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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
I have a question for car (not RV) campers in the U.S. When camping,
what's your favourite way of making coffee or any other hot drinks? 1. You prefer cold drinks when camping. 2. You make sure the campsite has AC power so you bring 110AC equipment. 3. You go to the nearest gas station. 4. You use a propane stove. 5. You bring some kind of a portable coffee maker/electric kettle/water heater/immersion coil (ever heard of such a beast?). 6. Other (plain pot over a campfire (ouch), etc.) I was mostly thinking of option 5. But when I search for "electric kettle" and "car" together, the search results contain mostly UK websites/newsgroups. So I was wondering if that's a terminology issue or those things are just not popular in the US. What I have now is this: 1. A 12V DC electric kettle (tiny & slooooow) 2. A 500W 12DC-110AC inverter (not powerful enough to attach any standard 110V equipment). So I was wondering if there is something in between available in the US. I was thinking of a low power (500W), low capacity 110AC electric kettler/heater/coffee machine/whatever so I could take advantage of my inverter (obviously connecting it directly to the battery). I don't need high performance stuff, yet I am not very happy with that 12V thingy. I couldn't find anything of the kind on the web. Looks like most modern electric kettles draw at least 1000W... Thanks. |
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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
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#3
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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
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#4
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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
St. John Smythe wrote: wrote: I have a question for car (not RV) campers in the U.S. When camping, what's your favourite way of making coffee or any other hot drinks? 6. Other (plain pot over a campfire (ouch), etc.) While on the one hand I've gotten so picky about coffee that I'll rarely even order it in a restaurant any more, on the other, I'm perfectly happy with "cowboy coffee" when caping. shrug I'd be perfectly happy, too, if that's not me who's making it when it is cold and raining -- St. John But soft you, the fair Ophelia: Ope not thy ponderous and marble jaws, But get thee to a nunnery -- go! -Mark "The Bard" Twain |
#5
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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
Caveat wrote: wrote: I have a question for car (not RV) campers in the U.S. When camping, what's your favourite way of making coffee or any other hot drinks... Answer #4: a propane stove. 5. You bring some kind of a portable coffee maker/electric kettle/water I was mostly thinking of option 5. But when I search for "electric kettle" and "car" together, the search results contain mostly UK websites/newsgroups. So I was wondering if that's a terminology issue or those things are just not popular in the US... It's a technology issue. As you note, electric pots draw huge amounts of power. Twelve volts is too wimpy and those pots that are sold for such use (as you found out) are "tiny & slooooow." A 120v pot would require a large inverter that would drain your car battery very quickly. I was under the impression that the battery should be fine as long as the engine is running... But I am guessing the type of battery/alternator/wiring may be an issue at real high power levels (how high?). And that combination would cost a lot more than a small pot on a small propane (or iso-butane) stove. I am not sure how much a small propane stove may cost, but I believe that's the best solution for those who also use it for cooking. I don't. As far the inverter... First of all, I need one in the car anyway, for things like laptop, cameras, etc. Besides, I already have a basic 4 cup coffee maker that is rated, I believe, at 800W. So a 1000W inverter should do the trick. And I doubt it would cost much more that the 500W one that I already have. I just don't want to buy another one... Oh well. Caveat |
#6
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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
6. Other (plain pot over a campfire (ouch), etc.) Use your stove to make your hot water. Bring pre-ground coffee (of your taste / economic status) in bag. FRENCH PRESS Makes DAMN good coffee, pretty quickly. Just did it Sunday morning in the Uintas. Muy bueno. |
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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
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#9
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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
Caveat wrote: wrote: Caveat wrote It's a technology issue. As you note, electric pots draw huge amounts of power. Twelve volts is too wimpy and those pots that are sold for such use (as you found out) are "tiny & slooooow." A 120v pot would require a large inverter that would drain your car battery very quickly. I was under the impression that the battery should be fine as long as the engine is running... IMO, it's a bad idea to run the engine to heat up a cup of water. Gasoline is expensive, and the exhaust is no fun to breathe in a campground (nor is the noise very nice). Agreed. If the large inverter pulls less amperage from the battery than the alternator can put in wile running (at idle) it might keep the battery from going dead. But this is like using an atom bomb to kill a fly. A small, inexpensive, quiet propane stove is a far better alternative in my view. I am not sure how much a small propane stove may cost, but I believe that's the best solution for those who also use it for cooking. I don't. Here are a dozen or so small stoves (less than the size of the inverter) for less than $40 USD: http://shop.lycos.com/camping_hiking...--296498-.html A few such devices have a built-in pot and are designed specifically for boiling water -- not the general cooking of foods. Yeah, just tonight I checked out a couple stores and I totally agree with you. I've seen some real small single burner cookers basically the size of the tank for about $30. So, a 1000W inverter is definetely an overkill to make a cup of coffee |
#10
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car coffee maker / electric kettle / water heater?
wrote:
So, a 1000W inverter is definetely an overkill to make a cup of coffee Amps = watts/volts. 1000w/12v = 83 amps, assuming your inverter is 100% efficient. (it isn't) So at full load you'd have to draw 83 amps from wherever you connect your inverter. That isn't going to be the cigarette lighter, nor the interior fuse box, neither of which can provide anywhere near that much curent. A 1000w inverter is going to have to wire directly to the car battery. For that matter, so is a 500w unit. If you've got a 500-watter that claims it can plug into the lighter, I'm betting it can only suppor 500w for a second or two. Anyway, I do think that's far too much work for a cup of coffee!, especially if there's an easier chemical alternative. -- Doug Smith W9WI Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66 http://www.w9wi.com |
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