this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2024
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Greentext

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[–] [email protected] 60 points 3 months ago (5 children)

A car cigarette lighter, if it's on a 20A fuse, can provide 240w. I'm amazed someone managed to burn pancakes with so little power.

Assuming this happened.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 months ago (1 children)

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/12v-Dc-Hot-Plate-Cooktop-400W_1600610214693.html?spm=a2700.pccps_detail.0.0.346a13a0eHoBt1

Pros don't use the cigarette lighter!

I actually used to do something similar with my radio equipment. A bit much for the cigarette lighter (usually rated at 10a not 20). So I just parked the car, set up the aerial and wires straight to battery.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Wiring everything straight to the battery is a classical move for amateur auto electricians, I've done similar myself.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

For clarification, my radio has inline fuses right at the start of the positive and negative wires. If you've ever seen wires melted into people's carpet because they didn't have a fuse on their hardwired car electrics... Yeah.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Oh definitely, I'm not that rough.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I've heard of truckers cooking meatloaf with a lighter plug, but it took hours and was well insulated. I'm calling BS on this one.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

And a truck is likely 24v, so twice the power for the same current. It's also not unheard of for trucks to have high power devices like inverters in the cab, so may have much more current and power available.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

12v car battery and alternator is more than enough. The limiting factor is the fuse and/or melting wires. Thats why giant 1000w subwoofers use thick wire and larger fuses directly from the battery.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Vehicles like that will usually have an upgraded alternator, either that or be constantly dealing with a flat battery.

1kw at 12v is 85 amps, that's well over half the capacity of a typical car alternator.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Having installed a number of systems, I think you are overestimating the care owners have for their alternator.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

I've met a few that are firmly in the second camp, and are unable to comprehend that they are using more power than their alternator can produce.

There's something about the doof doof audio crowd...

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

calling bs on a joke greentext. very brave.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It was a european car, so on 48 volts.

/j

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

Well, it can go up to 15 volts and provide 300 watts. So there is that.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

After googling i found numbers like 1200 to 2400 watts being produced by a car alternator. Just bridge the fuse and you can make pancakes in your car happy and without worries.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

Your typical car is at the lower end, and don't forget the vehicle itself uses power, quite a bit of it in fact.

2kw would be commercial vehicles, four wheel drives etc that have a lot of accessories, dual battery systems etc.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Use a bullet as a fuse. You'll know when it pops.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

That is like the least obviously made up part. 😂

Most physically impossible, though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004338221979

They do exist, I have no idea if you could cook a pancake though.