WFMH (1 Viewer)

[OnTheBummel]

Hi all

We've never motorhomed before, but booked a rental some time ago for a week in September with a view to buying one later if we like it. Our original plan was to stay fairly local. Since lock-down, having never thought it would be possible, I've been WHF and have found that it works and I'm loving it. So the September plan is getting more ambitious. We are now thinking of a three week trip through France and into Spain to visit our daughter who lives there. I can't take more than a week off at that time year, so the plan is to WFMH for half days. I use a laptop with two screens, keyboard & mouse - there is no inverter in the hire vehicle, but we have a small portable generator. Before we commit to extending the hire I thought I'd canvas opinions on whether people think this would be viable, advice from anyone who has done this and also look for some specific tips on:
- Data SIMs for France & Spain; and recommendation for a mifi or similar
- A resource for good places to stop overnight other than proper camp sites

Thanks everyone

Simon

 

[OnTheBummel]

Make sure your generator is pure sine wave if you're planning to power sensitive equipment

it says it is on the tin!

 

[autorouter]

If your screen has a separate brick power supply, not just a simple wire plugging into the mains, then look at the small print on the brick label to find out the voltage and amps required. You should be able to find a suitable alternative brick that plugs into a 12V socket.

If it's not a standard voltage like 12V, 19V or 24V and you can't find a suitable one, I'm sure someone can suggest a solution. The voltage must be the same, but the amps can be anything equal to or larger than the amps on the brick label.

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[OnTheBummel]

If your screen has a separate brick power supply, not just a simple wire plugging into the mains, then look at the small print on the brick label to find out the voltage and amps required. You should be able to find a suitable alternative brick that plugs into a 12V socket.

If it's not a standard voltage like 12V, 19V or 24V and you can't find a suitable one, I'm sure someone can suggest a solution. The voltage must be the same, but the amps can be anything equal to or larger than the amps on the brick label.

I hadn't thought of that. The laptop brick is 19v out put and rated 45W. The screens are 19v & 14v and both are 25W rated. Do think something like this would work if I can find the right tips:-

RS PRO Car Charger, 11 → 16V dc Input, 19V dc Output Plug In, 4.7A | RS

uk.rs-online.com

 

[autorouter]

That one looks fine, it can handle up to 90W. There doesn't seem to be a great range of tips, but you only want one. If you're looking for a non-standard tip, I just bought a mains laptop charger by Outtag, came with 16 different tips, and they do a car charger too, presumably with the same range.

The 14V output is more of a problem. There's a lot of 13.8V power supplies, made popular by CB radios. That might well be OK. The screen spec might well be 14V plus or minus half a volt. Worth a try.

 

[OnTheBummel]

Thanks Sandra, I'll get that app, that's exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for.

No clue how much data I use, but was planning on getting a local pay as you go data SIM. I'll have a search for other threads on SIMs. I hope the rental company will supply the necessary for the Gas - we have to pay a supplement for taking it to Europe, but I will check.

If you are visiting different countries using a "local" sim is a bit of a faff and probably won't be any cheaper than using a decent UK-based sim. We use a 3 PAYG in a mifi, works almost everywhere, but our demands are not high, opinion seems to favour vodaphone for the heavier user. Agree for a one-off trip using your phone as a hotspot is probably better, just make sure your dataplan is adequate.

Your problem is going to be gas, will depend on the vehicle you're hiring so speak to them asap. Let us know what they say because sometimes these people don't really have a working knowledge (i.e. no idea what they're talking about )

From current reports seems as if stopovers are opening up, you shouldn't have much trouble.

Gas - it's a refillable system and the hire company says they supply three different connectors which cover most possible supplies in Europe. Does that sound right?

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[autorouter]

Gas - it's a refillable system and the hire company says they supply three different connectors which cover most possible supplies in Europe. Does that sound right?

The usual arrangement is to have one style of connector permanently fitted, and the other three screw into the permanent one as required. With three, you're sorted for practically all of Europe. I have a fourth adapter, but only ever used it twice, in a filling station in Luxemburg, and in Ireland.

 

[OnTheBummel]

The usual arrangement is to have one style of connector permanently fitted, and the other three screw into the permanent one as required. With three, you're sorted for practically all of Europe. I have a fourth adapter, but only ever used it twice, in a filling station in Luxemburg, and in Ireland.

Thanks - it sounds like they are supplying the right thing then.