Charging 12v devices from leisure battery

[400ixl]

Have some small devices to charge whilst in the motorhome which will all run off of a car 12v system through either a cigarette lighter socket or usb adaptor plugged into one.

They will also charge via 230v adaptors.

They are item such as mobile phones, DS games machine and a tablet.

I know I could hook up an inverter to the battery, but is there any way to do it via 12v? Say say from the battery to a cigarette lighter socket?

Is it as simple as a couple of clips through a fused wire into a cigarette socket like in the car?

Is it more efficient to keep it all to 12v, or to go via say a 300w inverter?

Thanks for any information.

 

[JayDee]

Our MH would have been supplied with a 12v / 240v TV which we didn't want.

I used the 12v socket to run an extension to a cigarette lighter socket (suitably fused) located in a convenient place - great for charging phones or even running the laptop. Works fine. I have also used an inverter if I need to charge, say, my razor.


John

 

[sedge]

You can hard wire a 12v socket if you want to, then you can buy a fused cig lighter socket that plugs into the 12 v socket. Or you can hard wire a 12v cig lighter socket. You can get the hardware from your friendly neighbourhood camping and caravanning shop.

Funnily enough our old caravan has a 12v round-pin socket and I went over to shop with daughter to get the plug-in cig lighter adapter gismo for it only last week!

 

[ticktok]

Have some small devices to charge whilst in the motorhome which will all run off of a car 12v system through either a cigarette lighter socket or usb adaptor plugged into one.

They will also charge via 230v adaptors.

They are item such as mobile phones, DS games machine and a tablet.

I know I could hook up an inverter to the battery, but is there any way to do it via 12v? Say say from the battery to a cigarette lighter socket?

Is it as simple as a couple of clips through a fused wire into a cigarette socket like in the car?

Is it more efficient to keep it all to 12v, or to go via say a 300w inverter?

Thanks for any information.

I may have missed something but if they run from 12v they are also being charged at the same time, generally they are still running from the battery even when plugged in to a cigarette lighter socket so they will charge but at a slower rate if being used.

 

[400ixl]

Thanks for the posts so far. To add a little more detail.

The motorhome does have a proper regulated / inverter 12v socket, but it is up out of the way and has a 12v TV plugged into it.

This is simply to plug in devices to recharge them. Not worried about it being permanently wired in. The battery is under the seat in the dinette so the wires won't be very long. Just looking for something that can be temporarily hooked up to the leisure battery when required.

Most of the time we will be on EHU's or have a generator if required to get 240v.

It is really just a temporary thing so hence thinking of keeping it 12v to save buying an inverter which will rarely get used.

Charging speed is not really an issue either.

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[400ixl]

Was thinking something like this, with an additional inline fuse put in.

Link Removed

 

[WynandJean]

Hi, We use one of these. Does the job effectively and has the added advantage of the USB socket (I can use that to charge mobile phone while charging laptop via plug-in) It comes with a wide variety of plug tips and can be set to different voltages. Very handy
Wyn

 

[400ixl]

Hi, We use one of these. Does the job effectively and has the added advantage of the USB socket (I can use that to charge mobile phone while charging laptop via plug-in) It comes with a wide variety of plug tips and can be set to different voltages. Very handy
Wyn

Hi Wyn,

Not quite sure what you meant here. Did you mean to link to something I should consider?

 

[WynandJean]

Hi Wyn,

Not quite sure what you meant here. Did you mean to link to something I should consider?

Oops! Yes, I intended to add this link:

Link Removed

Hope that's OK
Wyn

 

[Reallyretired]

I charge all sorts of 12v things and just use the 12v socket on the dashboard, i.e. using the vehicle battery. Ours is live with the ignition off though I know many are not.
Things like phones, cameras have pretty titchy batteries, usually under 1Ah so unlikely to run your battery down significantly especially if you are on hook-up and your charger does the vehicle battery as well.
Failing that you could just use a multiway adaptor on your existing 12v socket, probably better than using clips on a battery.

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[barryd]

I too use the cab cig socket. I line up all the devices on the dinette seat (phones, laptop etc) then take turns to plug them in as I drive along, when we arrive at the destination they are all charged and no drain on my leisure battery.

I often sit in the front dinette and work on the laptop. I have it plugged into the cab cig socket. Once its charged I run it off its own battery until its dead then start again. I did once run down the cab battery by having a laptop plugged in too long but the battery was about done in anyway. The new laptop I have has 8 hours battery life so should be better.

 

[wivvy's dad]

I have one of these, and very good it is too

Link Removed

 

[400ixl]

if you are on hook-up and your charger does the vehicle battery as well.

Thanks, that's handy to know.

Sounds like having an inverter if I need it for the leisure battery and using the cab cigarette lighter for the 12v devices should work.

Can run the generator every few days to top them both up. I wasn't aware the EHU did both batteries.

 

[gypsylady]

Thanks, that's handy to know.

Sounds like having an inverter if I need it for the leisure battery and using the cab cigarette lighter for the 12v devices should work.

Can run the generator every few days to top them both up. I wasn't aware the EHU did both batteries.

Check your own system.

We thought our van battery charged whilst we were on EHU.

Oh Oh!

Only the leisure battery was charging.

 

[400ixl]

Will have a read of the manual at the weekend.

Thanks.

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