Battery drain question with an external car CD player

S

super70s

Guest
I have just bought a used Sony Discman player to use in my car because
the built-in one started rejecting CDs (older GM/Delco player, as
they're wont to do).

It has an adapter that you plug into the car's cassette player, then
there's the 12V power adapter for the power. When I plug the power
adapter into the power source (my car has a dedicated one, so I don't
have to use the cigarette lighter), a little LED light comes on on the
power adapter to show it's getting juice.

My question is, would it drain the battery if I left the power adapter
in the power source all the time, and the little LED stayed on all the
time? It's kind of hard to push it in and I'd like to avoid that every
time I want to use the CD player. Also, this is assuming I have the
Discman turned off, of course.

I was looking in my car's owner's manual and it says my car is equipped
with a feature that automatically turns off the headlamps and any
internal lights after 10 min. if you leave them on by mistake, but I
wasn't sure if this applied to the 12V power source.

I thought someone out there might have some experience in using external
CD or MP3 players in their car.
 
On 11/1/2016 7:32 AM, super70s wrote:
I have just bought a used Sony Discman player to use in my car because
the built-in one started rejecting CDs (older GM/Delco player, as
they're wont to do).

It has an adapter that you plug into the car's cassette player, then
there's the 12V power adapter for the power. When I plug the power
adapter into the power source (my car has a dedicated one, so I don't
have to use the cigarette lighter), a little LED light comes on on the
power adapter to show it's getting juice.

My question is, would it drain the battery if I left the power adapter
in the power source all the time, and the little LED stayed on all the
time? It's kind of hard to push it in and I'd like to avoid that every
time I want to use the CD player. Also, this is assuming I have the
Discman turned off, of course.

I was looking in my car's owner's manual and it says my car is equipped
with a feature that automatically turns off the headlamps and any
internal lights after 10 min. if you leave them on by mistake, but I
wasn't sure if this applied to the 12V power source.

I thought someone out there might have some experience in using external
CD or MP3 players in their car.
Click to expand...
If all you have running is the adapter then no problem leaving it in.
Some vehicles shut off power ports when not running some don't. You will
need to check your owners manual.
 
In article <nva9m0$dq2$1@dont-email.me>,
Tom Biasi <tombiasi@optonline.net> wrote:

On 11/1/2016 7:32 AM, super70s wrote:
I have just bought a used Sony Discman player to use in my car because
the built-in one started rejecting CDs (older GM/Delco player, as
they're wont to do).

It has an adapter that you plug into the car's cassette player, then
there's the 12V power adapter for the power. When I plug the power
adapter into the power source (my car has a dedicated one, so I don't
have to use the cigarette lighter), a little LED light comes on on the
power adapter to show it's getting juice.

My question is, would it drain the battery if I left the power adapter
in the power source all the time, and the little LED stayed on all the
time? It's kind of hard to push it in and I'd like to avoid that every
time I want to use the CD player. Also, this is assuming I have the
Discman turned off, of course.

I was looking in my car's owner's manual and it says my car is equipped
with a feature that automatically turns off the headlamps and any
internal lights after 10 min. if you leave them on by mistake, but I
wasn't sure if this applied to the 12V power source.

I thought someone out there might have some experience in using external
CD or MP3 players in their car.

If all you have running is the adapter then no problem leaving it in.
Some vehicles shut off power ports when not running some don't. You will
need to check your owners manual.
Click to expand...

Yes my manual mentions the power port, but it doesn't say if it's shut
off or not when the car isn't running.

I guess I could leave it in for 10 minutes, and if the LED light goes
out that would mean it's been automatically shut off. I sort of hate to
risk draining the battery at all with it though.

The manual also mentions something about a "power drop" under the glove
compartment on the passenger side that has power and grounding but I
haven't climbed in and checked that out yet. I guess that would be for
hooking up a device permanently.
 
On 11/1/2016 4:04 PM, super70s wrote:
In article <nva9m0$dq2$1@dont-email.me>,
Tom Biasi <tombiasi@optonline.net> wrote:

On 11/1/2016 7:32 AM, super70s wrote:
I have just bought a used Sony Discman player to use in my car because
the built-in one started rejecting CDs (older GM/Delco player, as
they're wont to do).

It has an adapter that you plug into the car's cassette player, then
there's the 12V power adapter for the power. When I plug the power
adapter into the power source (my car has a dedicated one, so I don't
have to use the cigarette lighter), a little LED light comes on on the
power adapter to show it's getting juice.

My question is, would it drain the battery if I left the power adapter
in the power source all the time, and the little LED stayed on all the
time? It's kind of hard to push it in and I'd like to avoid that every
time I want to use the CD player. Also, this is assuming I have the
Discman turned off, of course.

I was looking in my car's owner's manual and it says my car is equipped
with a feature that automatically turns off the headlamps and any
internal lights after 10 min. if you leave them on by mistake, but I
wasn't sure if this applied to the 12V power source.

I thought someone out there might have some experience in using external
CD or MP3 players in their car.

If all you have running is the adapter then no problem leaving it in.
Some vehicles shut off power ports when not running some don't. You will
need to check your owners manual.

Yes my manual mentions the power port, but it doesn't say if it's shut
off or not when the car isn't running.

I guess I could leave it in for 10 minutes, and if the LED light goes
out that would mean it's been automatically shut off. I sort of hate to
risk draining the battery at all with it though.

The manual also mentions something about a "power drop" under the glove
compartment on the passenger side that has power and grounding but I
haven't climbed in and checked that out yet. I guess that would be for
hooking up a device permanently.
Click to expand...
Do what you said to see if power stays on. The draw from just the
adapter and LED is negligible. I have three in my vehicle on all the
time. Unless you don't start your vehicle for months at a time.
 
In article <nvb3g4$gli$1@dont-email.me>,
Tom Biasi <tombiasi@optonline.net> wrote:

On 11/1/2016 4:04 PM, super70s wrote:
In article <nva9m0$dq2$1@dont-email.me>,
Tom Biasi <tombiasi@optonline.net> wrote:

On 11/1/2016 7:32 AM, super70s wrote:
I have just bought a used Sony Discman player to use in my car because
the built-in one started rejecting CDs (older GM/Delco player, as
they're wont to do).

It has an adapter that you plug into the car's cassette player, then
there's the 12V power adapter for the power. When I plug the power
adapter into the power source (my car has a dedicated one, so I don't
have to use the cigarette lighter), a little LED light comes on on the
power adapter to show it's getting juice.

My question is, would it drain the battery if I left the power adapter
in the power source all the time, and the little LED stayed on all the
time? It's kind of hard to push it in and I'd like to avoid that every
time I want to use the CD player. Also, this is assuming I have the
Discman turned off, of course.

I was looking in my car's owner's manual and it says my car is equipped
with a feature that automatically turns off the headlamps and any
internal lights after 10 min. if you leave them on by mistake, but I
wasn't sure if this applied to the 12V power source.

I thought someone out there might have some experience in using external
CD or MP3 players in their car.

If all you have running is the adapter then no problem leaving it in.
Some vehicles shut off power ports when not running some don't. You will
need to check your owners manual.

Yes my manual mentions the power port, but it doesn't say if it's shut
off or not when the car isn't running.

I guess I could leave it in for 10 minutes, and if the LED light goes
out that would mean it's been automatically shut off. I sort of hate to
risk draining the battery at all with it though.

The manual also mentions something about a "power drop" under the glove
compartment on the passenger side that has power and grounding but I
haven't climbed in and checked that out yet. I guess that would be for
hooking up a device permanently.

Do what you said to see if power stays on. The draw from just the
adapter and LED is negligible. I have three in my vehicle on all the
time. Unless you don't start your vehicle for months at a time.
Click to expand...

Yeah I presumed the LED only drew a negligible amount of power, the car
has a "flashing" red LED in the in-dash stereo that blinks all the time.
But the yellow LED on the adapter stays on constantly.

Thanks for your input.
 
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