How to Charge a Car Battery Through a Cigarette Lighter
An automotive electrical system normally has one or more power accessory points. These accessory points are often cigarette lighter outlets. However, most vehicles manufactured since the 1990s contain dedicated power accessory outlets.
Many automobiles have their cigarette lighter outlets wired so that the outlets only work when the automobiles are running. However, power accessory outlets are usually hardwired to the battery, and are always active.
A power accessory outlet may also be used as a means to trickle charge an automobile battery. Some accessories, such as solar battery chargers, are designed to take advantage of the bidirectional nature of a hardwired power accessory outlet.
Things You'll Need
Automobile with hardwired power accessory outlet
Solar battery charger with automotive cigarette lighter plug
Instructions
Place the solar battery charger, shiny-side up, on the automobile's dashboard.
A solar charger must have the shiny side (left cell) exposed to light to generate electrical energy.
Plug the battery charger plug into the power accessory outlet.
Allow the battery to charge for approximately six hours, and then unplug the charger from the power accessory outlet.
