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Wht aren't mains sockets fitted as standard to cars? The cost would not be great for relatively low power outlets, and they're very useful to have.
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Inverters are pretty cheap nowadays so you have a point.
It's probably because they have not been standard before and maybe someone will be too dumb and plug something that cannot be powered safely from the car - something that takes lots of amps.
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The gubbins to do the job wouldn't cost more than a couple of pounds - the £15 150W inverter that I've got has got overload protection for that price, too. I wondered whether it might be some sort of safety issue.
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Indeed, a 300 watt inverter now costs around £25.00 rrp.
I keep a 150w inverter in the car all the time, very useful for using/charging phones, laptops, cordless drills, even AA batteries for the camera.
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The problem would be earthing. If the 240v socket were part of the car; then the bodyshell [if metal or carbon-fibre] would have to be permanently earthed.
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Screwloose, you're probably right. The inverters do not offer earth because they cannot. But there must be a disclaimer for the inverters...
But fit a car with a proper 13amp socket and when someone plugs in the electric fire and drops it in a puddle..... hmmm.
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The problem would be earthing. If the 240v socket were part of the car; then the bodyshell [if metal or carbon-fibre] would have to be permanently earthed.
Why? Safer if the if the supply is fully floating.
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Why? Safer if the if the supply is fully floating.
I was thinking more of the regs on mounting 240v sockets to metal enclosures and the bonding requirements.
If the shell wasn't bonded in any way and someone shut an extension lead in a door, then it's quite possible to have a lethal-voltage car sitting on it's insulating tyres just waiting for someone to touch it.
Most cheap inverters don't appear to contain RCDs.
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it's quite possible to have a lethal-voltage car sitting on it's insulating tyres just waiting for someone to touch it.
No.
If the supply is fully floating it does not matter if the frame of the car is connected to one side as a result of an 'accident'. You can only get a shock if you then touch the other leg of the supply and the car body.
RCDs are only of any use in an enviroment where the supply is reference to 'ground'.
Bonding is only effective to maintain all exposed areas at the same voltage (hence term equipotential bonding). Domestic supplies are always referenced to 'earth' hence the need for bonding to minimise shock risk. RCDs will only operate when current flows directly from the 'Live' to 'Earth'. You can still kill yourself if you manage to contact one arm to L and the other arm to N. (Because no current flows to earth and the trip will not operate.)
A little sloppy in my terminology, but the principle is correct.
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I didn't explain my example well; "if someone using the supply came into contact with the live car body, that wasn't bonded to earth" would have been better phraseology.
I thought that it was old-fashioned ELCBs that needed a short to earth to function and RCDs used comparative flow.
The spark off an ignition coil is fully-floating with no ground reference too; you don't have to be touching the car for that to tickle.
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My grumble is why there are not more (preferably concealed) power sockets in the car though. The VWs I had had an extra socket in the boot (handy to charge a dead phone out of sight).
With phones, MP3 players and sat navs one isn't enough - well it is for me actually as I have a car kit. But my issue is where it is. On the Mazda6 it's at the bottom of the central console. Only if I could have a socket in the map pocket to which I attach the TomTom.... the bliss of having no wires.
Or why not one in the glovebox? Connected to the ignition switch of course....
Still looking into (a) how to easily get a cable from map pocket on the Mazda to the glove box without removing the dash... iPod lead for TomTom and the power lead for TT could then be rerouted and (b) how to safely get another power socket in the glovebox.
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I'm told that a standard mains socket is standard in the new Focus (or at least certain models).
Also was impressed to find 3 12v sockets in the new Laguna I had last week. One in normal place, one in central cubbyhole & one in boot. Suspect there may have been more as well - wasn't really looking.
I have a two way 12v adapter in my car which solves the problem of charging phone & having sat nav at the same time though is quite unsightly.
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"I'm told that a standard mains socket is standard in the new Focus (or at least certain models)."
Think I read this in Auto Express (or was it AutoCar) come to think of it....
"I have a two way 12v adapter in my car which solves the problem of charging phone & having sat nav at the same time though is quite unsightly. "
It's the unsightly bit I want to avoid :-) Will look into it... could remove central console and tap into cigar lighter (ignition switched) and then drill a hole through the Mazda6 map pocket.
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Bear in mind that for such an accessory to be cost-effective it would have to work in every country. Our mains voltage and sockets are different to Europe's, which is of course the bigger market.
Having said that I do believe that they are fitted in some top-line HGV's now, but whether that's as manufacturer's extra or dealer-fitted to customer's spec I'm not sure.
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My motorcaravan, which is based on a Transit, has four standard 13 amp switched socket outlets.
It has an inverter to provide 230 volts from the habitation battery and a rather thick mains cable to plug into a bollard on caravan sites and which can deliver 16 amps.
The whole set-up is well protected with an rcb and yes everything is cross-bonded to earth.
Edited by Spospe on 28/01/2008 at 18:09
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Our sockets are different but the voltage is now the same. This is mitigated by the fact that most, if not all, right hand drive markets in Europe all use UK sockets so you'd only need one right hand drive euro version.
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And why is there no microwave, or cooker. Where is the dishwasher?
Its a chuffin CAR
I dont want blinking UK 13 amp style sockets stuck round my car thank you, or a 6 way blinkin extension lead
I have a 300 watt inverter, got it for 19 quid. That will be useful I thought. Never used it.
Anything that needs power all the time gets wired in to an live source with an inline fuse. Anything else can use one of the the three 12v sockets in the car.
I have however wired in a 5v powered USB hub, It powers any usb device that needs usb power
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"Its a chuffin CAR"
Indeed !
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Its a chuffin CAR I dont want blinking UK 13 amp style sockets stuck round my car thank you
Many things are not absolutely necessary in cars - but they're there. One mains socket woul be useful, and cost very little. "It's a car" - but it's used in a variety of situations.
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Mind you, it would be useful for a certain sex to do the ironing while they drive, at the same time as talking to friends on the non-hands-free mobile, at the same time as drinking a costa coffee at the same time as calming the kids at the same time as....
Just think - a 5 minute delay on the M25 and that would be another few shirts ironed.........
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I can think of all sorts of reasons why not - most of which have been posted already - and very few reason why to, which kinda answers it for me.
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the same time as drinking a costa coffee
Sorry? you want a Gaggia coffee machine in the car as well? Frothing the latte tends to steam up the windows.
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Many things are not absolutely necessary in cars - but they're there. One mains socket woul be useful and cost very little. "It's a car" - but it's used in a variety of situations.
>>
and at 19 quid, a 300 watt inverter you can purchase later if required fits the bill perfectly for those that have the need.
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