Can I wire 12v adapter to negative battery??

[fourstroke650]

Hey all, I installed a 12v adapter (cigarette) socket. Rather than messing up the wiring there already I ran a positive line to the battery directly (with a fuse in line) and the negative to the negative on battery. Is this ok or would it be better to ground the negative wire instead? Used 14 g with a 10amp fuse. It's a 70 standard beetle with a 12 volt system.
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1970 Standard Beetle.
No matter where you go, there you are!

[vwkirb]

Yes, you can do that, I would put the fuse as close to the battery as possible. The outlet will always be "hot".

[fourstroke650]

[volksworld]

its a long run from the battery to the lighter...14 is too light for an actual cigarette lighter but if you're just using it for a phone charger or usb adapter you should be ok...grounding it to the body is better cause the entire car is a much heavier gauge than a single wire

[fourstroke650]

Ok I will move it to ground. Would ground strap be ok?
_________________
1970 Standard Beetle.
No matter where you go, there you are!

[volksworld]

if you're done already and its a low amp draw leave it alone...or just run a short wire (insulated or not) right to to the body in most efficient way...the only reason to run wires all the way back to the battery would be for a stereo where you want to minimize signal interference

[Cusser]

I have wired a cigarette lighter socket into my '71 SB, use it to charge my TracFone if needed, or power a - wait for it - radar detector.

I wired mine to the fuse box, and have an inline fuse in the circuit too. Using as an actual lighter would draw way more amps than this, so if that's a goal, use heavier gauge wire.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[fourstroke650]

No just charging my phone etc. I didn't want to mess with fuse box. If I keep the beetle I will eventually gut it and do a complete rewire. But trying to sell it. I have two toddlers and a single income so can't devote time or money to restore it. If it doesn't sell I will eventually get around to it.
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1970 Standard Beetle.
No matter where you go, there you are!

[Dwayne1m]

[Cusser]

[Dwayne1m]

[hopkin]

[Cusser]

Not as neat as his though:

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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297