Question by GoodShepherd: Car Gadgets Run off Battery when engine running?
When your car engine is running and you plug a GPS or such into your cigarette lighter or adapter does the power run directly off of your car battery? I know that happens when your car engine is not running, the power comes from your battery, but I always thought that when your car engine is running, everything runs off the power your engine generates.
However this past week on Clark Howard I he said he was wondering why he would always buy the better car batteries, and they would only last less than a year. He said he had his car checked and everything was fine. So they told him that everything he plugs into his adapters (GPS, Ipod,etc.) is what is running his battery down as even when the car running they pull power from the car battery, NOT the engine. So he went and got a portable battery pack that he uses instead of plugging everything in.
So is he right?
Best answer:
Answer by flapjack
The 12V plugs are mostly unswitched meaning they can draw power from his battery.
A better solution would have be to get a “bigger” batt.
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as far as i know, the alternator replaces juice drained from the battery….that’s what an alternator is for….
No,he is not correct.When the car is running the the alternator is furnishing power to the battery,( which keeps the battery charged,so it will not drain the battery) The GPS,ipod,etc will drain the battery if the car is not running,but it will take quite a while,however while the car is running these things will not drain the battery.