 12V DC. 

Using 12 Volts DC outlets for powering electronics

The easiest and simplest way of powering electronics in a car is by using the cigarette lighter socket. If you have a dedicated 12V power socket, that would be way easier.

There are two types of this that you will typically find in almost every modern four-wheeled vehicle. From what you may have already guessed, these are originally from the concept of cigarette lighter sockets.

These work by applying electric current to a coiled strip of metal. The electric flow would then make the coil strip so hot that it would turn red. This is what’s responsible for lighting up your cigarette upon contact.

But fortunately, it didn’t take long before innovative minds thought cigarette lighter sockets could be more. In a matter of just a few years, cigarette lighters sockets are now also recognized as 12 volt-accessory sockets.

If you have a dedicated 12V power socket, that would be way easier to power electronics in a car

According to ANSI/SAE J563 specs, the sockets apply ground to the dedicated cylinder and battery voltage onto the center contact. In shorter terms, 12V sockets are able to power up devices by being powered by the plug that creates electrical contact with the two points.

This, however, may not apply to every vehicle out there. In just some parts of the world, the system can be a little different.

In fact, the specifications for 12V accessory sockets and cigarette lighter sockets. 12V adapters and plugs, on the other hand, are designed to work on a much wider range of tolerances.

But let’s go back to the fact that these sockets were originally the cigarette lighter sockets. With that in mind, there are lots of probable issues that can come up once they’re used as power sockets.

These days, there are cars shipped with USB outlets and plastic plugs in place of the old cigarette lighter. But some of these sockets aren’t even capable of accepting, much less powering some cigarette lighters. This is often because its diameter is too narrow or too shallow.

If you don’t want a cigarette lighter socket in your car, that’s fine too. You can always find plastic plugs available in the aftermarket from other owners.

These sockets were originally the cigarette lighter sockets

Powering your devices using native 12 Volt DC plugs

12V accessory and cigarette lighter sockets are the common ways to power up electronics in a car. That is what most vehicle owners and drivers know.

The situation, however, is made simpler if the device you have comes with a hardwired 12V DC plug. Devices that are manufactured this way are built specifically for in-car use.

Since that’s the case, you usually won’t have to worry about too much power consumption. This will eventually save you from worrying about your devices blowing a fuse, literally. To give you an idea about which devices are built with a 12V DC plug, here is a brief list:

• GPS units
• Plug-in inverters
• DVD players
• CB radios
• LCD screens

12V accessory and cigarette lighter sockets are the common ways to power up electronics in a car

Powering your devices using 12 Volt DC power adapters

If you choose to use devices with no hardwired 12V adapters, that could still be possible. Some of these devices still come with 12V adapters but aren’t hardwired. There are also devices that are made to be compatible with 12V DC adapters.

The problem is that you still have to buy it as a separate piece. Devices like GPS units, handheld communication devices, and even laptops may belong here.

Most of these types of devices are plug-and-play type. But you still have to be mindful of how much emp it draws from your vehicle. Some of the common devices that are compatible with external 12-volt DC adapters are the following:

• LCD screens
• GPS units
• Cellphones
• Laptop computers
• DVD units

Powering your devices using 12-Volt USB adapters

Before modernity, 12-volt DC adapters utilized various incompatible plugs. This is in addition to a vast range of amperage and voltage outputs.

This was true, however, for the cellphone industry. But as you might have noticed in recent years, devices like tablets and phones started using a uniform standard.

This is what’s recognized as the USB standard. This means that most modern vehicles can utilize generic 12-volt USB adapters. Here are some of the common devices that can be powered up by 12V USB adapters:

• Tablets
• GPS units
• Cellphones
• Bluetooth devices
• FM broadcasters

Devices like tablets and phones started using a uniform standard recognized as the USB standard

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