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Old 12-28-2007, 04:13 PM   #1
TraceyMac
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Default How Many Amps can I safely get from the 12V receptacles?

I am a new TM owner, and am about to venture out on our first trip. Thanks to information I have read from everyone on the board I feel reasonably well prepared. I do have one questions I can't find the answer to. I purchased a 12V coffee pot and as soon as I plug it in, it blows the standard 7.5 amp fuse that is in the power panel to power the 12V receptacle. The coffee pot has a seperate 20 amp fuze, so I guess that it is just drawing too much power from the socket. Does anyone know if it is safe to increase the size of the fuze on the 12V circuits. I found a reference in the Power Panel manual that says the power panel itself should be OK with a 20 amp fuze, but I doubt the 12V receptacle would be (or they would have fuzed it that was from the factory). Assuming I am stuck with 7.5 amps, has anyone found a way to get more amps to the 12V receptacles? Thanks in advance for any answers. Cofee pot or not, I'm off to Joshua Tree National Park tomorrow for New Years - can't wait for our first TM experience.
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Old 12-28-2007, 04:51 PM   #2
Keith Wire
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Tracey,

Some place on the coffee pot it should say how many watts it uses. Divide that by 12 and that will tell you approximately how many amps it should take to run the pot.

Did you look inside the 12V receptacle? It should have an amperage rating on it someplace... If it is rated at 20A, then you should check the wire gauge coming to the receptacle and make sure it can handle the larger current.

I assume you will be boondocking or you wouldn't be trying to use the 12. I never got bit by the coffee bug, so I never had that problem.

Good Luck, and have a good time.

Keith
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Old 12-28-2007, 08:37 PM   #3
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Angry or divide "watts" by 12. But it's gonna be a lot

"watts" divided-by "12 volts" gives amps. You're almost certainly looking at at least 15A (200 watts), and you'll need *BIG* wire and an upgraded 12V connector to support that load. The Wineguard connectors (standard equipment in TM) won't take it, their internal fuses will blow.

"Real" 120V coffee makers typically run around 800-1500 watts. So this 200-500 watt device will also heat water very slowly. You can use a "French Press" instead, with better results. But even better than that, here's a great alternative idea for your morning coffee while boondocking:

- - - - Rickst29's "Better Method" Cowboy Coffee - - - -

Real Cowboy coffee, of course, wraps up the coffee in a paper towel or dish rag, usually leaking grounds when you make it. (And I hate that extra "crunch" in my morning coffee.) If you don't want to use a press pot, get a "Mr. Coffee"-shaped permanent filter (flat bottom, not the Melita style cone-shaped). Boil a thermos-bottle worth of water in a saucepan, or even a frying pan, on the stove. You need to use a big enough pan that the height of the water won't QUITE reach the top edge of the filter. About 1-1/2" of water height is perfect. When the water reaches boiling, turn the heat down a bit (boiling is too hot for making coffee at less than 9000 ft). And then set down your filter into the pan (with fresh-ground coffee already in it, of course).

Grab the edge of the filter, or the handle if it has one, and swish it around in the water for about 40 seconds. Pull out the filter, pour the pot of coffee into a nice thermos, done.

- - - -

I think that this is better than a "french press", because you can keep the water at high temperature through the brewing. In a glass press pot with no burner to keep it hot, the water and grounds almost instantly become too cold to do a decent job.
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Old 12-28-2007, 09:44 PM   #4
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I never could find the watts on the coffee maker, but as suggested, I suspect it is at least 200 or so. I think I'll try Rick's suggestion - thanks so much. I am really looking forward to our first TM trip. Happy New Year to all
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:04 PM   #5
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Default 12V coffee pot

We tried a 12 volt coffee pot when we bought our TM, and learned that it took more than 30 minutes to brew a 4 cup pot of coffee... too long to wait for this coffee drinker. We bought a Melita coffee pot. Melita is a true, "old-fashioned" drip coffee maker. You boil the water on the stove, then pour the hot water through the coffee grounds in the top of the Melita coffee maker. The first cup of coffee is ready in less than 3 minutes after you pour in the water. Makes great coffee.

We have a Mr. Coffee we use when we are plugged into 120 volts, but in my opinion it is wise to carry both types of pots so you are prepared for whatever your stopping place will permit you to do to brew.
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Old 12-29-2007, 06:04 AM   #6
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We just use a percolator on top of the TM stove. That makes just as good (or maybe better) coffee than my drip coffee maker @ home. Simple to make, no mess, simple cleanup.

Chap
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Old 12-29-2007, 10:53 AM   #7
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I believe that the 12-volt outlets in the TM are rated at 8 amps max, and some people have had trouble with that. The Winegard book in your big blue owner's manaul will give you the answer. Or search for Winegard on this forum.

Joshua Tree is a beautiful place. Where (which campground) are you going to stay in? The ones near the northern entrance are much prettier than the one near the southern entrance. IMO, if you are coming from the south, it is worth the extra time to drive all the way through.

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Old 12-30-2007, 06:22 PM   #8
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Default TM Outlets

You're right on Bill. We found out the hard way. Bought this nice 12v portable air compressor. Plugged it into the TM 12v outlet--poof! Compressor rated at 15amps! Can someone tell us what size/type fuse and how/where to replace it. Furthermore, the male 12V jack on the compressor would not fit the TM female 12v without a lot of careful twisting to slowly get it to seat for the connection. Jack was designed for a cigarette lighter which worked fine in our TV, but would not plug into the 12V socket on the TM. Are the TM jacks different in some way than cigarette lighter sockets in a car?

Would appreciate advice on what portable air compressors forum members recommend.
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Old 12-30-2007, 06:53 PM   #9
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Sharon & Andy, I did the same thing once to mine. And yes, it is very hard to get those 12V plugs into that outlet. There has been alot of discussion here in the past about those outlets. What some of us do is to keep a 12V splitter in the outlet (mine has wires that hang down and splits into 2 outlets) and that way (1) if you plug something in that has too much amperage, it blows the splitter's fuse first instead of the Winegard fuse and (2) it keeps you from breaking the Winegard receptacle (I did that and others here have too).

We have 2 air compressors, one just for tires and the other one is a high volume for blowing up floaty toys for the lake and air mattresses. The tire filler upper one is a Campbell Hausfeld (we've that thing for years) and the other high volume one is an Intex.

I don't know the exact type of a fuse but you could just pull it out and take it to Radio Shack, they have a good selection of fuses.
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Old 12-31-2007, 06:16 PM   #10
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I use the car power adaptor with battery clips to run my air compressor. It is much easier to reach the TM tires from the TM battery than from the cigarette lighter of the tow vehicle.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search

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