12V accessory socket

[Hazel]

Hi,
I have a 2021 Mahindra Emax20S HST, and I installed a soft cab for some protection while snow blowing. I would like to use an electric 12v car heater…. Can anyone tell me what the fuse amp rating is for the accessory receptacle?

Thank You,
Rick

 

[jaxs]

Each recptacal package should have max amp rating marked on it,if it's not,don't buy it. I can't say that I've heard of a 12 volt electric heater and wouldn't reccomend one if you found it. To put out a meaningful amount of heat would be hard on the battery and alternator. 12 volt fan yes,but not heat.
An effecient and inexpensive way to heat the driver's station is by diverting some of heat coming off engine to driver's station. Do not direct discharge from tail pipe into driver's station,it contain's CO that can kill ya.

 

[hornett22]

I think Curtis Cab has a heater kit. If you're buying one from JC Whitney or a truck stop, BE CAREFUL!

 

[Roadworthy]

Go to your fuse panel and see what fuse is in place for your accessory receptacle. I doubt it's over fifteen amps. At full draw that would yield a maximum of 180 watts (15 X 12 volts). That is NOT very much heat. You need a different heat source.

 

[duffer]

When I was playing golf all year round, one of the guys had a soft cab around his golf cart. He also had a small propane heater that fit in the cup holder, and then had a 10"+ radiator on top (built in) with a fan. Put out a ton of heat. And the soft cabs leak a lot of air, so there is little risk of getting high from the propane fumes. I rode with him many times and never once got worried about fumes.

 

[grsthegreat]

no way in the world can you run an electric heater off of an accessory outlet. most that ive seen have max 100 watt output. thats a lightbulb.

 

[Jims1025R]

Yup, there's no way that the accessory outlet can provide any meaningful amount of heat. Maybe just enough to light a cigarette... wait a minute....

Seriously, the maximum rating for a 12 vole accessory outlet will be 10 amps, but very much more likely 5 amps. As said, 10 amps x 12 volts is 120 watts = a lightbulb.

 

[Hazel]

Thank You for the replies, I was thinking about using one of the 12v heaters you plug into the cigarette lighter (I had one years ago for the windshield in a VW Beetle) they still sell them for around $20 bucks. Sounds like it’s not a good idea…

 

[RoyJackson]

I think Curtis Cab has a heater kit. If you're buying one from JC Whitney or a truck stop, BE CAREFUL!

They do...my 4520 had a Curtis Cab and heater. The heat came from the tractor's cooling system (like most automotive heating). The only thing electric was the fan.

Hazel might also consider a battery powered heated jacket in lieu of a cab heater

 

[Jims1025R]

Sounds like it’s not a good idea…

That's my thought about it. When you think that you can get a decent amount of heat out of a 110V wall plug heater, consider the contact area of the plug blades in the receptacle contacts - lots of area. You'll notice that most of those plug in heaters tell you to not use an extension cord, as many extension cords have receptacle contacts which are small/cheap. I once did the don't do with that, and permanently melted the heater plug into the extension cord - like I could not even separate them with tools - welded!

Now consider the end tip of any 12 volt accessory plug, it [hopefully] makes contact with the grungy brass contact at the bottom of the accessory receptacle - but just a point to point contact, with a bit of *#~@ in between too. The current will try to flow, but the *#~@ in between is a poor conductor, so it's going to get hot - you don't want the heat there!

I have formally, and in a legal, approved way, installed 12 heaters in small airplanes, which otherwise did not have heat. They have had either 20A or 40A dedicated circuits, properly connected with circuit breakers. The 20A heater put out only a whisp of heat in the cabin.