most trucks (if not all) come supplied with a 24V ciggie lighter but i have noticed that some have a second socket marked up as 12V but it is much smaller than the normal socket so what is that for?
incidentally, south mimms are now selling an adapter for it (roadpro i think) if anyone is after one 
scanny77:
most trucks (if not all) come supplied with a 24V ciggie lighter but i have noticed that some have a second socket marked up as 12V but it is much smaller than the normal socket so what is that for?
Er…it is for plugging in 12v equipment 
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The smaller size requires a different plug and is that way to stop you plugging the wrong things into the wrong holes.
Mind you I plugged my CB into the 12v on my (new) Magnum and there was a noise like a fuse blowing and it didn’t work any more. Never did sort it, all the fuses were ok and the socket and wiring normal and unscorched. Had to buy a dropper after that 
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Salut, David.
It’s a hella type socket.
A german idea produced by Hella strangely enough. It’s just a 12v power outlet, used in a lot of caravans and the like.
The cigar lighter socket was only ever really designed for a cigar lighter, but over the years people used it as an acessory socket. The Hella type is actually designed as a power socket and the plugs are better made and more secure, sometimes you’ll find cigar lighter socket stuf works loose or disconects.
A hella PLUG will fit in a cigar lighter SOCKET but no the other way around. In fact most hella plugs come with a clip on adaptor for cigar lighter sockets.
YOu can get/make adaptors to plug cigar lighter stuff into halla sockets from truck spares places and caravan shops
i havent come across anything that actually fits into the smaller socket which was why i was asking about it. that adapter could come in handy especially since i have no idea of who/where/what i will be driving in Scotland. it could be handy
scanny77:
i havent come across anything that actually fits into the smaller socket
On somethings that have plug for the cigar lighter, you may notice that there is a different coloured band around the bottom of the plug, if you detach this the plug will then fit in the hella socket. I have one of these plugs on my cool box.
The Hella Plugs you buy cost around £2.40 which includes a socket
The normal Hella plugs have a thin fuse type wire between the centre contact and the centre connector for the live wire.
I had 3000 plugs made in 2003 in China and because they were better designed I was able to offer a minimum 12 month warranty on them whereas the normal type only had a short warranty on them.
The problem is that you tend to turn them as you unplug them without realising and it results in the connecting wire snapping, whether its a design flaw or a deliberate act to create sales I dont know, but I had our supplier redesign it with a better straight through pin, of the 2950 sold none have been reported as faulty or returned under warranty, we were selling them in packs of 3 for a Fiver, But no socket was included.
The supplier did a runner with £20k belonging us which was the start of the problems we encountered finally resulting in us losing £200,000k worth of sales in 2004 / 2005 and the company being put into voluntary liquidation, we’ve not been able to locate the mould which cost £7,000 but another company has shown interest in manufacturing the Hella Plug on my behalf but it will be around April before I start looking at that option due to the costs involved, but they were the best selling Hella Plug while they were available.
I do have a handful lying around the garage as they are worth holding on to, but if your buying the ones in the shop be careful not to twist as you pull them out of the socket.
Thunderpole were selling our Hella Plug under their brand name but I dont know if theres any left in the Truckstops etc.
to be honest Davey. you would be the man in the know. you deal with these things and as far as i am concerned, an adapter is an adepater. this socket is all but useless to me while every product comes with a ciggie lighter attachment. the goings onwithin the adapter is an area that i only explore when things go wrong an its time to look at fuses and wires
The Problem with Ciggie Lighter sockets is that the wiring is only designed to carry say 20 amps over a 30 second period or so, whereas with Hella Sockets the Wiring used on them is designed to carry something like 30 amps over a much longer period as they use thicker wire with a higher rating.
One of the problems not realised by drivers using the 12 / 24 v kettles is the actual power drawn through their cigarette Lighter Socket, it’s okay drawing 15 amp or so over a short period, but when you start drawing that ampage over a 15 minute period, it does not do the wiring any good.
scanny77:
to be honest Davey. you would be the man in the know. you deal with these things and as far as i am concerned, an adapter is an adepater. this socket is all but useless to me while every product comes with a ciggie lighter attachment. the goings onwithin the adapter is an area that i only explore when things go wrong an its time to look at fuses and wires
The cigar lighter connector is, without exception, the worst connector in current use. Once someone has actually used the lighter socket a few times it gets all encrusted with ash, and the connection becomes very unreliable. If you have hella sockets available, and you can replace the plugs on your kit (or buy stuff already fitted with hella plugs), then they’re much better.
Oh, and I was using one of Davey’s hella plugs earlier today .
PS: Davey - if you do redesign your plugs, then might I suggest some strain relief on the cables? Just a thought.
One way of solving the ‘all my plugs dont fit’ senario is to buy a hella plug and a block of 4 in 1 ciggy sockets. Fit the hella plug to the bank of 4 and hey presto you have 4 ciggy sockets available running off 1 hella socket.
Saves buying hella plugs for everything and it means you can make a cuppa while your watching eastenders or sumfin.
Dont know if it causes problems with current drain and all that ■■■■but i’ve never had a problem.
Not trying to do you out of sales or anything though Davey
This is a hella plug …
and this is a dual purpose plug that is appearing on more and more 12/24v stuff…
Just twist off the red cap and it will fit a hella socket
WARNING!!! For some strange reason the Daf CF’s hella socket is 24v and our fitters paid out to have droppers fitted to these behind the dash
I’ve found with those red adaptors when you unplug it from the cigar lighter socket the red bit comes off and gets stuck in there.
I just binned the red bit as the hella one will fit a cigar lighter without one anyway!
Reef:
WARNING!!! For some strange reason the Daf CF’s hella socket is 24v and our fitters paid out to have droppers fitted to these behind the dash
Not all of them (But too many of them). I have driven several 02’s where the hella was 12V. I think it depends on who specced the truck. A sensible person would opt and spec for 12V cos there is already 24V available.
DAFMAD:
A sensible person
unfortunately, this is not included on the ‘must be’ list for a transport managers vacancy 
Instead of all this messing about with ciggy lighter plugs why dont the vehicle manufactures install / design a decent set of plugs.
They must know how much gear we use, telly, fridge, kettle, microwave,cd player,phone charger etc. etc.
When I was on the removals we had 13amp type plugs wired to droppers and inverters by the pod (upstairs) manufactures .
And why dont they install 2 sets of batteries one for running and one for ancillaries with the ancillaries charging while running, as done in narrowboats then we would’nt end up with flat batteries.
And why dont they install 2 sets of batteries one for running and one for ancillaries with the ancillaries charging while running, as done in narrowboats then we would’nt end up with flat batteries.
Weight.
Cost