Using 12v accessories

[DeejUK]

Hi folks, I'm on limited bandwidth whilst I'm travelling, so apologies if this has been covered elsewhere and I didn't find it.

How 'safe' is it to use 12v accessories, like electric kettles or cooler boxes? We're due to go on a 3,000 mile road trip from south-east England to Norway and back. The missus thought it'd be a good idea to bring a kettle so that we could make our own tea and coffee on the way, and it powers itself from the 12v adapter.

I've read things about Teslas having problems with the 12v battery. I'm in a 2017 Model X 90D, and I haven't knowingly had any issues with mine (although they replaced a 'red plug' the other day when I was having other work done at a service centre).

Is there anything that I need to be wary of when using these sorts of accessories? Or will it all be fine because we'll be driving a lot and keeping the main battery at a decent level of charge?

 

[DCGOO]

Hi folks, I'm on limited bandwidth whilst I'm travelling, so apologies if this has been covered elsewhere and I didn't find it.

How 'safe' is it to use 12v accessories, like electric kettles or cooler boxes? We're due to go on a 3,000 mile road trip from south-east England to Norway and back. The missus thought it'd be a good idea to bring a kettle so that we could make our own tea and coffee on the way, and it powers itself from the 12v adapter.

I've read things about Teslas having problems with the 12v battery. I'm in a 2017 Model X 90D, and I haven't knowingly had any issues with mine (although they replaced a 'red plug' the other day when I was having other work done at a service centre).

Is there anything that I need to be wary of when using these sorts of accessories? Or will it all be fine because we'll be driving a lot and keeping the main battery at a decent level of charge?

It is quite safe to use 12V accessories in your Tesla. The 12V system on board is very robust, actually quite a bit better than in conventional cars, because it is always being charged and the voltage is very stable. However the system is only capable of providing roughly 10 amps, or 130 watts from the 12V accessory outlets. I doubt you are going to be able to make much coffee or tea on a 130W power budget. You would be better off carrying a high quality Thermos container for hot or cold beverages. You are going to be stopping every few hours to charge anyway.

 

[DeejUK]

I doubt you are going to be able to make much coffee or tea on a 130W power budget.

Apparently you can, but it takes... Thirty minutes! Not what I was expecting Ta for the info, much appreciated.

 

[DCGOO]

Apparently you can, but it takes... Thirty minutes! Not what I was expecting Ta for the info, much appreciated.

Wanna bet that 30 to 40 minute heat time for 650 ml, is optimistic?

 

[DeejUK]

Wanna bet that 30 to 40 minute heat time for 650 ml, is optimistic?

Would you believe it? It worked! Put it on 30 minutes before we were due to stop for a charge, and it was hot enough that the coffee needed cold water/milk before it could be comfortably consumed!

 

[DCGOO]

Would you believe it? It worked! Put it on 30 minutes before we were due to stop for a charge, and it was hot enough that the coffee needed cold water/milk before it could be comfortably consumed!

Just think how much faster it will be on the refresh units now running 16V instead of 12V

 

[gglockner]

I would get a camping stove instead. Much easier and more reliable.

 

[ngng]

Just think how much faster it will be on the refresh units now running 16V instead of 12V

If the amps are the same, the wattage will be the same.

 

[Need]

Get a Zojirushi hybrid water broiler and take it with you! Boil the water in the morning at the hotel/inn, 3 to 4 liters of hot water should last you all day! We don't even have a kettle at home, just fill up the Zojirushi everyday. Don't use the Tesla 12v on it though LOL.

 

[DCGOO]

If the amps are the same, the wattage will be the same.

The new cars (refresh) went to a 16V low voltage system. Tesla warns customers in the owners manual, that things such as inverters and other things you might want to plug in must support an input voltage of 16. The voltage increase will force the current to increase and the wattage.

 

[Bacalao]

By the time your beans are ground and the pour over is ready your water will be boiling.

https://jetboil.johnsonoutdoors.com/stoves-systems/flash-cooking-system

I take it with me on road trips. I brew up a fresh cup often while SuperCharging.

 

[VictorD]

My mX, I’ve used tire inflators plugged in my mX few times and the cigarette 12v stopped working first at the back then the front one.
Tried to get tesla service, was pre-billed for 80-140$can since it doesn’t cover it if you tell the truth about usage.
Ended up going and buying my own fuses and replacing them myself, took about 30 min and paid 10$, most of the time spent on finding the correct fuse, since neither of the diagrams I found online represented my fuse box set up.
I did watched that video on YouTube on how to get to the fuse box, and which once needed to be changed, but the fuse box I’m my mX wasn’t the same, the video only helped me to get to the box but not finding the right burned fuses.
One of th‘em had more aMP than the other, so they are not the same.
Anyway I’ve used the pump again since installing new fuses and still works well.
Minor thing overallz