# Do they make power strips for car (lighter) sockets?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-power-strips-for-car-lighter-sockets/116259>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 27, 2002, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-power-strips-for-car-lighter-sockets/116259 "2002-06-27T18:07:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2002, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-power-strips-for-car-lighter-sockets/116259/1 "2002-06-27T18:07:51Z")

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Do they make power strips that can accomodate many regular 2 prong plugs from normal household devices in cars? Or is there not enough power coming through the socket?

If so, what are the devices called, and how much do they cost?

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**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-power-strips-for-car-lighter-sockets/116259/2 "2002-06-27T18:19:33Z")

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    - These devices are called invertors. You need a 12-to-120 volt invertor, with as many watts as you need to run whatever-it-is. Small-wattage ones are available pretty cheap (I found a 140W for $35), larger-wattage ones are very _not_ cheap, and besides the purchase price, then the maximum current output of your vehicle’s electrical system comes into play. - DougC

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**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2002, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-power-strips-for-car-lighter-sockets/116259/3 "2002-06-27T18:21:21Z")

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It’s called an inverter, for converting your car’s 12V DC output to AC. You can find them at any computer store such as CompUSA or Micro Center. Just as an example, [this](http://www.sterlingtek.com/caradforalll.html) is the first hit from a Google search of “laptop power inverter car” (the second hit was a discussion on problems associated with inverters – I didn’t read them, but you may want to).

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**Author:** ![Chris\_Luongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chris\_Luongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chris_Luongo)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-power-strips-for-car-lighter-sockets/116259/4 "2002-06-28T06:17:37Z")

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almost everyone sells power inverters these days. Look at the following places:

Target/Wal-Mart  
auto parts stores  
eBay  
car stereo stores  
BJ’s/Costco/Sam’s wholesale clubs

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**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-make-power-strips-for-car-lighter-sockets/116259/5 "2002-06-28T09:38:34Z")

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    - Well nuts. Your info includes no location… so I guess I should have said “you need an invertor that will convert 12 volts to whatever the local standard is”. In the US, it’s 110~115~120 volts. - DougC