Cooked my tomtom in rental car.

[SouthPaw]

I got into a rental car plugged in my tomtom and cooked it. The cigarette lighter jack had reversed polarity. I went in and the hertz garage tested jack and manager called bestbuy to check price and send guy to buy replacement and made my rental free. Hertz made problem right except my time.

Does anyone know of a simple cigarette lighter polarity tester I can put in my travel bag so this doesn't happen again.

 

[Smokiewolf]

Why was the polarity reversed? Was that a manufacuring mistake?

 

[feejo]

Woops, look like the TT cable dose not have a DIODE build in. Design flaw. Good to know thanks, but sorry for your TT. A diode allow curent to circulate only on the right side.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode

 

[Bama Rambler]

Please give us all the details you can. I have never in my 50 years heard of this. Granted that I haven't looked at the connectors in a few years, but I didn't even know it was possible to reverse them. I know some overseas markets use positive for ground. I guess some jack-leg doing something for Hertz could have done it.

 

[Smokiewolf]

Please give us all the details you can. I have never in my 50 years heard of this. Granted that I haven't looked at the connectors in a few years, but I didn't even know it was possible to reverse them. I know some overseas markets use positive for ground. I guess some jack-leg doing something for Hertz could have done it.

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing as you, 'Bama

 

[SouthPaw]

The garage manager said that a recent customer got an adapter stuck in socket and pulled socket out pulling to hard. The mechaninc replaced but used a cigarette lighter to test instead of a multimeter.

I can build a polarity tester buy would prefer a more durable production design for taveling. Does anyone know of just a cigarette lighter adapter with a red and green polarity checker inside?

 

[Bama Rambler]

That makes sense then. I wouldn't worry about needing a polarity tester for an accessory outlet specifically. That's probably a once in a lifetime occurance. Even if it were to happen again you'd be made whole just like you were this time. If I wanted to use something to test the polarity I'd buy an LED accessory light. They won't work if the polarity is reversed.

 

[Smokiewolf]

Wow, yeah, I guess that's like the odds of getting struck by lightning. They replace those sockets all the time in our cars at work, and I never had this happen...I'm a little freaked now, because I doubt they would comp me like Hertz did for you!
You know, the statement about LEDs made me wonder...Would the green LED light come on in the lighter plug if the polarity was reversed. Is that a way to check it before you connect it to your unit?