Myriad mentioned this, I bought some 12v cigarette style power outlets from a marine store and they are extra large. Some accessories fit fine, as they have large negative springs, but others (notably the LED flashlight) roll around and won't stay in.
In my originally Canadian F250 the power outlet was too tight until I removed a metal insert. I'm wondering- are there different standards? Is there such an animal as a metal sleeve to convert the larger size?
I don't really know what I'm talking about here (maybe you folks have already figured that out) but I have seen a sleeve on a couple of 12v plugins I've had. Didn't think too much about it, but I think you might be right Jage about there being two different sizes.
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For the 12-volt systems, the "contact point," which is the center part of the plug when viewed end-on, carries the positive voltage, whereas the "can" part, which is the outer part of the connector, carries the negative voltage.
6 volt cigar lighter receptacle and plug
Receptacle inside diameter: 21.34 mm to 21.46 mm (median 21.4 mm)
Plug body diameter: 21.08 mm to 21.23 mm (median 21.155 mm) 12 volt cigar lighter receptacle and plug, size A
Receptacle inside diameter: 20.93 mm to 21.01 mm (median 20.97 mm)
Plug body diameter: 20.73 mm to 20.88 mm (median 20.805 mm)
Most often used in American automobiles. 12 volt cigar lighter receptacle and plug, size B
Receptacle inside diameter: 21.41 mm to 21.51 mm (median 21.455 mm)
Plug body diameter: 21.13 mm to 21.33 mm (median 21.18 mm)
Most often used in European automobiles, and sometimes as a second socket in American automobiles expressly for DC power connections.
Doesn't help with the fit problem but at least we're not insane. From researching this I think the reasoning is probably that the old school cigarette lighter heating element isn't slapped into these new fangled outlets which are not made to take the heat, thus avoiding fires.
It would be nice to find a Size B to Size A adaptor, but I suppose I could cut one from one of the Autozone cheapo inserts I passed up earlier in the project. Keeping it in might be an issue.
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