Club 80-90 Forums

maybe the unexpected promise of a sunny weekend has got to me - but -
i was wondering if this -
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/ring-12v-modi ... rter-a23ju" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
was the answer to all my power needs in the van -
fridge n tv for the kids - plugged in driving along?
no need to look for sites with a hook up - camp anywhere - plug in - use kettle - cooker - laptop etc - (i'm assuming if you keep the engine running - it shouldn't drain the battery at all?) -
wintertime - start engine - plug in - turn on fan heater to warm van through/demist windows -
the dreams roll on
have a leisure n starter battery - so could wire up invertor to both (as recommended by manufacturer) -
what could the down side be? -
other than cost of initial purchase - and extra dosh for fuel?
as always yr thoughts would be much appreciated -
edoh

Oh if only life were that simple.

The supply to the unit is 12v
Just 1kW at 240v = 84amps at 12v = 25mm supply cable
Alternator rating 90amps (if you're lucky enough to have that size fitted)

Average kettle = 2kW

Put the fridge on gas and throw the kids outside with a football

Small inverters are great for phone chargers. laptop etc but you'd be buying a sledgehammer to crack a nut there.

If you had a massive bank of leisure batteries as found in a massive RV or off-grid home, that would be a useful bit of kit, otherwise forget about fan heaters and mains kettles

When not on hook up, my fridge runs on gas, or 12 volt when the engine running, I boil the kettle on the gas hob and have a propex heater. I have a small, cheap inverter running from the leisure battery for charging the laptop, and the phones charge from 12 volt usb adapters.

1664 wrote:The supply to the unit is 12v
Just 1kW at 240v = 84amps at 12v = 16mm supply cable
Alternator rating 90amps (if you're lucky to have that size fitted)

...and it's a SIX kW inverter! So that's just over 500A at 12v. That's about the CCA rating of most larger batteries - Cold cranking amps - or how much they can possibly deliver to a starter motor. An 80Ah battery would be _UTTERLY_ flat in less than ten minutes at that rate...

Thanks so much for your thoughts - I thought it might be a bit to obvious. Right!Football and slow kettle from the charger it is Thanks again

edoh wrote:slow kettle from the charger it is

That's what gas is for.

what about one of these as an option, obviously cant use it whilr driving
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clarke-IG2200 ... 4897.l5664" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

interesting .... i was trying to avoid gas/oil/petrol power sources... as a self generating leccy unit sounded the most cleanest/safest option - but - like everyone else who has commented - thanks for your thought