12v kettle usage???

[hembramacho]

Quick question.

I've just put in a leisure battery and relay split charger so that all my electrics in the bongo run from this. I had this great idea that we could stop off in a layby for a cuppa now and again and bought a 12 volt kettle. A mate of mine who used to be a long distance lorry driver told me that using one would be a bad idea as they were rubbish, and having done a bit of research on various BF forums and reading horror stories am now scared to use it in case I blow the whole electrics, burn out and melt some wires, blow various fuses, blow up the bongo (sorry - getting carried away and slightly silly ) It's a 12 v 170w travel kettle if that helps.

Some advice would be great - I mean why can you buy them if they are dangerous to use????

Andrew

[Muzorewa]

They may not be dangerous to use, depends how your ciggy socket is wired, but 170W at 12V is going to pull 14 Amps through your cables. 170W is going to take yonks to boil, a normal domestic kettle is 2500 to 3000W

[g8dhe]

Well 170 Watts is 14Amps at 12 v so you will blow a fuse (10 amps to the cigar sockets)- having said that we tried one once, even with the engine running we waited 20 minutes and the water was still only hot no way could you make tea and coffee was only just about drinkable!

[scanner]

Quick question.

I've just put in a leisure battery and relay split charger so that all my electrics in the bongo run from this. I had this great idea that we could stop off in a layby for a cuppa now and again and bought a 12 volt kettle. A mate of mine who used to be a long distance lorry driver told me that using one would be a bad idea as they were rubbish, and having done a bit of research on various BF forums and reading horror stories am now scared to use it in case I blow the whole electrics, burn out and melt some wires, blow various fuses, blow up the bongo (sorry - getting carried away and slightly silly ) It's a 12 v 170w travel kettle if that helps.

Some advice would be great - I mean why can you buy them if they are dangerous to use????

Andrew

Profit?

When did ethics ever come into that?


PS Do you realise just how long it takes to boil even a cupful of water @ 170watts? and as that's as good as 15 amps you'll need to connect direct to the battery - not use any of the sockets, certainly not the rear one.

[not so old]

I am no good with the technie side of electrics, but used a 12v kettle in another car for years and had no problem, however I used to plug it in while moving and it was boiled ready for a picnic stop off. Probably not to safe though , with regard to hot water in a moving vehicle. I used to sit it in a little plastic box to prevent spill injury. There used to be a little bottle type thingy sold that would hook onto the inside of the door which plugged into the cigar lighter and boiled water etc. It used to be great for a couple of small coffees or cup a soup.

[hembramacho]

So basically a load of rubbish then!

[francophile1947]

So basically a load of rubbish then!

Yep Buy a £10 gas stove instead

[dunslair]

If you feel flush... you want your brew in a hurry..and you are going to use it a lot... get a jetboil... brilliant bit of kit, You can even get a coffee filter / plunger for it if that's the bag your into

[hembramacho]

So basically a load of rubbish then!

Yep Buy a £10 gas stove instead

We're getting a gas hob as part of the conversion that goes in next month. Just thought the 12v kettle would be an easy alternative in the mean time. The things you learn!

Thanks for the advice guys.

Andrew

[Aethelric]

I remember a TV advert many years ago, which was advertising the speed of a kettle. It was 3kW and boiled a pint of water in 90 seconds.
You can use this to work out the boiling time.
Say two 1/3 pint cups so thats only 2/3 pint so we are down to 60 seconds
But we have only 170W instead of 3000W so that takes us up to 18 minutes. It will actually be longer than this as there is more time for it to radiate heat.
Much, much faster to use the gas stove.

Dave

[scanner]

But we have only 170W instead of 3000W so that takes us up to 18 minutes. It will actually be longer than this as there is more time for it to radiate heat.
Much, much faster to use the gas stove.

So given the right weather the water could freeze faster than the element can heat it up?

[Alison01326]

Agree with John about £10 stove http://direct.asda.com/Portable-Gas-Sto ... lt,pd.html

I have had a Trangia storm cooker for years and have always carried it around for cuppas on the fly and even if we've got the kitchen in the Bongo (ours is removable) it's sometimes easier to use it than the Bongo one (ie if we are picnicking just a bit too far away to cart cups of drink around, or are on the beach and the car park is elsewhere). It will probably be a tenner well spent in any event (unless the tenner is, of course, earmarked for something else).

[mobilecat]

I keep one in my footwell. I bought it ages ago for the odd time I didn't want to use the gas or had run out. I have never ever used it. not my best purchase!

[kelv]

I had a travel kettle once.
Kept it in a van that eventually got got stolen.
It was the only thing in the van I never missed.
Often wondered if those coil heater things are any good for heating water though .....................
Advantage over the gas stove idea is that if they worked, they wouldn't be running out at the wrong time of course.

Second thoghts Just take a flask

[Alison01326]

Do you mean these, Kelv? http://www.magellans.co.uk/store/Applia ... F226?Args=

Have never used a 12v version, but I used to use mine a lot at college and in hotel & hostel rooms (where no kettle was provided) and it's was very quick indeed to boil a mug of water. Still quicker to use a kettle if you are making more than one drink!!