12volt hairdryer

[Semitrad]

I'm sure that I have seen a 12V car demister for sale in either Lidl or Aldi recently for under a tenner. Worth a try?

[Neil2]

I must admit the replies to this have been much more temperate than the reaction to a similar question I saw on one of the yachting forums a while ago. Almost to a man, the yotties advised ditching the wife/girlfriend in favour of a more boat friendly model, and not all of it was tongue in cheek either. Clearly inland boaters are a more civilised bunch.

 

I bought one of these 12v driers when I had an air cooled VW just to unfreeze the windscreen and it was without doubt the most useless piece of equipment I have ever purchased.

 

I strongly suspect the reason why a lot of hire fleets have moved to 240v electrics is to solve the hair dryer/hair straightener problem, there's no alternative.

[RLWP]

I must admit the replies to this have been much more temperate than the reaction to a similar question I saw on one of the yachting forums a while ago. Almost to a man, the yotties advised ditching the wife/girlfriend in favour of a more boat friendly model, and not all of it was tongue in cheek either.

 

That's because yacht owning men are better at buying boats than attracting women

 

Richard

[Timleech]

 

So can I assume the answer to my enquiry is No?

 

Not quite, these ought to work, if you can find one. I'm guessing around 100 quid though.

 

Tim

[BEngo]

Not quite, these ought to work, if you can find one. I'm guessing around 100 quid though.

 

Tim

 

Still only about 360 Watts- about half of a small domestic hairdyer on low. Does seem to have a slightly better fan than others

 

 

I agree with the general view of 12 V hairdryers- Better to save your money and buy a chocolate teapot. At least you could eat that.

 

N

[smileypete]

Wonder if the better salon type dryers from hairdressers wholesalers have 2 elements instead of a diode for low heat setting, will have to look at mine when I get home.

 

Looks like the best way is mains hairdryer plus cheap MSW inverter, or a Bizzard-esque solution which is likely to be strongly resisted by SWBO

 

If hot water is available, maybe make up a sort of wall mounted dryer using a mini car heater matrix, 12V centrifugal fan, some 2" dust extraction tube and some sort of nozzle, could be quite interesting...

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited September 2, 2013 by smileypete

[Timleech]

Still only about 360 Watts- about half of a small domestic hairdyer on low. Does seem to have a slightly better fan than others

 

 

I agree with the general view of 12 V hairdryers- Better to save your money and buy a chocolate teapot. At least you could eat that.

 

N

I have a Leister industrial heat gun, 24V 660W which I reckon would make a pretty effective hairdryer, haven't told my daughter yet. She's the one who rebels against our basic camping-style facilities on board. I've never come across one in 12 Volt, though - it would take 55A & need some fairly hefty cable.

 

Tim

[Pykebird]

Why is it always us women who have to compromise when we live on a boat? If we want a hairdryer then we should get one, 240 or 12v. If we want to use straighteners we should be allowed to.

Just cos we live on boats, its not the dark ages and technology HAS progressed!

But then I don't have anyone to tell me what I can't and c"an have, so am spoilt really.

I decided that when I moved on the boat I would not be "roughing" it, so I do have my luxuries around me.

[Timleech]

Why is it always us women who have to compromise when we live on a boat? If we want a hairdryer then we should get one, 240 or 12v. If we want to use straighteners we should be allowed to.

Just cos we live on boats, its not the dark ages and technology HAS progressed!

But then I don't have anyone to tell me what I can't and c"an have, so am spoilt really.

I decided that when I moved on the boat I would not be "roughing" it, so I do have my luxuries around me.

 

You seem to be assuming (incorrectly) that all the contributors to the thread live on their boats. People of my generation, if not others, are used to a bit of compromise when on holiday - especially a boating holiday.

 

Tim

[BEngo]

Why is it always us women who have to compromise when we live on a boat? If we want a hairdryer then we should get one, 240 or 12v. If we want to use straighteners we should be allowed to.

Just cos we live on boats, its not the dark ages and technology HAS progressed!

But then I don't have anyone to tell me what I can't and c"an have, so am spoilt really.

I decided that when I moved on the boat I would not be "roughing" it, so I do have my luxuries around me.

No reason why you shouldn't. It's just that some things are only any good if you buy the mains version. My wife has long thick hair and sometimes it needs to be machine dried if the weather or time available is not right for it to be air-dried. That means we have a 240V hairdryer and a generator to drive it. An inverter would be an equally valid solution. A 12 V hairdryer wouldn't be.

 

N

[dor]

We have a 'travel' hairdryer which is about 600 or 700 watts, 230V of course. My wife doesn't try and dry her hair straight from the shower but leaves it a bit, then used the drier for a few minutes. As long as the hair is still damp it stops it going frizzy, but letting it dry a bit first saves on power. Hardly seems to affect the batteries, even if we have been moored up for a couple of days without running the engine.

 

You do need an inverter capable to cope of course - say 1000W. We have a 1800 Powermaster PSV.

[Zayna]

I have a 12v hairdryer and it's rubbish. It just isn't hot enough.

 

The lowest wattage hairdryer I could find anywhere was 1000w which just tripped the inverter every time.

 

BUT. I have found THE perfect thing. This: http://www.johnlewis.com/revlon-5265cu-shape-smooth-airstyler/p231410268?kpid=231410268&s_kenid=78b9da92-e8f1-cd88-d359-0000336a5de6&s_kwcid=ppc_pla&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

 

It's a hot air styler with brush attachments. I don't use the brush things, I just use the barrel part as a hairdryer. It's ace. And it's only 300w.

 

I know that doesn't solve the 12v issue, but this gadget is one of the best things I ever bought. I think I got it from Asda. Or Tesco.

[Clo]

I haven't ever used a 12v hairdryer, I normally the fire and brushing every now again manages to dry my hair.

I would like better 12v hairstraightners. I have used them and I can barely burn my hands on them! Would love to be able to use my GHDs.

 

Maybe one day

[arcsyst]

I'm just a bloke but... butane gas straighteners maybe?

[madcat]

My mother firmly believes that you will get struck down with every variant of lurgy if you go out with wet hair . I still think a towel is the best bet. I am totally mystified by all the grooming and preening that goes on , life's too short for all that.

[RLWP]

My mother firmly believes that you will get struck down with every variant of lurgy if you go out with wet hair . I still think a towel is the best bet. I am totally mystified by all the grooming and preening that goes on , life's too short for all that.

 

What kind of cat are you that doesn't preen yourself!

 

Richard

[madcat]

Scruffy short haired one. A cats grooming routine is effective and efficient. The female human does very strange things in the pursuit of beauty.

[NMEA]

12v fan with enough airflow shouldn't be an issue but the heat would be, shame somebody doesn't come up with a butane one for the heat, butane curling tongs are readily available so why not?

[Peter Reed]

I am astounded that,in 43 posts,that no one has arrived at the obvious solution.

The lovely Mrs Schweizer shaves her head completely and invests in a wig or 3.

Problem solved.

[David Schweizer]

Well amongst all the bizarre suggestions, there were a couple of common sense ones. Zayna kindly pm'd me with more information about the 230v 300w Revlon dryer she was suggesting, and Jan ordered one. It has since arrived and seems to be very good, not only does it produce a decent amount of heat, it also has a powerful airflow. We have yet to try it on the boat, but if it works as well off the inverter then it will have solved Jan's problem.

 

Jan will not have to resort to shaving her head or sticking it in the oven etc. etc. Many thanks Zayna.

Edited September 28, 2013 by David Schweizer

[George94]

 

So can I assume the answer to my enquiry is No?

 

Definitely. Takes much too much power to be a sensible proposition. Just turn the genny on when SWMBO wants to wash her silken locks, and use a 230V one.

[David Schweizer]

 

Definitely. Takes much too much power to be a sensible proposition. Just turn the genny on when SWMBO wants to wash her silken locks, and use a 230V one.

 

?

Edited September 28, 2013 by David Schweizer

[George94]

You win the prize for the shortest post, Mr S., but perhaps not the prize for the most comprehensible. What don't you understand?

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

I know ime taking a huge risk here,as ime sure the very pro active,& well established P,O,A ( provocateurs of arguments ) will no doubt jump in as soon as they find yet another post to destroy. But i just thought I would say what we,well my better half has used successfully for yrs, & a possible solution to this enquiry regarding hair drying, for the OP or any other members that might want to try.

1,8ft of suitable heat resistant flexible hose.

2, The handle off of a electric or battery drill,(the one that is included in the case,& is designed to go around the coller of the drill for 2 handed use,that we never use) fixed to one end of flexible pipe,approx 5inch from the open end.

3, Shove the other end onto an outlet vent of whatever hot air heating system you have fitted.Obviously you need the right dia pipe for a snug fit.

Both heat & fan strength can be altered via main control pannal.& hay presto,a hair dryer ish.don't knock it till you try it.its great for the dog , & drying out damp cupboards & alike to,but don't tell the wife.

Obviously,the above is useless,if you havnt got blown hot air heating of some sort.but someone might find this post useful before it decends into any sort of negative dissection of what's been said.

Anyway,hope you find something.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[David Schweizer]

Perhaps I have not explained myself very well, We have a small 350 watt inverter on our boat. and my wife has just bought a small 300 watt hair dryer as recommended by Zayna, and it works fine. It produces a good amount of heat and a decent airflow.

 

OK we haven't tested it on the inverter yet, but I cannot see any reason why it will not work. As it will probably only be used for fifteen to twenty minutes, it will only use something between six and eight amps, and our battery bank can easily cope with that.