Vacuum cleaners are arguably the most popular and commonly used cleaning equipment across establishments and households worldwide. So it’s no surprise that a vacuum cleaner is an essential household item.
Cleaning chores are usually trouble. Without a reliable cleaning partner such as a vacuum cleaner, things can get real messy in the house.
Sometimes, your vacuum cleaner may be damaged and due for repairs. Then, unfortunately, you may have to start cleaning the floors manually again. But what if you don’t have to?
There’s an alternative option for those who want to do their chores, even without the conventional vacuum cleaner. This is where the car vacuum cleaner comes in!
It makes sense since the car vacuum cleaner is, first and foremost, a vacuum cleaner. This brings us to the question of how to use a car vacuum cleaner at home.
Things to Know About How to Use Car Vacuum Cleaner at Home
Being an alternative solution, the car vacuum cleaner has a problem of its own. It lacks compatibility with the power outlets in the home.
That’s why you must know how to use a car vacuum cleaner at home.
Firstly, car and house vacuum cleaners are powered or connected differently. One of their fundamental differences in the type of electricity they utilize in carrying out their functions.
A home vacuum cleaner uses AC (alternating current) supply. On the flip side, car vacuum cleaners utilize DC (direct current).
That’s why car vacuum cleaners are not compatible with your home’s power supply.
To use a car vacuum cleaner at home, you must know how to convert the power source. Once you scale this hurdle, using the car vacuum cleaner for household purposes will be a walk in the park.
The first step to calculating the power conversion is checking the power ratings on your car vacuum cleaner. Such information is usually indicated on the sticker placed on the car vacuum cleaner.
Typically, the supply rating to homes from the grid pegs around 220 volts (AC). The power rating of a car vacuum cleaner is usually 12 volts (DC).
After pinning down the respective power ratings, the next stage is calculating how much current you need to operate the equipment without impairing it safely.
How do you convert 220 volts of alternating current to 12 volts of direct current? Car vacuums suck about ten amps.
So a simple multiplication of the car vacuum’s power rating and power requirements will give you 120 watts of AC to safely operate your car vacuum.
Now, 120 watts sounds small, but then you can’t compare the power requirements of this small, handheld vacuum to the conventional home vacuum system, which sucks far more (at least 1.2 KW).
Car vacuum cleaners are designed to clean up small surfaces quickly, so they have considerably good suction. This is combined with some car cleaning tools as well.
Power Options for Using your Car Vacuum Cleaner at Home
Fortunately, several homes already have a PSU desktop unit. PSU is an acronym for power supply unit.
It’s a cost-effective way to power your car vacuum cleaner for home use. A power supply unit can provide about 400 watts of electric power without impairing your car vacuum.
However, you have to follow the following steps to make this work accurately:
- First, you need to take out the external casing of the car vacuum cleaner so that the power section will show.
- Once you see the power section, stop the connection with batteries.
- Attach the car vacuum’s connection wires to the desktop unit’s power supply unit.
- Then, use an extension cord to provide power from the socket.
Note:
Please position the power supply unit properly so that it’s well-aligned with the vacuum and the power outlet to ensure maximum conductivity.
It also prevents the occurrence of accidents during the vacuuming process at home.
Cigarette Lighter Plug
You can opt for this method if using the desktop power supply unit and revealing the internal casing of your car vacuum cleaner seems odd to you.
The car vacuum cleaner connects to the cigarette lighter port of your car. This means you’ll need a supply of electricity that provides a minimum of 8 amps at 12 volts.
To get an alternative connection, head to online stores such as Amazon or eBay and search for a socket device with those specific ratings.
Get the cigarette lighter plug to connect the car vacuum to your home’s power supply when you find the device.
Buy a 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner.
This is the third answer to using a car vacuum cleaner at home. This is probably the easiest method to use the car vacuum for home use because it will save you from conversion stress.
Most 2-in-1 vacuum cleaners are equipped with detachable technology that makes the device easy to carry or move around.
A 2-in-1 car vacuum cleaner comes with the following features:
1. It’s equipped with dual cleaning modes. The first mode is as a handy car cleaner. The second one is with an attached handle for use as a conventional vacuum cleaner.
2. Connectors enable it to be used with your car’s cigarette lighter. This is the primary power port for your car vacuum.
3. Ensure the 2-in-1 vacuum cleaner you buy is portable enough to be easily used for cleaning both your car and your home.
4. The cleaner should have accessories suitable for car and home vacuuming.
5. It must have a HEPA filter, the best type for dual-purpose equipment.
To Sum Up
Not all car vacuum cleaners can easily be converted for home use, so we recommend going for the best car vacuum cleaner in India to make this process as hitch-free as possible.
Also, a car vacuum cleaner is less effective than a regular home vacuum cleaner. So, consider buying the best handheld vacuum cleaner in India. I understand you are on a tight budget, so I suggest you check the best vacuum cleaner under 5000 in India and the best vacuum cleaner under 10000 in India.