# Can you get an adaptor for a CB radio that plugs into your cigarette lighter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2002, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113 "2002-11-17T02:39:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kwc27](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@kwc27](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kwc27)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/1 "2002-11-17T02:39:57Z")
I am thinking of buying a CB radio, probably a Cobra. Does anyone know if you can get an adapter like I described? I looked on the website, but that didn’t make any sense to me. Any information on this would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/2 "2002-11-17T03:01:13Z")
You might try your local Radio Shack. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/3 "2002-11-17T03:21:37Z")
[They are available](http://www.dragondistributing.com/cbbulkaccess.htm), **kwc27**. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/4 "2002-11-17T04:29:26Z")
How else WOULD you use it? It probably comes with one. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/5 "2002-11-17T04:33:57Z")
Per Mr. Blue Sky and as an ex-Radio Shack Mgr. I would say the Shack will have what you need, All you need is a simple lighter plug to stripped wire and some bullet connectors that will wire to the 12V wires of the CB. Make sure the head of the lighter plug has an inline fuse that meets (but does not exceed) the power requirements of the CB. If the plug does not have fuse you may want to wire a fuse and fuse holder inline to protect the CB. donkeyoatey’s link was great but I think that site is dealers only. Here are some install tips from [Truck City](http://truckcitycbgps.com/cb_installations.htm) > [@](#): > > CB Radio location > > The main rules are usability and staying away from the heater. If you mount the radio where the heater blows on it, it will overheat the radio inside and shorten it’s life. Where ever the radio fits is fine. Keep it close enough that the mike wire isn’t stretched to much when you’re blabbing because stretching breaks the wires. Make sure there is enough room behind the radio to hook up the wires and don’t make it so close the wires are rubbing and bending back and forth from vibration. As you know bending a wire back and forth will break it. Remember the radio is a little heavy for it’s size so be careful not to mount it to anything that is too week to take the bouncing down the road it’s going to have to withstand. Also when you hang the mike, make sure the mikewire isn’t swinging back and forth because bending it back and forth will shorten it’s life too. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/6 "2002-11-17T04:40:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whuckfistle \* > \*\*How else WOULD you use it? It probably comes with one. \*\* In days of yore when vehicles did not come with power points, you would find a suitable wire under the dash and use it (a CB would come with a fused wire attached to it).😉 ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/7 "2002-11-17T07:27:58Z")
If you’re buying a cobra, just go to the CB shop at the local truck stop. They will have a cable that will do the trick, no stripping or splicing needed. There _is_ a truck stop in your town, right? ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/8 "2002-11-17T07:36:21Z")
of course, your cobra will come with the lighter adaptor in the box, so don’t sweat it. But you can get replacements for probably about $3. ---
**Author:** ![BlueMoonofKentucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@BlueMoonofKentucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMoonofKentucky)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/9 "2002-11-17T17:32:41Z")
Don’t count on the radio having a 12V plug in the box, It will come with an unterminated-at-one-end set of power leads with a fuseholder and quick connect at the radio end. You can, as the others said, get a plug for a few bucks or scrounge one from a 12V device that you no longer use. If you car has a the normal ‘negative ground’ system, solder the red wire to the center pin and the black to the ‘ears’. CB’s draw very little aperage(about 1.5Amperes on transmit, about .5-.8A on receive), your car’s lighter adaper will be fine in that regard. The thing to look for will be ignition and alternator noise, which can be VERY strong at the plug in some, ok most, cars. If that’s the case you will need to take the power off via a direct connection to the battery terminals with fuses as close to those terminals on both leads as you can get(that’s critical, if you don’t fuse at the battery and that red wire get’s abraded against the car’s body, the battery will make enough current flow to very quickly set things on fire!). See [Cobraelectronics.com](http://Cobraelectronics.com) for manuals on all the CB’s they carry. Search google for Mobile HF installations to see some of the tricks that Ham’s use to install radios \_ \_ … … \_ \_ BMoK ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/10 "2002-11-18T04:23:27Z")
Be careful if your CB is one that is … uhhh, well, an “export” model. The current such a radio will draw will often be far more than 1.5 amps, and the fuse for the cigarette lighter will fry when you key up. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-an-adaptor-for-a-cb-radio-that-plugs-into-your-cigarette-lighter/137113/11 "2002-11-18T04:31:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elmwood \* > \*\*Be careful if your CB is one that is … uhhh, well, an “export” model. The current such a radio will draw will often be far more than 1.5 amps, and the fuse for the cigarette lighter will fry when you key up. \*\* If he’s apparently buying the radio over the counter and had the expertise to illegally modify it, it’s unlikely he would be posting a basic question about lighter socket adapters here.