120 VAC plug on dash

[Mr Rich]

I used a circuit tester on the plug since it seems to have stopped working for me. I've plugged in tools like a small vacuum and they haven't worked off the plug (engine is running). Is there a breaker somewhere that might've tripped? The circuit tester indicated an open ground also.

 

[Ken226]

Sounds like a fuse blew.

That port is limited to 150 watts of power, and oddly, 1.5 amps, however, whoever published that must have skipped the watts/ohms law portion of electrical engineering course.

Using Watts Law, simply divide watts by volts to get max current. 150/120= 1.25 amps.

A vacuum cleaner probably draws more than 1.25 amps.

Look in the fuse box under the hood for fuses marked "power outlet" and / or "inverter" or something like that.

This is the label on my small handheld vacuum cleaner. It draws 6.7 amps and produces 800 watts of power. It eould blow my fuse immediately.

 

[18ram18]

Yeah that plug is worthless.

 

[MegaRam18]

I use it as a phone charger.

Sent from my old rotary phone using Tapatalk [emoji3513]

 

[18ram18]

I use it as a phone charger.

Sent from my old rotary phone using Tapatalk [emoji3513]

Thats all its good for. I use one of the usb ports for charging.

 

[LeesEvoX]

Correct me if I'm wrong. But the new rams got bumped up to 400W. So 3.33Amps.

Still not good enough for a vacuum. But household vacuums pull a ALOT or current for what they are.

The most useful thing I have used it for is a small air pump to blow up my air mattress when camping lol.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[bm02tj]

Mine worked for a Cryo unit after my wife had knee replacement
Also you need to know it is modified sine not pure sine

 

[Ken226]

I used a circuit tester on the plug since it seems to have stopped working for me. I've plugged in tools like a small vacuum and they haven't worked off the plug (engine is running). Is there a breaker somewhere that might've tripped? The circuit tester indicated an open ground also.

So, what was the problem? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[JayLeonard]

I am used to inverters because I have one on my boat. All the ones I know of draw some current when not in use because it's in "standby" mode. I imagine this one does also?
I plan on pulling the fuse out when I go north in the summer for 4 months so the battery doesn't drain. Truck will be parked in a garage.
Thoughts?

 

[bm02tj]

My owners manual claims no power until some thing is plugged in
And for OP it claims to reset from overload when item is unplugged
Did you try a low draw item to test as no power until a load is added

 

[Mr Rich]

Correct me if I'm wrong. But the new rams got bumped up to 400W. So 3.33Amps.

Still not good enough for a vacuum. But household vacuums pull a ALOT or current for what they are.

The most useful thing I have used it for is a small air pump to blow up my air mattress when camping lol.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I originally used the plug with an extension cord for a small electric pump to add air to single axle trailer tires on the one I was pulling. It worked fine for that. It hasn't seemed to work since that time however. I thought fuse F104 might be part of the circuit but the fuse still looks good. To have a plug like this on a truck it should be more than 1.5 amps. Power a drill or saw or something like that.

 

[turkeybird56]

Spent 10 years in Europe. Just Multipy:


volts X amps = watts. ie.,

110V X (amps listed on device) = Volts needed.

Since the early inverters were only good to 150 watts and the newer ones are 400 Watts. U cannot use anything over 400 and there are supposed to be resistors (fuses) built in that will stop an over draw.

We used to HAVE MONSTER clunky transformers that were bought/sold/resold/resold in Europe for our service people to operate stuff. I notice more toward end of 80's
a lot of stuff was made built with dual voltage that U could change to run 110/220. Some even had regulators for the hertz. But a lot of PPL were always puzzled when they
ran like an american device with a clock (clock always ran slower because of 50 H vs 60 H). The things U remember.

MORAL of story: The inverters in these vehicles are small, good for lil phone chargers and such. If U want a lot of power, U need to buy and either wire into the system or direct to
battery a pure sine inverter.


NOTE:; I still have a dual voltage Panasonic 14" Color TV that I bought when I got to Europe in 1984. Even has PAL/SECAM switch for programs. But in those years, U either watched German TV or hoped U could get the (1) AFN channel, ahhh more memories.

 

[JayLeonard]

My owners manual claims no power until some thing is plugged in
And for OP it claims to reset from overload when item is unplugged
Did you try a low draw item to test as no power until a load is added

No I haven't tried anything yet. This is still a new to me truck.
I'll have to play around with it and see what I find.

 

[gbark80]

Spent 10 years in Europe. Just Multipy:


volts X amps = watts. ie.,

110V X (amps listed on device) = Volts needed.

Since the early inverters were only good to 150 watts and the newer ones are 400 Watts. U cannot use anything over 400 and there are supposed to be resistors (fuses) built in that will stop an over draw.

We used to HAVE MONSTER clunky transformers that were bought/sold/resold/resold in Europe for our service people to operate stuff. I notice more toward end of 80's
a lot of stuff was made built with dual voltage that U could change to run 110/220. Some even had regulators for the hertz. But a lot of PPL were always puzzled when they
ran like an american device with a clock (clock always ran slower because of 50 H vs 60 H). The things U remember.

MORAL of story: The inverters in these vehicles are small, good for lil phone chargers and such. If U want a lot of power, U need to buy and either wire into the system or direct to
battery a pure sine inverter.


NOTE:; I still have a dual voltage Panasonic 14" Color TV that I bought when I got to Europe in 1984. Even has PAL/SECAM switch for programs. But in those years, U either watched German TV or hoped U could get the (1) AFN channel, ahhh more memories.

I remember when I first went to Germany in 2002 there was 3 AFN channels, don't know how you survived on 1. When I went back in 2013 I think they were up to almost 10 and if you stayed in housing, Deutsche Telekom offered cable service with about 10-12 English broadcast channels as well. I miss driving in Europe so much, they get that the PASSING LANE is for PASSING, not cruising. That and renting a Benz that would do 280k on the autobahn

 

[JayLeonard]

I I miss driving in Europe so much, they get that the PASSING LANE is for PASSING, not cruising. That and renting a Benz that would do 280k on the autobahn

Ha ha funny you mentioned this. I remember driving on the autobahn in 1975 in the middle lane.
Very little traffic. I got pulled over by the Polezei (sp?) and got yelled at for not driving in the right lane.
Thanks for that memory!!

 

[gbark80]

Ha ha funny you mentioned this. I remember driving on the autobahn in 1975 in the middle lane.
Very little traffic. I got pulled over by the Polezei (sp?) and got yelled at for not driving in the right lane.
Thanks for that memory!!

Lmao. I had a polizei do the same thing my first time on autobahn too. A5 from darmstadt to Frankfurt was 4 lanes each direction and I was doing 180-200k in the third lane and one got me.