New MH, now need a hair dryer (1 Viewer)

[SomeoneElse]

We have committed ourselves for a new Bailey 625. Its due for delivery at the beginning of July. There was not a lot of choice really we wanted 3500kg unit with an end lounge, the option for two single beds and less than 7 metres. Of course anything will have a bigger water tank than the 45l on our Autoquest 120.

We have arranged for the dealer to add a wind out awning and to fit a fix 38l (15kg) lpg tank.

We're now working out what else to add, and when without EHU its the hair dryer that Linda misses most. So I thought easy I fit and inverter, a 1000W jobby should do for a small hair dryer. But I can't find a suitable dryer, there are lots of "travel" one but they are all 1200W.

Anyone know of a smaller hair dryer?

Linda and Gordon

 

[jonandshell]

A bigger inverter might be the best and easiest option but, is your battery man enough for the job?

Besides, a 1200w hairdryer is likely to draw more than its rated power on initial startup.

 

[MHVirgins]

Just asked Bill to check what my travel one was, but it's even higher at 1400 watts which is quite powerful for a travel model.

I should add the hairdryer is for me, Bill has NO need for a hairdryer at all
The only other option would be is to only wash and dry hair when on EHU:thumb:

Margaret

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[spitfire]

I borrowed a 12v hair dryer from a neighbor at a show and it was complete rubbish. Too weak fr the job so the answer is either v short hair that doesn't need a drier or stop on a site when hair needs doing !! I have plumped for the first option ! But not unusual for me as the OH of a biker . Hair do and crash helmet not a good mix

 

[maz]

Anyone know of a smaller hair dryer?

Yes - this one: .

Been using one for 2 years - surpisingly good for its size - 800w and runs happily off a 1000w inverter.

 

[jonandshell]

It is easily possible to have a decent 240v supply from your habitation batteries.
We can do a weekend off hookup using an iron, hairdryer and having all our cups of tea from an electric kettle. We also don't ration any of our 12v electrics either. We never worry about too much TV for instance.

The secret to all this?

345 AH of TRACTION not leisure batteries, a Ring 2100W inverter and for recharging once we are mobile, a 160 Amp Sterling Alternator to Battery charger.

QED!:thumb:

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[maz]

BTW, running the DesignGo 800w hairdryer for 5 mins uses just over 6 Ah (assuming inverter efficiency of 90%).

 

[MHVirgins]

BTW, running the DesignGo 800w hairdryer for 5 mins uses just over 6 Ah (assuming inverter efficiency of 90%).

Wow, how do you manage to dry your hair in just 5 minutes?

 

[maz]

Wow, how do you manage to dry your hair in just 5 minutes?

Towel dry it first, then blast and scrunch.

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[PaulyP]

Need a hairdryer try Fergie now he has time on his hands.
Best hairdryer ever.

 

[SomeoneElse]

A bigger inverter might be the best and easiest option but, is your battery man enough for the job?

Besides, a 1200w hairdryer is likely to draw more than its rated power on initial startup.

A bigger inverter isn't an easy option as it ups the input current above 100Amps. The fuse class changes, the cable becomes enormous, as 16mm2 cable is rate at 110Amps and I was hoping to get a NASA battery monitor (BM1) which has a 100Amp shunt.

Linda and Gordon.

 

[SomeoneElse]

Yes - this one: .

Been using one for 2 years - surpisingly good for its size - 800w and runs happily off a 1000w inverter.

That's brilliant just what I was hoping for, I'll be passing the Swindon branch tomorrow.
What a helpful group of people there are here.

Many thanks
Linda and Gordon

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[jonandshell]

A bigger inverter isn't an easy option as it ups the input current above 100Amps. The fuse class changes, the cable becomes enormous, as 16mm2 cable is rate at 110Amps and I was hoping to get a NASA battery monitor (BM1) which has a 100Amp shunt.

Linda and Gordon.

I believe there is a BM2!:thumb:

I had to chuckle about your perception of what constitutes a massive cable! We have 50mm running around ours!
Then again my vocation involves the maintenance of electric forklift truck!

 

[SomeoneElse]

I believe there is a BM2!:thumb:

I had to chuckle about your perception of what constitutes a massive cable! We have 50mm running around ours!
Then again my vocation involves the maintenance of electric forklift truck!

There is a BM2. The BM1 has a shunt that produces 100mV at 100A, the BM2 produces 100mV at 200A. I guessing that the ADC in the unit is the same hence while the current is doubled the overall accuracy is halved. Since most of the time it would be monitoring current in single figures accuracy is important.

Gordon


My crimping tool only copes up to 16mm cable :Angry:
My background is in electronic/software but I worked for 7 years at JET (Joint European Torus) at Abingdon, and things are big there.
The plasma in the torus is the shorted secondary of a transformer, its current is measured in MA and yes that is a capital "M".
3 to 5MA was an everyday sort of pulse.

 

[Larby]

Hair-dryer

We have committed ourselves for a new Bailey 625. Its due for delivery at the beginning of July. There was not a lot of choice really we wanted 3500kg unit with an end lounge, the option for two single beds and less than 7 metres. Of course anything will have a bigger water tank than the 45l on our Autoquest 120.

We have arranged for the dealer to add a wind out awning and to fit a fix 38l (15kg) lpg tank.

We're now working out what else to add, and when without EHU its the hair dryer that Linda misses most. So I thought easy I fit and inverter, a 1000W jobby should do for a small hair dryer. But I can't find a suitable dryer, there are lots of "travel" one but they are all 1200W.

[HI]
Anyone know of a smaller hair dryer?

[/HI]Linda and Gordon

My OH has the use of a huge 2.8 turbo diesel heat generator.
Puts all vents except hers to closed and dries from the heater outlet.
There is of course the option to use the blown warm air if you have it?
All very fuel inefficient but keeps her happy.

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[Reallyretired]

I have a 1.5Kw (peak 3Kw) inverter and it runs a hairdrier fine. If you are not electrically competent get someone else to fit it though. It needs big wires and big fuses as it will draw at least 100Amps in use. Running the hairdrier for 5 minutes will only consume around 10Ah but you do need some way of recharging your leisure batteries such as solar or B2B charger.

 

[Carol]

Think you have been given some good options for the hairdryer, it is also handy to carry a can of dry shampoo spray, can often put you on for a day or two

 

[Minxy]

If you don't want to use a hairdryer, then instead you could first get one of the microfibre hair towels - they are available in Poundland for £1, here is an article about it:

Hair wrap

I've had one for years (I originally made my own when they first came out as they were expensive) and they really do dry your hair well without having to rub it and tangle it all up. I just pop mine on and leave it for a few mins to draw the water out.

Then if you want to style and fully dry your hair, you could use a Braun independent type of gas hair styling curling tongs, hot brush etc - there are loads of them about of various types (the wide brush one would dry hair quite quickly), some have multiple attachments, so there should be one that suits your style of hair:

Braun products

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[jonandshell]

My background is in electronic/software but I worked for 7 years at JET (Joint European Torus) at Abingdon, and things are big there.
The plasma in the torus is the shorted secondary of a transformer, its current is measured in MA and yes that is a capital "M".
3 to 5MA was an everyday sort of pulse.

Great to have another eleccy teccy Funster on the books!
A high frequency 3 MA pulse would be a fast, if not destructive, way of of replenishing a leisure battery!

Based on a minimum absorption time of 1 hour for lead-acid, I reckon you would need a 3 million Ah battery bank.:thumb:

Have you got the payload?!

 

[Addie]

Our solution: http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/06/hairdryer-from-12v-in-motorhome.html

 

[Deckard]

There are some 12v hairdryers and crimpers etc on Amazon - however, they are ver low wattage - ~150w all the reports complain of "long drying times"....probably not good if you have a lot of hair

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[SomeoneElse]

I found an 800W dryer in ASDA this morning, it was £12 but saved a trip to GoOutdoors.


Gordon

 

[Minxy]

I found an 800W dryer in ASDA this morning, it was £12 but saved a trip to GoOutdoors.

Gordon

I assume it was this one:

Asda hairdryer

 

[SomeoneElse]

I assume it was this one:

Asda hairdryer

Probably, but ASDA wants cookie access before they will show me it.
The one I bought is of the "Travels accessories" brand, dual voltage, 800W with folding handle.

After the recent thread above the Bailey 740 and its weight, my planning for our new MH is on the minimum I can get away with. This dryer fits that bill

Gordon

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[cmcardle75]

A bigger inverter might be the best and easiest option but, is your battery man enough for the job?

Besides, a 1200w hairdryer is likely to draw more than its rated power on initial startup.

I agree with the larger inverter. However, the initial inrush on a hairdryer is unlikely to be a big concern, unless the inverter is rated for peak power, rather than continuous. The main draw on the hairdryer is the heater, rather than the motor, and the inrush on those is not so bad compared to inductive loads, like motors. It will get to its final resistance pretty quick.

The battery will be fine. A typical large leisure battery is rated for 1000A, i.e. 12kW for short periods. It will manage a 1/10th of that for much longer, although you won't get the full AH rating.

If, however, she wants to use it for a long time, you'll need a lot of AH and some means of recharging it between sessions. Assuming you only go to 50% discharge, allowing for high discharge rate and allowing some transmission/conversion losses, the hairdryer alone will use a full 100AH battery in about 15-20 minutes, not allowing for any other loads or a tired battery.

 

[Sidney]

I forced my wife to use this model to avoid taking a generator away with us. We run it on a 500 (800w) peak pure sine inverter. She seems happy enough.
:thumb:

Yes - this one: .

Been using one for 2 years - surpisingly good for its size - 800w and runs happily off a 1000w inverter.

 

[SomeoneElse]

I agree with the larger inverter. However, the initial inrush on a hairdryer is unlikely to be a big concern, unless the inverter is rated for peak power, rather than continuous. The main draw on the hairdryer is the heater, rather than the motor, and the inrush on those is not so bad compared to inductive loads, like motors. It will get to its final resistance pretty quick.

The battery will be fine. A typical large leisure battery is rated for 1000A, i.e. 12kW for short periods. It will manage a 1/10th of that for much longer, although you won't get the full AH rating.

If, however, she wants to use it for a long time, you'll need a lot of AH and some means of recharging it between sessions. Assuming you only go to 50% discharge, allowing for high discharge rate and allowing some transmission/conversion losses, the hairdryer alone will use a full 100AH battery in about 15-20 minutes, not allowing for any other loads or a tired battery.

The most likely inverter is the Maplin one, 1000W continuous, 1200 peak, pure sine wave unit with remote control. Its spec give the effiency is lower than most at "greater than 85%". That would need about 940W input for an 800W dryer, at 12V thats close to 80Amps and at 11V 85Amps.

I hoping the use time will be about 3 to 4 minutes, but at 6 minites (one tenth of an hour) it should use less than 10Ah. There should be little or no surge at start up as every dryer I've seen has a low voltage motor wired in series with the resistive heating load. Therefore the motor is run at a constant current, when there are two heat setting doubling the heater power doubles the motor current and hence its speed.

Gordon

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