ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Sort of OT: 12-Volt DC automotive sockets & plugs

I know we usually deal with mains-related subjects here. But anyway....(it is electric after all ).

Does anyone know who and when these sockets and plugs for 12-volts DC were developed for cars?



There's this one company (Safco is the name) that claims that they developed the type of plug currently in use, so I'm wondering if there were other configurations.

Was the use of the socket as a power source for a cigarette lighter also the first use of this thing, with the accessory plugs coming later?

Speaking of other cofigurations I had a 69 Toyota Land Cruiser that came with a miniature trouble light that had an ordinary lampcord and plugcap that plugged right into a rubber receptacle up under the dash. It used a 12 volt single filament automotive lamp and had a little cage around it with a hook at both ends. I am pretty sure it was factory. I never tried to plug it in at the house! I kept the light when I sold the Cruiser and cut off the plug and put on alligators.

I'm not sure when the accessory plugs were introduced, but they have certainly become much more commonplace in recent years for RV applications.

Personally, I'm not keen on the design for general 12V accessories, and feel that there are alternatives which are far superior.