Useful advice for electrics???

chrisblack

Any suggestions where to find some useful info on electrics???

I'm not at all used to the workings of a 12v system....

The van has a plug (european 2 pin) above the sink, which I would like to figure out is for 12v or 240v... (can this be replaced with a standard 3 pin socket?)

There is also a sat system in the van, with a european 2 pin plug, but I've no idea of where to plug it in, and indeed if it runs on 12v or 240v... The mains lead from it doesn't seem to stretch to anywhere useful... will i need to bring power into the van to run this???

There's also a longish lead that plugs into the cigarette lighter.. what sort of things will I run from this??

Thanks in advance

Chris

stapeler

The Eupopean socket is probably 230V and can be swapped for a standard socket or something like this one on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CBE-230V-240V-3-PIN-SOCKET-FRAME-motorhome-caravan_W0QQitemZ130178107633QQihZ003QQcategoryZ76066QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
As reguards the Satellite system it's most likely 230V, and should it should be written on it somewhere.
The cable from the cigarette lighter is 12V, I use mine to power various things like a cooling fan, kids dvd player, Nokia charger. It also power my inverter to charge laptop etc.

chrisblack

Inverter to charge laptop sounds like something I could do with - can you run the laptop from it??? Maybe you could point me in the direction of one on ebay, so I know what I'm looking for.

Thanks

Chris

*Kol*

You should check out ALDI or LIDL. They have had some recently that would manage to charge a laptop. Halfords have them too.

peasant

If you only want to charge a laptop and noting else, it might be worth investigating a 12V (car charger) power supply for your specific laptop.

Laptops get charged with all sorts of voltages from 5V to 20V ...but never 230V.

So it would be a bit wasteful to first invert 12v to 230V (and incur some losses) only to have your power supply invert it back to whatever voltage your laptop needs (and incur further losses along the way)

chrisblack

I was thinking about being able to charge other things - e.g. kids psp, gameboy etc... so I'll have a look at inverters...

I also assume that if I'm plugged into the mains anywhere, then the socket above the sink can be used as I would in the house and charge things from there.

Chris

I just checked on ebay and I've see some inverters, some 75w and some 150w ... does 75w mean less drain on the battery? and is it the leisure battery or the engine battery that the cigarette lighter works from?

- http://cgi.ebay.ie/75w-Car-Power-Inverter-Supply-DC-12V-to-AC-220V-Adapter_W0QQitemZ140182602151QQihZ004QQcategoryZ9885QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.ie/150W-Car-Charger-Power-Adapter-Inverter-DC-12V-AC-220V_W0QQitemZ310002006719QQihZ021QQcategoryZ60252QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

*Kol*

I was wondering which sockets were 220v and which 12v? I have 3 beige sockets at the front of the MH and 1 brown one near the sink?

peasant

12V sockets come in all forms and guises but the most common ones either look like the base of your cigarette lighter or something like a socket for headphones.


Anything that looks remotely like this:


is German 230V

*Kol*

I can't find any 12v sockets then! Is that normal??

peasant

Yes, quite.

But you can always put one in yourself. 12V isn't rocket science. Positive and negative wire to your battery, fuse, socket, possibly a switch ...done

stapeler

Yep, the higher wattage will drain a battery quicker, Inverters are inefficient because of the electronics/cooling fan . Ideal however for a variety of applications as you list above. I use a 300watt inverter and typically I charge laptops etc when we're on the move and engine is running.

Kol, your sockets are possibly all 230v, typically 12v sockets are the cigarette like sockets and some have a smaller opening.

chrisblack

Thanks Guys.. its all a lot clearer now.. and I found a 12v socket on the back of the sat, which the lead for the cig lighter reaches nicely... just have to figure out a tv now and orienting the dish to see if it can receive over here. And the price of those inverters on ebay isn't prohibitive, so I might just give one a try - probably the 75w will be sufficient for my needs - I don't expect to be using anything that demands a heavy load and charging whilst driving seems like a sensible idea.

Chris

chrisblack

Just a thought.... will the 230v socket above the sink be running from an inverter, or will it only power when plugged in to mains??? - I've no continental sockets to test it!!!!

Thanks

Chris

*Kol*

I would say the 220v will only be powered when you are hooked up unless there s an inverter fitter in your MH somewhere?

These are the sockets I have:

peasant

230V is normally only provided through the outside connection ...your hookup on the campsite.

It is possible to fit an inverter to make 230V out of 12v from your battery. But if you want to power anything slightly useful from it (like a hairdryer or a toaster) you need several big, stonking batteries and a high power inverter and a means of charging it all again.

Even an evenings worth of television will bring a standard leisure battery of 80AH to its knees.

So, if you want satellite TV in your yoke and be independent from campsites, you need at least two large leisure batteries and a 1000W inverter ...and then either solar power or a generator to charge it all again as your alternator will possibly not cope any more

Or you could invest in a inverter generator and run your telly of that ...and annoy everybody around you with the noisy genny.


Me ...I just read a book