VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle?

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 16:29
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - willows

We drive to Spain every year with 3 kids and use a cool box in the boot 12v socket, various extensions for DVD players etc off the passenger 12v socket, and use the driver 12v Socket for the ssanav and travel kettle.

My question is: can I buy a 24v travel kettle (for motorhomes?) and increase the volage/ampage of the fuses in the car fusebox to get a more powerful kettle?

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 16:36
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - Peter D

Changing the fuse will not help you. A 24V kettle will take a long time to boil on a 12volt supply. Just try it and see if it will actually boil it may struggle. Regards Peter

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 16:38
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - willows

Will it blow the fuse though?!

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 16:40
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - Peter D

Changing the fuse will not help you. A 24V kettle will take a long time to boil on a 12volt supply. Just try it and see if it will actually boil, it may struggle as it can only generate 1/4 of the power. Regards Peter

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 16:41
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - Peter D

No it will not blow the fuse or do any harm. Regards Peter

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 17:03
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - willows

Thanks Peter

Need to find another way of boiling water in a moving car then!

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 17:08
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - bathtub tom

Need to find another way of boiling water in a moving car then!

Not something I'd ever contemplate doing. Imagine the consequences of being in an accident.

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 17:12
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - jc2

12V kettles are slow-a 24v one on 12V will take forever.

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 17:44
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - willows

:o(

I can't be the only one with this problem? I feel a Dragons Den moment is needed!

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 17:54
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - galileo

Thanks Peter

Need to find another way of boiling water in a moving car then!

No problem if you had a Stanley Steam car. But why do you need boiling water on the move?

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 18:28
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - elekie&a/c doctor

It is possible to use a mains kettle and a 12volt to 240v invertor plugged into the 12 volt power socket.hth

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 18:48
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - A3 A4

You will need at least a 2kw invertor, and you're looking at £200 for such an item.

A much cheaper option would be a mini gas hob from Go Outdoors for £15, but no way could you use it on the move, or even in the car.

Edited by A3 A4 on 02/08/2013 at 18:50

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 18:51
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - jc2

Even a small kettle would probably blow the inverter-they are normally designed for very low wattage.Use a thermos or stop and use a portable gas stove.

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 21:06
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - Peter.N.

A 24v kettle running on 12v will only produce a quarter of the heat, the 24 v has twice the resistance of the 12v and therefore will only pass half the current so the wattage will be reduced to a quarter.

To run a mains kettle on 12v will require around 250 amps into the inverter which is probably at least twice the output of your alternator and you would have to connect it directly to the battery - non starter I'm afraid. Get a 12v kettle.

Peter

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Fri 2 Aug 2013 21:38
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - Cyd

Boiling up a kettle of water in a moving car is, in my book, the height of stupidity. Someone could get seriously burned thanks to a pot hole, nevermind an accident.

Pull over somewhere safe and use a small gas stove.

Or is this another wind up?

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Sat 3 Aug 2013 07:36
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - wrangler_rover

As well as seeking advice on it the 24V kettle will work off a 12V supply, it looks like the original poster is experiencing the problem of insufficient 12V sockets in the vehicle. I now need 3 in my car for sat nav, electric cool box and phone charger.

I guess that car manufacturers will eventually increase the number or 12V sockets in cars so that there isn't the need for extension sockets and wire everywhere.

Edited by wrangler_rover on 03/08/2013 at 07:39

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Sat 3 Aug 2013 10:21
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - A3 A4

Most new cars have a socket in the bbot for things like a cool box.

As far the sat nav and phone charger go, use a one into two like this....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Two-way-dual-Car-12v-aux-socket-power-adapter-for-cig-cigarette-plug-2-in-1-/140798372252?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20c83ca99c

Some come with USB outlets as well which will charge most phones.

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Sat 3 Aug 2013 17:44
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - wrangler_rover

I have a 2013 avensis tourer which has 2 x 12V sockets: 1 in the dashboard under the heating & ventilation controls and the other inside the centre console storage which has now been fitted with a sliding and hinged lid. The socket in the centre colsole isn't much good since toyota have "improved" the design by fitting a lid because if anything is plugged into the socket, there is a risk of the wire being crushed when the lid is closed. I have tried a flying lead type extension socket like the ebay link shows but there is nowhere suitable to mount the extension sockets. I have also tried a plug in double extension sockets and USB plugged into the dashboard 12V socket but this gets in the way of the HVAC controls on the dashboard. I have also found that a phone charger lead with a 12V plug on the end charges a phone much quicker than a USB phone charger lead in the car.

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Sat 3 Aug 2013 09:50
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - skidpan

Boiling up a kettle of water in a moving car is, in my book, the height of stupidity. Someone could get seriously burned thanks to a pot hole, nevermind an accident.

Pull over somewhere safe and use a small gas stove.

Or is this another wind up?

Hopefully its a wind up. But one day we may see an A & E programme on the telly where someone has severely burned his kids by boiling a kettle in a moving car.

I would presume if caught doing this would result in a ban at least.

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Sat 3 Aug 2013 14:22
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - unthrottled

But one day we may see an A & E programme on the telly where someone has severely burned his kids by boiling a kettle in a moving car.

No such risk using a 12V cigarette lighter supply. You might draw perhaps 100w-about 1/30th of the power required for a fastboil domestic kettle.

You'll get to your destination before the kettle has boiled.

Edit: If the idea of an in-car water boiling facility really seems necesary, you'd be better off buying a large stainless thermos flask and punching out the vacuum. Attach the thermos flask to the cylinder block with conducting paste and you can boil the water as you drive along. :)

Edited by unthrottled on 03/08/2013 at 14:36

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Sat 3 Aug 2013 15:23
VW Passat Estate - 12v Adaptors - can i use a 24v Travel kettle? - bathtub tom

Didn't Aussies do something similar with a billy can fixed so the exhaust blew over it?

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