12v Advise (1 Viewer)

MIN663

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Hi all, After the good advise i got re my solar panel/regulater need a bit more help. My hymers got no 12v sockets, question is do i fit some if so how easy a job is it? Is there any diffrence between the cigar lighter types and the 2 pin square types apart from the obvious. Or do i get an inverter. Main use will be charge a laptop and when the better half wants to dry/straighten her hair apart from the lights. I realise that if i go down the socket route i will have to buy 12v hair dryer etc. Have one 110ah battery which is new and no room to link another to it. Cheers Min:thumb:
 

david price

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Hi.12v sockets are easy to fit.
I ran mine direct from leisure battery and fitted an inline fuse.
Get all the bits from halfords .
Dave
 
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david price

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Just noticed we share some interests.Vinyl records and scooters.:Smile:
dave

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pappajohn

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No 12v sockets :Eeek:
how do you manage when you arent on hookup ?

fitting sockets where you want/need them could be a labour intensive job....stripping cupboards/lockers etc to route cables.

if there are no existing sockets there may not be provision for extra 12v wiring in the fuse box so could mean wiring direct from the leisure battery with a fuse in the circuit.

the 2 pin plugs are far better than cig lighter sockets in as much as the contact is more secure and positive.

both are usually rated at 10amp so no difference there.

dont know the wattage of a mains hairdrier but if its around 1000watt it will draw around 10amps from the battery through an invertor and will be ok for a short while but knowing how long it takes to dry a female barnet it could hammer the battery.

is it possible to fit a socket or two close-ish to the battery then you could use a 12v extension lead and not need to remove furniture.

as for a 12v hairdrier:Doh:........have a couple of nice, hot coffees then breath on her hair......it'll dry faster.:winky:
 
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DESCO

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Hi

Just a word of warning about 12v hair dryers, my OH reckons they are as much use as a chocolate fire guard.

(sorry john you beat me about hair dryers)


Dave:thumb::thumb:
 
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MIN663

MIN663

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No 12v sockets :Eeek:
how do you manage when you arent on hookup ?

fitting sockets where you want/need them could be a labour intensive job....stripping cupboards/lockers etc to route cables.

if there are no existing sockets there may not be provision for extra 12v wiring in the fuse box so could mean wiring direct from the leisure battery with a fuse in the circuit.

the 2 pin plugs are far better than cig lighter sockets in as much as the contact is more secure and positive.
both are usually rated at 10amp so no difference there.

dont know the wattage of a mains hairdrier but if its around 1000watt it will draw around 10amps from the battery through an invertor and will be ok for a short while but knowing how long it takes to dry a female barnet it could hammer the battery.

is it possible to fit a socket or two close-ish to the battery then you could use a 12v extension lead and not need to remove furniture.

as for a 12v hairdrier:Doh:........have a couple of nice, hot coffees then breath on her hair......it'll dry faster.:winky:


Hi Pappajohn, only had hymer few months and only managed a couple of weekends away (on hook up) so still figureing out electrics.
So i take it for what i need to use battery for id be better off going down the inverter route, Like the coffee idea though:ROFLMAO:
 
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pappajohn

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Hi Pappajohn, only had hymer few months and only managed a couple of weekends away (on hook up) so still figureing out electrics.
So i take it for what i need to use battery for id be better off going down the inverter route, Like the coffee idea though:ROFLMAO:

Yep !!!

id look for an invertor around twice the power output you think you'll need.

it'll run cooler and shouldnt cut out due to overheating/overloading.:thumb:

but keep an eye on your available/remaining battery power.
 
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dont know the wattage of a mains hairdrier but if its around 1000watt it will draw around 10amps from the battery through an invertor and will be ok for a short while but knowing how long it takes to dry a female barnet it could hammer the battery.

Hi pappa, think you missed a "0" out, ::bigsmile:

Olley

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MIN663

MIN663

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Thanks for your help pappajohn,

I reckon ill need 300watt using your sums was thinking pure sine wave (laptop use) any makes / places to buy from you can recommend. Cheers Min
 
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Wildman

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dont know the wattage of a mains hairdrier but if its around 1000watt it will draw around 10amps :winky:
83.333333333333333 amps actually John but who is counting
10-15 mins to completely flatten a battery so do forget that idea.

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Wildman

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Thanks for your help pappajohn,

I reckon ill need 300watt using your sums was thinking pure sine wave (laptop use) any makes / places to buy from you can recommend. Cheers Min
A dc-dc converter will run the laptop more efficiently around £17 off evilbay
 
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pappajohn

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83.333333333333333 amps actually John but who is counting
10-15 mins to completely flatten a battery so do forgat that idea.

yeah!!!

i was thinking 12's into 100 not 1000 hence 10amps instead of 100amps.

Min....by my calculations you'll need at least a 1500watt invertor but i got my sums wrong.:Doh:.....you'll have a dead battery in 15minutes so go back to the 12v sockets option or find a home for a second or possibly third battery....

sorry.
 
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hilldweller

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Thanks for your help pappajohn,

I reckon ill need 300watt using your sums was thinking pure sine wave (laptop use) any makes / places to buy from you can recommend. Cheers Min

One arrived today !

Got it on ebay - new Stirling stock listed at £230 on their web site, I got it for £100. There's another on right now.

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barryd

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Im no expert on electrical stuff and the guys posting on here will know better than me but I do know from experience how to conserve battery power. I use a laptop all the time and as I am a real miser about power and we do loads of wild camping I wont have an invertor. I bought a 12v universal laptop charger/power supply from Maplin. there are two here Link Removed and as we have a front dinette I sling the lead over the front seat and plug it in the cab (engine) cigar socket so its not draining the leisure battery (and its the nearest socket as the ones in the back lounge are too far to reach to the front table). What I also sometimes do is charge the laptop up from the front socket while I am driving (charges to full in no time) and then use the laptop on its batteries for a couple of ours, then I can sit where I like in the van with it and just hook it up to power when it gets low. Just bought some LED bulbs which are great as well and use a fraction of the power of normal ones. got them from www.campercare.co.uk the chap there was really helpful as it turned out I needed a special type of bulb for my spots and without his help I would have ordered the wrong ones.

The only other 12v appliance we use is the sat dome, receiver and small LCD tv which doest use a great deal of power. We dont have solar or a generator and just one 110AH battery and so far we have stayed out for weeks on end without hookup but we do drive about a lot.

As far as the hair dryer is concerned, ban it. I have. Drive off to get a paper or something and tell her to stick her head out of the window!:roflmto:

Barry
 
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MIN663

MIN663

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yeah!!!

i was thinking 12's into 100 not 1000 hence 10amps instead of 100amps.

Min....by my calculations you'll need at least a 1500watt invertor but i got my sums wrong.:Doh:.....you'll have a dead battery in 15minutes so go back to the 12v sockets option or find a home for a second or possibly third battery....

sorry.

Hi pappajohn, Gonna fit a 12v 2 pin socket wired direct to battery (as you mentioned in your previous post) What size wire will i need and what size in line fuse. Cheers Min
 
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pappajohn

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Hi pappajohn, Gonna fit a 12v 2 pin socket wired direct to battery (as you mentioned in your previous post) What size wire will i need and what size in line fuse. Cheers Min

it depends how far from the battery you fit it.....

as a guide i'd use MINIMUM 10amp wire if it's pretty close and 10amp fuses

the further away, the thicker the wire but still a 10 amp fuse.
if the wire isnt thick enough it could overheat.

I dont understand the wire gauge sizes (.17gauge .14gauge etc) so best go to a motoring/caravan shop and tell them what you want to do.......but not halfrauds, they aint got a clue if it isnt in a packet or box.

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Hi for 10amp you want 28/0.30mm, 2msq, that's rated at 17.5amp, see here: Link Removed

The 28/0.30 means it has 28 strands of copper wire 0.30mm in diameter so its very flexible.

Olley

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pappajohn

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thanks olley.....i never did know what the figures meant.

my 'extra' fag lighter socket is in the seat base next to the battery and the wires are only about 8" long and are 10amp.....but only used for phone charger etc.
 
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JJ

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I have an old Hymer (1987 660S) and I have 12 volt sockets fitted under the bulb (as opposed to tube) lights (mine have a pull on/pull off cord). They are not the "cigar lighter" type but the other (thinner diameter) ones.

Maybe your Hymer has the same? They are not easy to see...

JJ
 
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MIN663

MIN663

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Thanks for that JJ, ill have a look today (fingers crossed) :thumb:
Min

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A dc-dc converter will run the laptop more efficiently around £17 off evilbay

Hi Roger

Called into our local Maplin store, Wednesday, asked for a dc-dc converter.....blank looks...reply..."Oh you will have to see John, but he's on holiday this week"....:ROFLMAO:
Any further detail on this converter would be appreciated..

Thanks

Nomadic
 
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Wildman

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Hi Roger

Called into our local Maplin store, Wednesday, asked for a dc-dc converter.....blank looks...reply..."Oh you will have to see John, but he's on holiday this week"....:ROFLMAO:
Any further detail on this converter would be appreciated..

Thanks

Nomadic
try this one
<Link Removed>
click on above link
 
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