using a cigarette lighter adapter to power CB. am I losing t

[mty pocketz]

I'm using a cigarette lighter adapter to power a peaked and tuned cobra 25. It reads 17 watts output on a bench. Am I losing any transmit power by using the cigarette lighter plug?

[The DB]

I'm using a cigarette lighter adapter to power a peaked and tuned cobra 25. It reads 17 watts output on a bench. Am I losing any transmit power by using the cigarette lighter plug?

That depends. If it is a newer power port, likely not. These look just like cigarette lighter plugs. If it is an actual cigarette lighter plug then you are likely running it close to its limit.


The DB

[MDYoungblood]

Hello mty pocketz,
Welcome to the forum. I would say no you aren't losing anything by using the cigarette lighter socket, (if you have a power socket it would be better), A stock, even a P&T Cobra 25 only needs about 3 amps. The one thing about using it is you are probably picking up a lot more noise than if it was direct to the battery.
As a new member could you post a small intro in the "Welcome to the Forum" topic, [Please login or register to view this link] , so other can say "Hello", thanks.

3's

Greg

[mty pocketz]

Its actually a power port. I get no electrical noise and everybody i talk to says i'm crystal clear. I only asked bc a socalled CB guru told me i was probably losing some transmit power by using the port instead of using the factory supplied truck wiring or going directly to the battery. He also claimed i was losing some by not running a ground wire to my CB case/chassis

[jessejamesdallas]

Its actually a power port. I get no electrical noise and everybody i talk to says i'm crystal clear. I only asked bc a socalled CB guru told me i was probably losing some transmit power by using the port instead of using the factory supplied truck wiring or going directly to the battery. He also claimed i was losing some by not running a ground wire to my CB case/chassis

He's full of s#@!..........

Like said, using a cigarette lighter port "can" cause unwanted electrical noise, and may-not supply enough amp's to run something like a Amp. or some of the Export Radios that put out 50+ watts, but a stock CB Radio just doesn't pull that much juice...Most ports use either a 10amp or 20amp fuse, which means the port is rated to that point...Your CB Radio is not pulling anywhere near that amount of amps.

As for the ground wire to the case...That's another trick that works sometimes in reducing unwanted noise...It has nothing to do with power to the radio...Your radios ground is going to also be supplied threw the cigarette lighter plug just like the positive is being supplied.

[mty pocketz]

Thanks. That's what i thought, but just wanted to get some other opinions.

[fatcat3]

I have found in my search for a good tech around here that if they try to talk a lot of electrical and frequency terms they are not worth a !!!!. if they can talk to you on your level then they usually know what they talking about. I have laid questions out to some that I know the answer to just to see what they say. some of them just know how to turn pots and that is all. so be careful who you let work on your equipment.