12 Volt kettles

[bigmac77]

Buy a Kelly kettle. Infinitely better and you get to play with fire.

And some parts or europe you are not allowed fires.

 

[Hotel California]

You should do good carrying one of these ,

Just a random picture , there are cheaper versions also , takes up very little space and very handy .
Just put it on the ground next to the cali and the ketlle on if you want a quick fresh brew in the morning, very stabile also
Refills are cheap and easy to find in DIY stores and campingshops

 

[bigmac77]

You should do good carrying one of these ,
View attachment 24915
Just a random picture , there are cheaper versions also , takes up very little space and very handy .
Just put it on the ground next to the cali and the ketlle on if you want a quick fresh brew in the morning, very stabile also
Refills are cheap and easy to find in DIY stores and campingshops

I got one for £10 and gas from Homebargins 4 cans £4.

 

[Amarillo]

I have had a Kelly kettle for a least a decade, and hardly ever have used it. We nearly bought a cartridge stove in Decathlon Krakow but decided it was silly to carry three stoves.

I'm likely to go against all the advice given here and try the 200 watt 750ml Waeco 12 volt kettle. I have been well warned that 12 volt kettles are useless, but I do feel that the problem is one of expectations and management of the long boil times.

https://www.practicalcaravan.com/reviews/accessory/29788-waeco-perfect-kitchen-mck750


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[WelshGas]

We had 2x907 bottles - the first ran out in Trondheim after about 30 days, the second ran out in Krakow after about 60 days. I cannot complain about the efficiency of the gas (one bottle does a family of four camp cooking almost daily, breakfast and dinner, for a month) - my gripe is that the website led me to believe that refills are widely available in Europe. My experience is that they are not.

I'm now concerned about out trip through Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.


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Campingaz Cartridges contain a mix of Butane and Propane and are available all over Europe and Scandinavia. However the 907-904-901 exchange cylinders only contain Butane and so their supply will be limited to the Western and Southern European countries where winter conditions are rarely so severe that Butane cannot be used.
That is one of the reasons that the 907 on the Ocean/SE is carried within the water tank. In normal use the temperature remains high enough in winter for the liquid Butane to vaporise.
Many Caravan/Motorhome clubs and sites recommend Campingaz as being the most commonly available gas supply with good quality and safety record if not the more expensive and found in many European countries.

Otherwise buy a locally produced cylinder and regulator.

This European page might help.

http://www.campingaz.com/

 

[Loz]

For a quick boil we have a jetboil flash very compact and quick to boil.
http://amzn.eu/heTk9Yw
All the parts including the small gas canister fit inside and will go easily in a day bag.

 

[JohnGuppy]

If you want a quick way to boil a kettle a cheap gas cooker is the way to go 12v kettles draw too much current to use a cigar lighter socket
I use one of those cheap gas cookers that use throw away bottles then you can use it for cooking outside boils a kettle in 5 mins packs away easy I think the cost was £12 for the cooker and £8 for 5 spare cylinders

If you want a low voltage device I have a British army boiling vessel boils 2 pints of water/ and heats up 5 boil in the bag meals in 5 mins but 24v and 120 amps , needs 4 x 250Ah batteries and running a 900hp supercharged two stroke deasil engine but feeds 5 men and 5 cups of tea , but as the engine needs 15 mins to cool down before they shut it off its great oh forgot if they want pudding apply pie and custard pop the bags in after taking out main meal

If you ever see a British Army 1 day Ration pack buy it and try Breakfast/ dinner /evening meal tea soup coffee sweets and real chocolate biscuits cheese and a spoon £10 life span 10 years
sadly wont work in Cal

 

[sidepod]

Now we're talking, 900 horse two stokes. Heaven.

 

[PudnBob]

You should do good carrying one of these ,
View attachment 24915
Just a random picture , there are cheaper versions also , takes up very little space and very handy .
Just put it on the ground next to the cali and the ketlle on if you want a quick fresh brew in the morning, very stabile also
Refills are cheap and easy to find in DIY stores and campingshops

It's our emergency back up

 

[Vantastic2]

I have had a Kelly kettle for a least a decade, and hardly ever have used it. We nearly bought a cartridge stove in Decathlon Krakow but decided it was silly to carry three stoves.

I'm likely to go against all the advice given here and try the 200 watt 750ml Waeco 12 volt kettle. I have been well warned that 12 volt kettles are useless, but I do feel that the problem is one of expectations and management of the long boil times.

https://www.practicalcaravan.com/reviews/accessory/29788-waeco-perfect-kitchen-mck750


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We have a 'redundant 'GO' car kettle model: 702 12v24v dc 145W/285W capacity 0.4l it took approx. 30 mins to boil that small amount !
If you have the time of waiting to boil water from one of these best of luck !
I was fine but not the missus !
Now use a 240v 1000W 1.7L kettle when on a campsite paying for electric.
Bought from Aldi this year,made in China like almost everything,Cali might be one day?

 

[2into1]

Whenever I've boiled an electric kettle in a camper, I've sat over it whilst it boiled and was poured. The combination of trailing cables, boiling water, young kids and dogs (for 30 unattended minutes) might be worth considering.

 

[Flood51]

The 907 is about the most expensive way of buying gas. The 4.5kg bottle is half the price to refill vs the 2.75kg 907. Not sure whether they take the 4.5kg in Europe though.

 

[Amarillo]

Whenever I've boiled an electric kettle in a camper, I've sat over it whilst it boiled and was poured. The combination of trailing cables, boiling water, young kids and dogs (for 30 unattended minutes) might be worth considering.

I have just received my Waeco kettle, and first impressions are of the excellent quality. It has a good sturdy base that will need fixing in the van. I'm not sure where yet. The kettle twists onto the base and clicks into place. It needs two hands to remove, one to hold a button on the base and the other to twist the kettle free. The lid of the kettle also clips into place, and needs a thumb and finger grip and squeeze to open.

I haven't yet tested boil times as my van is in the workshop to have its radar recalibrated, but according to the manual it is 12 volt and 20 amps, so should be up to 240 watts, about a quarter of the watts of a normal caravan kettle.


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[Loz]

I haven't yet tested boil times as my van is in the workshop to have its radar recalibrated, but according to the manual it is 12 volt and 20 amps, so should be up to 240 watts, about a quarter of the watts of a normal caravan kettle.


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You might have a problem as the 12v sockets are fused at 15a so you might have to add another with a higher output.

 

[Amarillo]

You might have a problem as the 12v sockets are fused at 15a so you might have to add another with a higher output.

All my sockets are labelled 12v except the one on the left behind the front passenger seat which is labelled 20amp.


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[Loz]

All my sockets are labelled 12v except the one on the left behind the front passenger seat which is labelled 20amp.


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the socket may be labelled 20A as that is how they come from the supplier, but it is fused down to 15A to protect the tiny cables they chose to use at the factory.

 

[Amarillo]

the socket may be labelled 20A as that is how they come from the supplier, but it is fused down to 15A to protect the tiny cables they chose to use at the factory.

I would hope and expect that a socket that VW have taken the trouble to label as 20A (as opposed to 12v as is the case with all other sockets) is capable of supplying 20A.

I'll find out soon after my van is returned.


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[Loz]

You mean like this generic Durite one?


as I said the fuses are 15A take a look for yourself. VW should be putting a 15A sticker over the top.
Here is a pic of the fuses;


not a 20A in sight...

 

[Amarillo]

You mean like this generic Durite one?
View attachment 25261

Yes, that's the one - I'll take a look when I have my van back, but I do have five leisure sockets in my van (and one starter battery socket). From front to back:
1. On top of the dashboard.
2. In the dashboard (starter battery)
3. By the upper bed
4. Behind the front passenger seat
5. At the back of the sliding door
6. In the boot (with access obstructed by the multiflex support frame).
While I cannot completely dismiss the possibility of VW lying about a 20 amp socket - it seems unbelievably daft to label one as 20 amps then protect it with a 15 amp fuse. But then again it is also unbelievably daft to obstruct access to a socket with a multiflex support frame.


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[Loz]

6. In the boot (with access obstructed by the multiflex support frame).
But then again it is also unbelievably daft to obstruct access to a socket with a multiflex support frame.

I obstructed my rear one with my pull out drawer.
I have added another to the rear of the passenger seat and wired/fused it at 20A for my freezer and compressor, so you could always do that.

 

[jts46]

Yes, that's the one - I'll take a look when I have my van back, but I do have five leisure sockets in my van (and one starter battery socket). From front to back:
1. On top of the dashboard.
2. In the dashboard (starter battery)
3. By the upper bed
4. Behind the front passenger seat
5. At the back of the sliding door
6. In the boot (with access obstructed by the multiflex support frame).
While I cannot completely dismiss the possibility of VW lying about a 20 amp socket - it seems unbelievably daft to label one as 20 amps then protect it with a 15 amp fuse. But then again it is also unbelievably daft to obstruct access to a socket with a multiflex support frame.


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It does say MAX 20amp, a bit like speed limits it says 70mph, does not mean you have to travel at 70

 

[Amarillo]

I obstructed my rear one with my pull out drawer.
I have added another to the rear of the passenger seat and wired/fused it at 20A for my freezer and compressor, so you could always do that.

I might have to!


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[WelshGas]

my speedo goes upto 160 mph but I don't think the California will quit manage that, downhill with a tailwind.
So is VW lying, should I take them to court?

 

[Amarillo]

my speedo goes upto 160 mph but I don't think the California will quit manage that, downhill with a tailwind.
So is VW lying, should I take them to court?

But that misses the point - you should be able to expect your speedo to perform as designed up to 160 mph, and not suddenly stop working at about 3/4 of the maximum.

Anyway - this is all pointless now. I have my van back and I can happily report that the kettle brings 750ml of cold water to near boiling in 40 minutes then turns itself off.

I can set the countdown timer on my phone for 35 mins or so and know when the kettle is nearly boiled - variations dependent on cold water temperature and quantity of water.


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[Amarillo]

It does say MAX 20amp, a bit like speed limits it says 70mph, does not mean you have to travel at 70

Straw man argument.
Delete "not" and replace "have to" with "may" and the straw man is removed.

Max 20 amps does not mean that you have to draw 20 amps - it does imply that up to 20 amps may be drawn.


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