12V accessory outlet not working.

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bradbissell

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Messages
265
Location
Boston, MA
Anyone else have issues with the 12V accessory outlet? Could I have blown a fuse running a tire pump? If anyone had replaced the fuse, where is it located in the fuse box? (I haven't opened it up, nor have I found images of the inside of the fuse box in the car).

Thanks!
 
Like I said, I haven't taken off the panel. I'll do it later today. Just thought I would see if others have had issues with the port.
 
bradbissell said:
Anyone else have issues with the 12V accessory outlet? Could I have blown a fuse running a tire pump? If anyone had replaced the fuse, where is it located in the fuse box? (I haven't opened it up, nor have I found images of the inside of the fuse box in the car).

Thanks!
Tire pumps are interesting devices and sometimes the motors will draw more than 10 amps if power-on occurs under pressure. What is recommended is to turn on the pump first, then connect the hose from the tire to the pump, this way it draws the minimum current.
 
I had wondered what the rating of the 12V outlet was. I got one of those cheap Harbor Freight portable heaters, but was afraid the LEAF outlet was underrated (or that it would otherwise damage the outlet/wiring), so I've been running it off my jump pack the 1-2 times I've used it.
 
Replaced the 20A fuse and had a working power outlet for a few hours with my iPhone. I then proceeded to remove the 12V phone charger from the power outlet and plugged it back in with my LEAFSPY Kyocera event. The power outlet fuse is blown again. So, either my Kyocera event is shorting the power line, or the usb power adapter is. I guess in the end I get to buy a new fuse and try again. UGH!
 
bradbissell said:
Replaced the 20A fuse ... The power outlet fuse is blown again. So, either my Kyocera event is shorting the power line, or the usb power adapter is. ...
I thought that was supposed to be a 10a fuse. Either way, that's quite a short. I'm surprised something didn't get warm or smoke. I'd test the phone with the official wall adapter, and assuming that's fine, probably trash the car adapter.
 
Somehow a fairly highly rated tire pump air compressor my relative purchased from Amazon caused both her non-EV vehicle and my 18 LEAF to both blow their 12V accessory outlet fuses! Needless to say that compressor will be returned and a terrible review left: https://www.amazon.com/Lifeline-AAA-300-Volt-Compressor/dp/B000SL4AA2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=aaa+tire+pump&qid=1573637401&sr=8-3

The crazy thing is I've been using an old Continental OEM pump that came with an older gen LEAF for 5+ years in different vehicles pumping air without ever blowing a fuse!

It actually took me more than 15-20 min combined time to pull the blown 20A fuse out and replace it as the fuse box is behind a metal frame on the driver's side door, and partially obscured by a plastic cover even with the panel removed. The fuse puller was basically useless as it's teeth were barely deep enough to grab the fuse, resulting in the puller to go flying into the fuse box compartment never to be found again.

Tips: fuse puller + standard needle nose pliers are both too thick for the tiny fuses...must use tweezers! I was lucky I didn't drop a new fuse into the fuse box using pliers. Also: don't go online to buy these fuses...just go to your local auto store as online vendors only seem to sell 100 pcs+ boxes with a many lifetime worth of fuses...

Is there a better way to access the driver's side fuse box without the metal frame in the way? And remove a large black horizontal plastic piece that partially blocks access to the top part of the fuse box (it seems to be a special fuse cover that won't come out)? Or is this just crazy design...
 
My 12V fuse was blown for the accessory port when I bought my car. I replaced it and have had no problems since.

If you repeatedly blow fuses, that's not good. 10A should provide 120W. Given phone adapters are typically <15W (although some are up to 50W), they should *never* blow the fuse. If you're blowing the fuse repeatedly, you should definitely inspect the wiring for that circuit as there's a problem--possibly one that could cause a fire.
 
jdcbomb said:
Somehow a fairly highly rated tire pump air compressor my relative purchased from Amazon caused both her non-EV vehicle and my 18 LEAF to both blow their 12V accessory outlet fuses! Needless to say that compressor will be returned and a terrible review left: https://www.amazon.com/Lifeline-AAA-300-Volt-Compressor/dp/B000SL4AA2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=aaa+tire+pump&qid=1573637401&sr=8-3

The crazy thing is I've been using an old Continental OEM pump that came with an older gen LEAF for 5+ years in different vehicles pumping air without ever blowing a fuse!

I use the GM branded inflater that came with our Volt all the time. No issues. Made in China by a company called FixandGo, if the label on the bottom is to be believed.
 
For a while my mother needed an oxygen making machine, unfortunately it drew 12a. Unfortunately she tried it in her Leaf and my brothers(both '13's) but the good news is, while neither Leaf powered the machine, it didn't blow the fuse in either.....not sure why(maybe the oxygen machine shut off on a low voltage situation?) but when they told me it drew 12a I said NO, don't even plug it in. They did say the oxygen machine errored out so thats probably why it didn't actually blow the Leaf fuse.
 
jjeff said:
... it drew 12a. ... while neither Leaf powered the machine, it didn't blow the fuse in either.....not sure why
I wondered about that, until I dug out the schematic for it:

fo9VlLn.png


Adapted from the PDF on this page, from this handy page with many user and repair manuals, (for the 2012; they have other model years as well).

Note the mysterious "resistor" that seems to be integral; I'd say it's an NTC resistor [ edit: as pointed out below, it would be PTC ] that starts severely reducing power output above about 10A. I doubt I'll be able to run my tire pump from it (there is a warning tag in it that states that it draws 14A).

How nanny is that? :x
 
You are probably right about the resistor being NTC to protect against overheating of the socket (due to loose contact with plug) or overloading. Notice the fuse in the negative (ground) side of the socket. This is common on modern cars so you can ruin the socket without blowing the supply fuse.
 
GerryAZ said:
You are probably right about the resistor being NTC to protect against overheating of the socket (due to loose contact with plug) or overloading. Notice the fuse in the negative (ground) side of the socket. This is common on modern cars so you can ruin the socket without blowing the supply fuse.

Most likely a thermistor to reduce the inrush of current, e.g. from a capacitive load, incandescent bulb. To reduce increasing current,
the device would need to be PTC (positive temp coefficient) device.
 
You are right, probably a thermistor or PTC resistor, I was replying to a previous post that mentioned NTC resistor without thinking about it. At any rate, the fuse and resistor built-in to the negative side of the socket with the fuse not being a normal user-replaceable item means the socket may fail if it is overloaded.
 
lorenfb said:
To reduce increasing current,
the device would need to be PTC (positive temp coefficient) device.
Duh, of course, my bad.

I was pleasantly surprised however that it ran my supposedly 14A tire pump without problems.
 
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