Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

My cigarette lighter works perfectly, but why cannot I seem to charge my cellular telephone? The charging cord works in my daily driver BUT not in the Packard. I converted her to negative ground during the restoration. Confused?

U have a senior level car???? Which means it has other cigarrette lighter outlets too, probably backseat area. Does the charger not work in the others???

THe contact in the centre of the Packard cigarette lighter socket mite have some corrosion. Not enuf corrosion to keep a high draw lighter from heating up but enuf to keep a small draw phone charger from making good enuf contact.

Kevin, I have the same problem with my 55 Clipper, which I converted to negative ground. The original type cigar lighter is a different size than the new ones. I bought a new type to replace the one in the car, but have not installed it. I hope to be able to use the knob off of the original one in the new one.

(o[]o)

I'm certain that my cell phone charger works. I'll have to double check it later on tonite or tomorrow tho.

I just tried a 1KK cp hand held spotlite in my 56 Exec. Works just fine. Rather modern spot lite too.

In addition to the dirty contact there may be a length and width problem with the button on the adapter. Seems like there is lots of variation.

I just looked at my 56 and compared to a Ford, the center conductor is dirty and also recessed a bit more. The lighters actually make their voltage contact on the side. There's some tabs at the bottom (3 on the Packard, 2 on the Ford) which touch the metal surrounding the element. Ground is via the element center post which is connected to the lighters upper outer shell.

Adapters use the center contact instead of the tabs. My adapter button doesn't quite reach the recessed center because it hits the surrounding insulator base first. End is also slightly narrower than the lighter. I can make it work by wiggling it so the end tilts slightly. It must touch one of the side tabs when tilted. Just sticking it straight in & it doesn't contact.

My MOtorola Razor (cell phone) will work.

Edit. I do have to wiggle the Motorola charger just a little but it is so old and been thru hell and back. The hand held spot lite LSI (lectro science inc) works just fine. Pretty sure my current clell phone charger works just fine too.

I checked the 56 Executive and my '01 DOdge Ram (power outlet and cigarette lighter). All three indicate the center contact near bottom of socket to be + (hot wire running to it) and the outer shell housing to be ground.

Checked it with a German made Ideal 61-249 DRO voltage tester that also displays polarity.

According to the 55 and 56 Wireing schematics in the factory SM a hot wire is shown connecting to the bottom centre of cig liter socket and the outer housing to ground.

IN the very center of the bottom of the cigarette lighter socket is what appears to be a rivet. That rivet is not hot according to my voltage meter. Havn't tested it for ground yet but i doubt that it would be grounded since it is holding the contact into the socket.