Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Can anyone tell me how the cigar lighter is supposed to work and how it should be wired?

My dashboard retractable cigar lighter is not operational. I have power to the unit but it never turns on when the lighter coil is pulled out.I do not know if the unit does not work or if it needs to be wired differently.

Thanks for the help.

Gar

If you have power to the terminals in the socket it sounds like the lighter may not be working?

IIRC the lighter should be connected directly to battery (as in all cars until the 2010's), probably the battery terminal on the ignition switch. It should not be polarity sensitive.

How does it turn on? I would assume a switch somewhere? Maybe in the socket of the bake-light?

Is there a patent number on the housing? I believe Packard as did most other mfgs used a similar pull out lighter. I have found what appears to be a patent with drawings for a typical 1928 element part but not for the housing and reel part. If there are some numbers and a patent could be found for the reel section perhaps the inner parts and what makes the electrical connection to the wire could be figured out.

There are postings on other forums about similar lighters and how they operate. The description for one of them mentions the lighter will not turn on until the reel has unspooled a certain length of cable and does not turn off until all the cable is reeled back in. If this is the case with the Packard unit, logically there must be a brush or two inside for the 6v and ground contact to the reel and wire and probably some sort of screw arrangement that pushes or pulls the reel into contact with one of the brushes to make the on/off connection.

Using the element drawing as a reference, If there is no power to either the center or to the element end that folds back over some metal at the other electrical connection then the problem would most likely be at the reel mechanism but if there is power at the pullout section then a burned out or disconnected element would be most likely. One of the connections would have 6v and the other would be grounded but no idea whether the center or the end point would be at 6v

Attach file:

---

  element.jpg (278.00 KB)

Found a Cad lighter at Classic Accessories. Does yours (minus the ashtray) look anything like it?

A forum poster at another site said the Casco model 860 was supposedly used by Cad, Packard, Franklin and other high end cars. Reason I ask is it appears there is a wire at the bottom near the button. The poster said the button controls the locking mechanism as well as turns the thing on and off. As I understand operation, when you pull out the cord the turning reel causes the button to energize power and also prepares the part which locks the reel at whatever position you stop it. When you finish lighting you push the button to release the reel and retract the cord. The button being pushed in also cuts the power.

I have no idea if this is how the Packard lighter works but if so, the switch or cocking mechanism might be faulty on yours.

Attach file:

---

  lighter.jpg (258.73 KB)

It looks similar but no ashtray and NO SWITCH...hmmm

The "pull type" cigar lighters have a spring steel coil inside which retracts the cord. As you pull the cord out of the lighter, a screw mechanism at the center of the coil moves a contact plate toward a live contact. When you pull the cord far enough, the points make contact, the circuit is complete and the element heats up. When the cord retracts the contact is broken and the heating element cools down.

The "pull type" cigar lighters have a spring steel coil inside which retracts the cord. As you pull the cord out of the lighter, a screw mechanism at the center of the coil moves a contact plate toward a live contact. When you pull the cord far enough, the points make contact, the circuit is complete and the element heats up. When the cord retracts the contact is broken and the heating element cools down.

John:

Thanks. I tested all the of connection and had no continuity even when it was pulled all the way out. I took it apart and found that the wire was broke at the very end of the lighter coil. It appears there is a bakelite(maybe) insulator in the center of the lighter shell. Any idea how you get that out?

Thanks

Hi Gar,
PM me. I have had these CASCO lighters completely apart. There are a couple of parts that are tricky.
John Wogec