Cigarette lighter voltage? 10.6?!

[JonnyNof]

As this is gonna be my new daily, I was swapping some of my gadgets over from the pickup. In plugging the voltage meter/USB charger into the cigarette lighter outlet I'm getting a read of 10.6v while running which was a bit alarming.

I have no problem starting, headlights seem fine. Only thing I notice is at idle the fans slow down a bit, but they've done so in nearly all older vehicles I owned, so it didn't strike me as a symptom of anything.

Either way just thought I'd pose this here and see if you guys have any idea or if this is normal. I've not bothered to clean the contacts in the lighter port, and who knows they could just be dirty after the 215k on this thing and at least based on the upholstery holes someone was smoking.

[VanCo]

I recommend testing the voltage with a quality meter at the battery.

[JonnyNof]

Thanks but my battery is fine, and my question is about the voltage at the cigarette lighter socket. I know there's bound to be some drop from the battery directly to the lighter socket itself, but 10V seems low. If anyone has checked their voltage at the socket I'd like to know what you're getting.

[VanCo]

So you magically know that your charging system is fine without checking it? You also magically determined your cheap lighter socket meter is super precise? Awesome diagnostic skills! :thmbup:

By the way, a proper system will have ZERO voltage drop to anywhere that is supposed to have full power.

[JonnyNof]

So you magically know that your charging system is fine without checking it? You also magically determined your cheap lighter socket meter is super precise? Awesome diagnostic skills! :thmbup:

By the way, a proper system will have ZERO voltage drop to anywhere that is supposed to have full power.

Nothing magic about it, but the assumptions are telling. I was just asking a question about the lighter socket. I've tested the alternator, battery and lighter socket, with an actual multimeter. The "cheap" lighter meter is accurate to within .1v on the 4 other vehicles it's been tested on.

Thanks for the information on what a proper system will have. As these vehicles are decades old, and didn't have the most proper grounding solutions to begin with, it would be nice to know what others are seeing out of their lighter socket. If you do not have that particular point of data, then you do not have the information I was asking for.

[VanCo]

Ah, you failed to mention any of that testing in your original post.

A lighter socket that is supposed to provide full voltage should provide full voltage. That is regardless of when the vehicle was manufactured.

True, I cannot tell you if your voltage readings are "normal" for your vehicle.

[JonnyNof]

Ah, you failed to mention any of that testing in your original post.

A lighter socket that is supposed to provide full voltage should provide full voltage. That is regardless of when the vehicle was manufactured.

True, I cannot tell you if your voltage readings are "normal" for your vehicle.

Well hopefully someone with a similar year Previa can check the voltage at the lighter socket, as that's what I'm wanting to find out.

[JonnyNof]

So turns out it was absolutely the lighter socket. Testing voltage at the socket got what I listed before at around 10.6. Testing the plug that goes into the socket 12.8. That's some massive resistance there in the socket, and was definitely witnessed by whatever happened to be plugged into it getting quite hot. Gonna see if I can clean this up or worst case find a new one. I gotta repair the light anyway.

Looks like the socket is still available at least 85500-12240