I have a Dirtworker power washer but only have access to a car when my partner is home from work. I wondered if it is possible to run this from the mains or alterantively if there is some kind of powerpack available?
Pretty sure you can get a generic power adaptor that allows 12v cigar style stuff to be plugged into the mains.
Something like this: http://www.speedydelivery.co.uk/power-mains/240v-mains-to-12v-car-converter.shtml
Something like that indeed simon_g and only a tenner to boot 🙂 Has anyone else used something like this before?
I got one from halfords for about a tenner, works fine
I bought one from maplins for £20 - should of worked on paper, but would cut out after a couple of seconds. something to do with amps or something.
So am I right in thinking then that in order for this you to work you need a 240v mains to 12v car converter at 5 amps as thats the amp rating of the Dirtworker?
probably, I have a cheap maplin one that doesn't really produce enough amps, works ok but does struggle occasioanlly, so a decent output is worth while
(IIRC earlier Dirtworkers have a higher ampage rating?)
Buy a 12v car battery and make a lead up to connect it,You can buy 12v cigarette lighter extension leads( http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2M-Car-cigarette-Cigar-Lighter-DC-Extension-Lead-Cable-/190431903121?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_PowerAdaptors_SM&hash=item2c56a03d91),buy one cut the male end off and connect these wires to the battery,You can then use a standard car battery charger to keep the battery topped up.
Dirtworker website says 5 amps so just get a 12v power supply that will cope with 5A. If it doesnt come with a plug you could wire one in.
The packaging with mine says its 5 amp so it wouldnt matter if I got one that was over 5 amp?
12v car batteries arent the cheapest of things to be buying so perhaps not the most practicle solution.
i got my converter from a camping shop i think.
i run my vans fridge off it when camping at sites with leccy hookups - works for the dirtworker too.
i dont know any details about it though - sorry!
Now thats not a bad idea Van Halen will check out some 😉
I use one of these at home without problems for my dirtworker,
Yeah - I got an adaptor for my camping fridge, which is quite high current and it copes fine with my Dirtworker.
You can get them for about £12 or so...
be aware that first production run dirtworkers require 8 amp to start and 5a to run
be aware that first production run dirtworkers require 8 amp to start and 5a to run
that was the problem I had with the maplin one I bought (then returned). I borrowed a halfords one for caravans which worked fine & stated it would work up to 8 amps, so could cope with the surge when starting up. Halfords seem to of stopped selling them though. tried a couple of caravan shops with no luck.
My version came with a mains to 12v adapter!
Found a couple of adaptors on Ebay that seem to fit the bill...
Here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/COLEMAN-COOLBOX-MAINS-ADAPTOR-240V-12V-TRANSFORMER-/270627811991?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f02acb297#ht_3958wt_911