Need help understanding 'bout electrics n'stuff ...

[eric]

..... taking 3 mums plus 3 kids (2x8yr olds and 1x10yr old) for a 16 day `wild` camping holiday experience (no electric hook-up) this summer to this place ... http://www.glynymulfarm.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I have thought long and hard about everything .... heat, light, food and things to do in the day blah blah blah, however, as it is wont to do in this area the weather will turn dreadful so I've been thinking about entertainment.

Now, I drive a 7 seater Caravelle so I thought about in-house entertainment. The mums want their daily ration of Eastenders/Corrie etc., (ARGHHHH) and the kids wil no doubt want to watch DVDs and other things.

Anyway, I found this little smasher ... http://www.wedodigital.co.uk/product/20 ... s-dvd123b/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

The problem is that it may be used up to 6/7 hours per day (worse case scenario), plugged into the cigarette lighter socket (at least that's how I think it works). Now, I'm not happy in running the engine continuously because of noise pollution so therefore what on earth can I do? Flat battery in my case means a RAC call out because one of the terminals is tucked away unreachable under the engine bulkhead (it's a Syncro!!).

I will be using the bus probably every day to take the tribe to here, there and everywhere in the area, but will I be travelling far enough to re-charge the battery even if it's a 10 mile round trip? I know zilch about electrics.

The battery is very small (size) in my bus, but even if I got a leisure battery (is there a difference to a normal one?) how can I possibly tell when it's time to turn off the `telly`? Would it make a difference and put my mind at rest?

I have emailed the company a week or so ago but not yet had a reply, hence my appeal to you guys for help, suggestions and guidance.

Take care evertybody and thank you ....

Eric.

[1664]

You're stuck between a rock and a hard place with only the one battery. I'd rig up a split charge system and leisure battery if it were me, but you've already stated you're a bit electrically 'niave' so I suppose that's out.

Can you lay your hands on one of those emergency starting battery packs just in case you flatten the vehicle battery or you could run the T.V off that instead perhaps? I don't know how they are recharged though........ That or severely limit how long everybody watches T.V etc.

That TV thing says 15W power consumption which equates to 1.25 amps - think standard batteries are about 85 'ampere hours' but having said that the vehicle will need a substantial chunk of that to turn the engine over.

[kevtherev]

Alternatively...
You can buy a "traction" battery, which you can charge up at home and will supply all of your power needs and last for many months without a recharge

http://www.supaprice.co.uk/p/result.jsp ... +batteries" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

you'll need two of the first shown, wired in parallel... or one of the second battery shown.
not cheap I will admit, but they last and last and last and last... and will out last a leisure battery in not only it's life but in power delivery

[Hacksawbob]

`wild` camping holiday

and

The mums want their daily ration of Eastenders/Corrie etc., (ARGHHHH) and the kids wil no doubt want to watch DVDs and other things.

Is it me or aren't these two things mutually exclusive? and if your worried about noise polution too... do without telly, that site lists itself as 24/7 quiet campsite too, take some play doh, make some puppets and do your own Corrie puppet show!

6-7 hours use on a starting battery with 10 mins charge is a non starter (pun intended!)

[Plasticman]

As ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^says, dont bother with the telly ffs .the women will do without or stay at home, I d leave mobiles off as well , entertain yourselves that or thjey go to centreparcs and you and the kids (if theyre up for it) camp
mikie

[kevtherev]

Children will play four hours with a big stick
Add a little stream and you have a whole weekend right there.

[jamesc76]

Children will play four hours with a big stick
Add a little stream and you have a whole weekend right there.

Same goes for some of us so called adults too!

[eric]

Thank you all for taking the time and trouble to respond to my request for help, your comments have been read and taken onboard.

It is clear that I did not go into sufficient detail in my original post, so here goes:-

1/ I am well aware that my plan is not strictly `wild` camping … that’s why I put the word like I did. Wild camping for me would be, for one instance, by digging a latrine which I do know how to achieve.

2/ Every day there will be an excursion off-site, such as the beach (there are many many different ones in the area), waterfalls, caving with wet-suits headlights etc, boat trips (via this company … http://www.gowercoastadventures.co.uk/booking.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ), mountain biking, Dan yr Ogof Caves, coal mines, fishing … I could go on and on, but I hope you get the idea. I have spent nigh on 3yrs thinking and planning about this holiday.

3/ Yes, I have invested in books on British trees/wild flowers etc., because there are wonderful woods including a river on this site. Last year I spent many weeks of frustrating attempts trying to master the art of creating fire without matches using this method http://www.bushcraft.ridgeonnet.com/bow ... torial.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . I succeeded at last after dozens of efforts. I shall begin teaching the kids (and anyone else in the locale) from day one. This will involve identifying different woods, trying out blah blah blah. You get the drift I hope. Kids will be off foraging in the woods for hours (under supervision from the mums of course) and I hope at the end of it all they too will be successful.

4/ Every evening the kids will be encouraged to diarise, in their own words, the day’s events. Also, I have lots of indoor and outdoor games/pursuits up my sleeve. I actually made using old canvas pup tents something similar to this …http://new.canvastentshop.co.uk/product ... ?pdid=1589 with sides as it rains here more horizontal than vertical, hand sewing with an old `palm and needle` which belonged to my late father.

5/ Also every evening, I will be telling a story, it maybe a factual account of daring episodes of life or a ghost story (not to scary.. hehehe).

6/ I have done 2 reconnoitres to this site and taken video footage so I do know how the land lays here, so to speak.

I do hope in view of the foregoing info, you will all understand that this telly/dvd business in merely an option.

Thank you all for your kind comments,

Eric.

Ps … My VW Caravelle is 25 yrs old and the noise (?) will be contained within it. The spirit of the site will be maintained. IE …radio/music blaring from dawn to dusk.