gb99190

I naively thought a 3 pin plug was a 3 pin plug and would be wired the same as a standard 3 pin 240v plug! Obviously not the case? I wasn't suggesting cutting off the lighter connection, just connecting it via a 3 pin to lighter adapter connector but the only 3 pin ones I have seen are 2amp not 10. There are 2 pin to lighter rated at 10amps but these seem to be 2 square pins? The 3 pin socket holes on the boat look quite small pins. I am of course making the assumption that these are 12v sockets. There are 240v ones but they of course are 3 pin square ones. John

Where do you get the 3 pin plugs from? I would rather keep the cigarette lighter connection as I use the cooler in the car when travelling back and forward to France. Are the 2 pin adapters with 10 amp out put OK to use or the 3 pin 2amp? I have bought a single Bestek inverter here in France which has a cigarette lighter fixing on one end and French plug socket on the other and using it from the car cigarette lighter it seems to power lamps, laptops, cooler etc. The rated output is 150w so more than enough for laptops\tablets and cooler. What does a 240v fridge require in the way of amps via inverter as we would want to use that on the move? There is an ammeter which generally is all green when checked. John

Many thanks for all the feedback. I think I will contact a man who fits inverters to see what the cost would be. I don't want to risk an electrical fire. I am OK with 240v wiring etc but know nothing about 12v and inverters\amps etc. Sounds like the portable ones are not up to the job. My TV is dual power and has an adapter with the ubiquitous cigarette lighter attachment on the end. I have seen 3pin to lighter and 2 pin to lighter adapter output is @ 10amps and 3 pin @ 2 amps - is either of these of use when plugging in the cool box or TV? I would only run the slow cooker (12v) and cooler when the engine was running so presumably no battery drain? John

We are new narrow boat owners having purchased our first 45ft narrowboat this year. The boat has a few 230\240v sockets and about 6 12v ones as well as 12v lighting. All is well in the marina as everything works fine TV,laptops, tablets, imeersion water heater etc. and of course the cooking is gas. However for our next trip out we wish to travel further afield and the boat does not have an inverter. It seems to be quite expensive to retrofit an inverter? We have a cooler with a 12v and 240v connection but it is a cigarette lighter type and all 12v sockets are 3 pin round ones. I have seen 2pin to cigarette lighter adapters @ 10amps and a 3pin to cigarette lighter @ 2amps but not sure whether these are suitable for the cooler. Also the TV freeview box runs off 240v - so no inverter/no TV - a boon I am sure sometimes!! And we have a small 240v slow cooker. I have seen a portable 12v to 230v inverter with a single socket output using hopefully one of the adapters above. Does anyone have any experience of these types of adapters or is there any advice you could offer? Many thanks John