Towzatronics 12V (Cigarette) Power Socket

I should like to point out the perils of thinking "ONLY 120w". Come on folks - you need to remember the supply VOLTAGE when looking at these things. 120w from 12v is a full 10AMPS. If you draw 10A from the mains, thats over 2000W. This is thay we don't plug kettles and toasters into our bikes whilst touring.........

Originally Posted by independentphoto

I should like to point out the perils of thinking "ONLY 120w". Come on folks - you need to remember the supply VOLTAGE when looking at these things. 120w from 12v is a full 10AMPS. If you draw 10A from the mains, thats over 2000W. This is thay we don't plug kettles and toasters into our bikes whilst touring.........

Thats exactly why i run mine through a relay, as you pointed out the lower the voltage the higher the amps.

so do these sockets that go in to the fairing have a locking nut on them??

Originally Posted by Quiff Wichard

so do these sockets that go in to the fairing have a locking nut on them??

Yep, the body is threaded and a castellated looking but nut on the back.

looked at maplins none in stock near me.. dam

I have a cig lighter etc wired up and my sat nav on a relay etc switch live jsut pain in ass to charge phone as have to remove seat .. would be good have one of these in top fairing .. where can I get one?

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by Quiff Wichard

so do these sockets that go in to the fairing have a locking nut on them??

I just used self adhesive velcro to the inside of the front fairing, nice and tidy - out of the way and less chance of getting soaked in the rain when in use.

Originally Posted by independentphoto

I should like to point out the perils of thinking "ONLY 120w". Come on folks - you need to remember the supply VOLTAGE when looking at these things. 120w from 12v is a full 10AMPS. If you draw 10A from the mains, thats over 2000W. This is thay we don't plug kettles and toasters into our bikes whilst touring.........

Which is fine if you have the correct cabling to go with it.

Household heaters and other appliances are regularly rated at over 2Kw without the need for relays and suchlike, in fact a 13A plug can safely handle an appliance rated at 3Kw that draws 12.5A (of which many are freely available at all electrical shops if you had half a clue what you were on about), so what's the problem if the bike's socket is installed properly? Besides, you're comparing chalk and cheese - there's no need to use toasters and kettles as an analogy as they are household appliances rated at way above the 120W maximum we're talking about here so obviously have no bearing on the topic in question. Get a basic grip of electrics before commenting.

How about you take a look under your bike's seat and see how many 10A fuses there are in the fusebox before spouting off about how risky you think this is. Even the lowly positive switched horn circuit on my bike is fused at 10A without the need for a relay, so I tapped into it to wire up my heated grips with an additional fuse in the grip's wiring.

I think there's an awful lot of scaremongering going on in this thread

Lozzo, i respect what your saying, but low voltage dc current is a lot higher than 240vac.
3000w/240v = 12.5 amps
120w/12v = 10 amps
3000w/12v =250 amps

The lower the voltage the higher the amps

Edit, your household appliances are rated to switch them, the relay is just for that, trying turning on a heater with a switch rated at 120 watts and see how long it lasts..
FYI i do know what im on about, i used to design and build production machinery with PLC's etc which mostly ran on 12 or 24v dc.

And I'm saying it's absolutely fine if the wiring is done properly with the correct cable used. Independentphoto capitalising 10AMPS as if it was so dangerous it should carry an international nuclear industry health warning is simply unnecessary scaremongering. There are loads of circuits on 12V cars and bikes that are fused at 10A with no problems and no need for relays to be installed, they simply have the correctly rated cabling installed. Do you seriously think any reputable manufacturer of accessory sockets would bother to emboss the maximum rated wattage on the lid of their socket if it couldn't safely be installed on a 12V system? If they were that disreputable they wouldn't bother to give a rating at all.

It's time people started to actually use some common sense. Just because the socket is rated at 120W and could theoretically be fused at 10A doesn't mean to say it will ever be asked to perform at anywhere near that maximum. Most will only ever see a charger for a Nokia or Sony phone, some will occasionally be asked to supply power to an airbed pump - no-one mentioned kettles and toasters until Mr Doom and Gloom joined in. It doesn't matter if it is asked to supply an item rated at a massive - and apparently hugely dangerous to Mr D and G - 120W, if the cabling is correct and the right fuse is in place it will be perfectly safe

Oh, and I forgot to mention; the reason we don't plug kettles and toasters into our bikes when we go touring is because generally they are 240V appliances. If you did wire one up to the bike electrics you'd be lucky to fry any poor unsuspecting insect that walks across the heating element. This is basic electrical theory and is taught at middle school level where I come from.

Having said that, if anyone knows of a 12V kettle or toaster that is rated at 120W or less, please let me know because I'm doing a long European trip in September and I do like a cuppa and a slice of toast in the mornings. I'd be happy to plug either into my accessory socket and let it heat up my breakfast.

EDIT - Don't worry, I've found a kettle but the search is on for a toaster

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAR-TRUCK-VAN-...item3a5a4d2076