Club 80-90 Forums

We are just having the electrics done and looking at other photos it seems quite common to have a socket under the bed. My husband says this is a good idea but I think I'd rather have 2 near the work surface. Anyone have advice?

I have two one each side of the rock n roll bed so the kids can plus in their DVDs etc when travelling. It's not an either or. Why not have them in both locations to keep you all happy.

probably for an electric heater aswell

The Bishop wrote:I have two one each side of the rock n roll bed so the kids can plus in their DVDs etc when travelling. It's not an either or. Why not have them in both locations to keep you all happy.

Maybe a dumb question. How do you use them while traveling.....

We've just bought it, has no electrics, so no idea yet!

Dave307 wrote:

The Bishop wrote:I have two one each side of the rock n roll bed so the kids can plus in their DVDs etc when travelling. It's not an either or. Why not have them in both locations to keep you all happy.

Maybe a dumb question. How do you use them while traveling.....

with an inverter...

The Bishop wrote:It's not an either or. Why not have them in both locations to keep you all happy.

Exactly. Fit 'em where you want 'em! There's no restriction on how many you fit.

That's what I thought.
Going to wiki to look but......
Can I really fit as many as I want were I want. Don't know much about this stuff. Sorry to thread hi Jack.
I am running a leisure battery and Zig with 240 hook up. So can I just write one in. Also do I need to do anything to it to ruin while I'm driving. I ask cause I planning a very long drive this year and want the kids entertained.

Dave307 wrote:Can I really fit as many as I want were I want.

Yep, with certain caveats - you don't want one right next to the sink, f'rinstance, or where it might get dripped in from a window or vent. The restrictions are on how much power you consume, set by the circuit breaker in the campsite's hookup point or by the RCD ("fuse") in your van.

You can't use 240v whilst you're driving, unless you fit an inverter to turn the 12v from the alternator/battery into 240v - and that gets very inefficient very quickly. You're better to use 12v power supplies for anything you can.

This is what I currently have:

Two 12v sockets under the R N R bed for the kids to plug their 12v DVD players or Ipod chargers or anything else they want while travelling (saves arguments). The one by the sliding door is also useful if you want to run a 12v light out into the awning pump up airbeds etc. These are wired to the leisure battery via inline fuses.

1 12v socket in the pop top so youngest can use his kit at night (run from the leisure battery again)

1 pre-existing 12v socket at the back of the passenger seat. Gets used a bit.

1 12v socket in the dash wired to the starter battery. I use this for my sat nav etc but try to avoid using it when parked up.

We then have 240v three pin sockets behind drivers seat and in the roof space. They are out of the way and dont really get used that much. Perhaps a 240v nearer the sliding door would be handy so that you can run a blow heater or lights in the awning from the hook up.

This suits me but I am sure others will have their own requirements.

I fitted one under the sest recently. I was plumbing in the electrics for my new Webasto so hooked up the socket to the new fuse box under the seat. Its runs of the leisure battery.

Steve

you dont have to use them all at nthe same time ,you have loads in your house dont you, but it beat having cables running all over an already confined space, as said have good 12v skts fitted where they are needed and run 12v where poss
mm

AdrianC wrote:You can't use 240v whilst you're driving, unless you fit an inverter to turn the 12v from the alternator/battery into 240v - and that gets very inefficient very quickly. You're better to use 12v power supplies for anything you can.

Inverter's get a bad press I reckon. They're not that inefficient and even if they were running them off the alternator whilst driving won't drain anything.

1664 wrote:

AdrianC wrote:You can't use 240v whilst you're driving, unless you fit an inverter to turn the 12v from the alternator/battery into 240v - and that gets very inefficient very quickly. You're better to use 12v power supplies for anything you can.

Inverter's get a bad press I reckon. They're not that inefficient and even if they were running them off the alternator whilst driving won't drain anything.

Depends on how big, of course. Anything over 4.5A(240v)/1kw will be taking power quicker than the alternator can chuck it out...

As a rule that's correct,but to be pedantic it is dependant on the alternator fitted,lol
mm