Car Kettle - any advice?

[sniper 55]

I had already rejected the idea of a stove because as other people have said firing up a stove on the hard shoulder is not a great idea and chances are that if I'm going to be stuck it will be on the motorway)

I am confussed by your thinking? If you break down on the motorway you are supposed to get out of the vehicle and get to the other side of the barrier, im not sure why using a stove would be a problem, the thing plugged in in the car is more of a problem as you wont be in it?

just thinking out load, but if you have to leave the car, worse case senario it bursts into flames, how good will a thing you plug in the lighter socket be?

i think the plug in eliment is worth having, but i would want a stove too.

I think most people were assuming being stuck rather than broken down on the motorway, if you've broken down the plug in heater thingy will probably be a bad idea as it'll run the battery down if the engine is off.
If you've broken down and behind the barrier I doubt anyone will notice if you get a quick brew on.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Another option
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12547&p=137505&hil ... ng#p137716

[Hoipoloi]

I am confussed by your thinking? If you break down on the motorway you are supposed to get out of the vehicle and get to the other side of the barrier, im not sure why using a stove would be a problem, the thing plugged in in the car is more of a problem as you wont be in it?

If you are in a traffic jam for a few hours http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8425706.stm getting out of your vehicle is unwise.

[Stasher]

This is all really positive stuff, thanks.

@munchh
Many years ago (oh my - I think it was even decades! ) I was stuck on a motorway for several hours, in the middle lane - in December in freezing rain. Getting out of the car for any reason apart from a call of nature was something I was simply not prepared to do. Bringing wet clothing back into the car and also reducing my body heat unnecessarily are things I would not be prepared to do, additionally I don't want to have to worry about bringing hot metal back into the car either. I also think I can discreetly make myself a drink in the car whilst running the engine to keep warm and I'm not sure whipping out a stove can be considered discreet. My car kit includes food pouches that can be eaten hot or cold. I'm just interested in having a hot drink, not cooking food. If the car bursts into flame , having a hot drink would be the least of my worries! Having said which, you're right, having an alternative is always a good thing and I like the chaffing stove.........

@YorkshireAndy
I think that looks great, I think I might add it to the kit for 'I've broken down in the middle of nowhere and it looks like I might be here for at least 12 hours'

@sniper55
Yep, I like YorkshireAndys chaffing idea

[yorkshirewolf]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned, but how about a small inverter and a small 240v kettle?

We have a 300w inverter in our van and a small travel kettle which does two cups in about 5-6 minutes.

Kettle is a Swan, uses 75W see here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Swan-SK19010N ... SwT5tWMmZY


Inverter would only have to be 100w, so this one would be fine:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/12v-modified- ... rter-a87uk

Inverters can also be used to power anything else 240v (assuming correct wattage)

Of course this isn't helpful if your battery is dead, but i'd like to think us preppers would avoid that!


Personally i'd be reluctant to have any naked flames in the car/van, but each to his own, and if push comes to shove and it's a choice of freezing or having a hot brew, i'm sure i'd reconsider!

[munchh]

This is all really positive stuff, thanks.

@munchh
Many years ago (oh my - I think it was even decades! ) I was stuck on a motorway for several hours, in the middle lane - in December in freezing rain. Getting out of the car for any reason apart from a call of nature was something I was simply not prepared to do. Bringing wet clothing back into the car and also reducing my body heat unnecessarily are things I would not be prepared to do, additionally I don't want to have to worry about bringing hot metal back into the car either. I also think I can discreetly make myself a drink in the car whilst running the engine to keep warm and I'm not sure whipping out a stove can be considered discreet. My car kit includes food pouches that can be eaten hot or cold. I'm just interested in having a hot drink, not cooking food. If the car bursts into flame , having a hot drink would be the least of my worries! Having said which, you're right, having an alternative is always a good thing and I like the chaffing stove.........

@YorkshireAndy
I think that looks great, I think I might add it to the kit for 'I've broken down in the middle of nowhere and it looks like I might be here for at least 12 hours'

@sniper55
Yep, I like YorkshireAndys chaffing idea

I get what your saying, my current van kit has a Crusader kit, with chaffing gel to burn in the bottom of it, i use a plastic syringe that comes with kids medicine to take it from the tin to the burner.
I went for this over a meths burner as the gel travels better because you cannot spill it, but the fact is i have used so many different types of stove/burner that i know when you need to boil water quick my gas burner is the best and least messy, it just works, i have used it in the footwell of the passanger seat, it warms the van up too.
my kit has both, also a heavy duty reflective blanket and a basha amongst other things.

We all find the best thing that works for our situation, its always the flask of hot water that gets used first

[Hoipoloi]

Here's what I'd use in my van if I was stuck on the motorway for hours:





I've got a bucket for other emergencies as well

[munchh]

Wicked.

[Yorkshire Andy]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned, but how about a small inverter and a small 240v kettle?

We have a 300w inverter in our van and a small travel kettle which does two cups in about 5-6 minutes.

Kettle is a Swan, uses 75W see here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Swan-SK19010N ... SwT5tWMmZY


Inverter would only have to be 100w, so this one would be fine:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/12v-modified- ... rter-a87uk

Inverters can also be used to power anything else 240v (assuming correct wattage)

Of course this isn't helpful if your battery is dead, but i'd like to think us preppers would avoid that!


Personally i'd be reluctant to have any naked flames in the car/van, but each to his own, and if push comes to shove and it's a choice of freezing or having a hot brew, i'm sure i'd reconsider!

From Memory a 300w inverter has the potential to pull 40a which will blow fag lighter fuses on most cars.....
Unless dedicated wiring is installed

[ForgeCorvus]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned, but how about a small inverter and a small 240v kettle?

We have a 300w inverter in our van and a small travel kettle which does two cups in about 5-6 minutes.

Kettle is a Swan, uses 75W see here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Swan-SK19010N ... SwT5tWMmZY


Inverter would only have to be 100w, so this one would be fine:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/12v-modified- ... rter-a87uk

Inverters can also be used to power anything else 240v (assuming correct wattage)

Of course this isn't helpful if your battery is dead, but i'd like to think us preppers would avoid that!


Personally i'd be reluctant to have any naked flames in the car/van, but each to his own, and if push comes to shove and it's a choice of freezing or having a hot brew, i'm sure i'd reconsider!

From Memory a 300w inverter has the potential to pull 40a which will blow fag lighter fuses on most cars.....
Unless dedicated wiring is installed

Which is what they do in Artics like the trampers use.

Looks like the best idea is to have a threefold system.
Thermos+12V element+stove
Well, we're preppers after all "Two is One" and all that