Using Car Vacuum as Standard Vacuum at Home

Conventional vacuum cleaners, being electronic devices, are prone to technical issues. At this point, you might consider your tiny car vacuum cleaner for household usage. However, can a car vacuum cleaner be used at home?

Here’s some good news: yes, it can! Car vacuum cleaners can become conventional and provide the same benefits as standard vacuum cleaners. But there are specific steps to follow if you want this to work!

Continue reading further as we dig deep into the science of car vacuum cleaners and how you can convert them into standard vacuum cleaners.

Car Vacuum Cleaner Plug – Convert to Home Use

Unlike traditional vacuum cleaners, car vacuum cleaners are small devices that require small voltages to function. 

This is why car vacuum cleaners work on DC (direct current) while conventional vacuum cleaners work under AC (alternating current).

Your home’s power supply also works on AC.

Therefore, to convert your car vacuum cleaner for household purposes – you’ll have to convert the AC supply to DC. 

Typically, standard vacuum cleaners function at 220V, while car vacuum cleaners only work at a DC voltage of 12V. Did you notice the significant voltage difference between the two?

Don’t let this technicality overwhelm you though, as there’s an easy workaround. Let’s look at some options to convert your car vacuum cleaner into a conventional one.

1. Using a Power Adapter

Using a power adapter, you can easily convert the AC voltage of 220 into DC. The power adapter works on the same principle as that of smartphone chargers.

This converter has capacitors that can step down the AC voltage and convert it into DC. 

Now, all you have to do is attach the plug of your car vacuum cleaner with this adapter and insert the adapter into the central power unit – you’re good to go!

2. Using a Desktop PSU (Power Supply Unit)

A desktop power supply unit is also an internal component for your computers. This tiny component provides you with two advantages:

• Conversion of AC into DC
• Cheap and readily available

Guess what? You can also use it to convert your car vacuum cleaner for household purposes!

Almost all households are already equipped with a Desktop PSU that provides 400W. This allows your car vacuum cleaner to function effortlessly without any damage.

However, there are still technicalities involved. Therefore, to easily make this work – follow the steps given below:

• Make your car’s vacuum cleaner’s internal power section visible by removing its outer covering.

• Locate the power section on your car vacuum cleaner. Once located, break off the connection with the batteries.
• Connect your car vacuum’s connection wires to the Desktop PSU unit.
• Use a bondable cord from the power unit to power your car vacuum cleaner.
• For the last step – place your Desktop PSU in a suitable location within which the unit properly aligns with the mains. This helps in increasing the connection between the two devices and overall performance.

Device Options

Due to their low power requirements, car vacuum cleaners come with an input of cigarette lighter plugs. You can use this cigarette plug to your advantage since it can be crucial in making your car vacuum suitable for home usage.

To do so, follow the steps given below:

• Grab a power supply capable of achieving eight amps on 12 Volts.
• Connect the cigarette plug to your power supply, and Voila! You can now use your car vacuum as a conventional vacuum cleaner.

Relvant Topic: Are old kirby vacuums worth anything?

Is Car Vacuum Cleaner Useful for Carpets?

As their name suggests, car vacuum cleaners are designed for the interior portion of your vehicle. To make your car-cleaning experience smooth – car vacuums are typically lightweight, small, and easy to carry.

They’re also cordless and can function on batteries. Since they’re not designed to clean an area as big as your household (unlike cars) – they might not perform well on your carpets. The main reason for this is the suction power. 

Standard vacuum cleaners, being bigger, possess significant suction power that allows them to dislodge and suck up the dust, debris, and allergens from your floors or carpets. On the flip side, a car vacuum cannot do that.

However, they’re not all that useless. Some car vacuums possess an acceptable amount of suction power that will likely do the job for your household’s floors and carpets. 

Conclusion

Car vacuum cleaners are your best friend when cleaning your car’s interior. And you can also convert them for household purposes. However, since your home’s supply is different (AC) than that of the car vacuums (DC), you will have to find a way to convert these voltages. The article above will help you out in this case!

Also, car vacuums don’t have enough suction power to clear the dust from your household’s carpets or floors. But they’re not all that useless. Specific models of car vacuum cleaners contain above-average suction power, which helps them stand out in household cleaning.