running portable DVD players from cigar socket

black olive · 4th May 2007, 13:15

the Girls have got a portable DVD player each, good for long journeys ( anything over a mile) as it prevents them Bickering, and I dont need to endure high school musical or similar.

they have a rechargeable battery pack with a 9/12V input socket, and are provided with a lead for the cigar lighter. when the ignition is switched off they play fine, but with the engine at anything over tickover they suffer from fading volume and vision problems, even when running from the battery ( but with power from the car plugged into the battery) my theory is the voltage is too high for them, .

has anyone else had problems, for now Im going to tell them to run from the DVD players battery, and recharge them when flat, but longer term I could do with a solution. any ideas ???

Zeb · 4th May 2007, 13:49

What about voltage/ ampage is too low for them? How is your battery?

Departed · 4th May 2007, 14:07

I would suspect interference. The power from the alternator is far from clean, and all the other things on the car cause noise.

To chek if it's a voltage problem, run the engine at idle, and switch on everything you can: headlights main beam, blowers on full aircon cold, heated rear window. This will bring the voltage down, but the interference will still be there.

If it's interference, you can start looking at supressors, but if it's a voltage thing, I'd be temted to take the players back because if they are that sensitive, having been designed to work from a cigar lighter, I suspect they won't last that long!

Mr.Ian · 5th May 2007, 10:06

Normaly (what i've found on other cars) at tick over the car is just running on it's battery power i.e output from alternator too low to do any charging, when the revs increase you see a slight brightening of headlights if they are on, which shows the alternator has kicked in.
If the problem is noise in the supply then a good i.c.e filter could be fitted.
If it's an over voltage problem then a voltage stabiliser would do the trick.
Either of these or both would need to be fitted into the power supply lead to the lighter socket you would use for the players.

But as posted earlier if the units can't handle a slight dirty/over voltage supply then they might be worth changing for something that can.

4th May 2007, 13:15	#1
black olive I really should get out more....... 260 SE vin 214 ( last mark 1 260 ) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2,009 Thanks: 1 Thanked 8 Times in 4 Posts	running portable DVD players from cigar socket the Girls have got a portable DVD player each, good for long journeys ( anything over a mile) as it prevents them Bickering, and I dont need to endure high school musical or similar. they have a rechargeable battery pack with a 9/12V input socket, and are provided with a lead for the cigar lighter. when the ignition is switched off they play fine, but with the engine at anything over tickover they suffer from fading volume and vision problems, even when running from the battery ( but with power from the car plugged into the battery) my theory is the voltage is too high for them, . has anyone else had problems, for now Im going to tell them to run from the DVD players battery, and recharge them when flat, but longer term I could do with a solution. any ideas ???

4th May 2007, 13:49	#2
Zeb Banned MGZT V8 & ZTT 190+LPG Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8,089 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	What about voltage/ ampage is too low for them? How is your battery?

4th May 2007, 14:07	#3
Departed Retired -- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: -- Posts: 3,785 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	I would suspect interference. The power from the alternator is far from clean, and all the other things on the car cause noise. To chek if it's a voltage problem, run the engine at idle, and switch on everything you can: headlights main beam, blowers on full aircon cold, heated rear window. This will bring the voltage down, but the interference will still be there. If it's interference, you can start looking at supressors, but if it's a voltage thing, I'd be temted to take the players back because if they are that sensitive, having been designed to work from a cigar lighter, I suspect they won't last that long!

5th May 2007, 10:06	#4
Mr.Ian Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lancashire Posts: 126 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Normaly (what i've found on other cars) at tick over the car is just running on it's battery power i.e output from alternator too low to do any charging, when the revs increase you see a slight brightening of headlights if they are on, which shows the alternator has kicked in. If the problem is noise in the supply then a good i.c.e filter could be fitted. If it's an over voltage problem then a voltage stabiliser would do the trick. Either of these or both would need to be fitted into the power supply lead to the lighter socket you would use for the players. But as posted earlier if the units can't handle a slight dirty/over voltage supply then they might be worth changing for something that can.