Tip of the Month

Don't Twist Your 12volt Plugs

We all use our car's 12volt socket to charge our cell phones, play our ipods, mp3 players and a host of other electronics. Sometimes the plugs don't fit well in the socket, i.e. the plug fits too tight or too loose, or we don't get a good connection. It's tempting to twist the plug in the socket until you get a better connection, but you could damage the socket, or cause it to come apart inside the dash when you do this. And that could turn into a costly repair when you can't get the socket to work.

If you find that the plug doesn't fit well in the socket, pull it straight out and re-insert it straight in until you get a good connection. If the plug is still too tight or too loose, or still makes a poor connection, get a different plug. It's probably less expensive than fixing the socket if it becomes damaged or inoperable.