So in the old dash that was in this car, the top had melted due to an electrical fire under the dash due to the infamous cigarette lighter issue. I will not be using the cigarette lighter. Can I still use the hole to put a usb phone charger in or will that be an issue as well?

 

Yes.

But ensure that the contacts in the lighter well are corrosion-free. Protect the contact with a copper-containing paste, like Motorex, rated for improving connectivity and reducing chances of recurring corrosion.

The original lighter used about 100 to 150 watts of power to produce a flame on the ciggie. A Micro-USB connector for a phone that charges at 5 V will draw only about 11 watts.

You are proposing to use about one-tenth as much power as the lighter, so the chance of heat getting out of control is that much less.

 

alright, thanks. Do you mean the contacts behind the dash or inside the lighter hole? I’ll either using a phone charger usb insert or a Uniden R7 radar scanner with a dash camera plugged into the usb. When the time comes for that I’ll let you know.

 

good idea replacing the lighter. those things can be dangerous in old cars.

 

sadly this dashboard met the business end of a bad design as seen in the photo I posted. If I can use it or fix it I’ll do it!

 

I meant the lighter hole.

The very best way to proceed would be to connect directly to the lighter wiring behind the dash. That eliminates any risk of high-resistance connection within the lighter hole.

 

so I put the motorex on the prong behind the dash?

 

You can get a direct wire usb doo-dad. I'd lose the socket altogether. What's "motorex"?

 

mask VC455, he said it not me. It’s a copper paste to prevent corrosion.

 

Aye. It's a good thing for every connection in our old cars. Whenever I take any connections apart, I use it when reassembling.

 

Ahhhh, something like diabolical grease. I put that stuff on everything.

 

Lots of people I know that don't smoke and they have cigarette lighters in their cars.

 

That rated a real LOL, instead of just an L

 

I have to give credit to my neighbor for that one. He couldn't remember dielectric and spit out diabolical. It's gotten a bunch of mileage. 🤣

 

That view of the dash looks more like the ignition switch overheated than the lighter. Mine did the same thing but only deformed the dash plastic around the lighter hole. Even with the heat shield in place.

Something like this would solve the problem.

[url=http://Amazon.com: Zennova [2 Pack] 12v USB Outlet,Dual USB Quick Charger 3.0 Port Waterproof Power Outlet 12V Fast USB Charger Socket with Power Switch for Car Golf Cart Boat Marine Bus Truck RV Marine Motorcycle : Cell Phones & Accessories