The light on the outlet is blue before I plug anything in. When I plug in my heat gun, it turns red, and the heat gun doesn’t work. What could I be doing wrong?
That outlet might not be strong enough for a heat gun… or maybe you’re trying to power a Star Trek phaser or something funny like that 
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SoulSeeker said:
That outlet might not be strong enough for a heat gun… or maybe you’re trying to power a Star Trek phaser or something funny like that
The heat gun says it’s 1500 watts. The outlet label says 120Vx16A=1920W max. Shouldn’t it work fine?
@Kia
The 1500 watts is the average power draw for your heat gun, not the peak it needs when starting up. The outlet’s 1920 watts is the peak it can handle, not the average load. When you turn on the heat gun, there’s a power spike (inrush current) that can go beyond 3000 watts.
I once ran a blender from my car at a park, but I had to use a large UPS to deal with the inrush current. Without it, the car couldn’t handle starting the blender, but it worked fine once it got going.
@Kia
Hmm, I’m not sure then. The outlet you’re using is definitely stronger than the typical 400-watt inverters most cars have built in. Maybe heat guns just have a high starting load? Try plugging in something with lower power demand, like a lamp, to confirm the outlet is working. If your heat gun has a low-power setting, maybe start with that?
@Kia
By the way, mine works even while driving. My kid charges their laptop using it all the time.
@Kia
It’s probably too much inrush current. If you can adjust the heat setting lower, try that. We’ve run an Instant Pot on ours without trouble.
Try using a three-prong outlet. I think V2L needs a ground connection to work in some cases.
Have you tested it with another device? Just to see if it’s the outlet or the heat gun?
It should work without changing anything. How much power does your heat gun draw?
If you have a V2L adapter, try using that instead of the built-in outlet. Also, test the outlet with something smaller, like a fan or an alarm clock, to check if it’s working.
I use this outlet to charge my boom blaster, and it works when parked or driving. Mine is a bit finicky, though—I have to tilt the plug slightly downward for it to turn green. Sometimes I even have to tap it gently a few times to make it work.
@Charlotte
Ah, the good old ‘percussive maintenance’ method .
Have you tried switching to utility mode?
Don’t start with a heat gun! Try plugging in something less demanding. I’ve used mine for a heating pad when my back was sore, and it worked great both while driving and parked.
Does it even work while driving? I thought you had to be in utility mode. What’s the power draw on your heat gun? It might be pulling too much.
joannaumann said:
Does it even work while driving? I thought you had to be in utility mode. What’s the power draw on your heat gun? It might be pulling too much.
You don’t need utility mode. Just make sure the car is on and in Park.
@RadiantRogue
It also won’t work if the car is charging.
joannaumann said:
Does it even work while driving? I thought you had to be in utility mode. What’s the power draw on your heat gun? It might be pulling too much.
@Kia
What’s the state of charge on your car battery?