Inverter / battery charger combination

[JeremyClarksson]

This is partly in response to the battery charging question under technical-

We always carry a spare battery, a small battery charger and a 240V inverter - mainly because we do a fair amount of non hookups.

This covers a lot of situations/advantages

You can use the battery charger when on hookup to charge the car battery if necessary.

The inverter is always useful in the van for occasional mains equipment (laptop etc) when on hookup.

The inverter can be used in the car with the battery charger to charge the spare battery (cigar lighter socket voltages are regulated so will not fully charge a battery).

You can use this method to charge a battery en route to a destination, on a day out or during a normal working week.

Make sure you have an auto cut off charger or a meter to ensure you turn off when charged.

Should you run flat you can always ask a CL owner or pub owner if you can plug in the charger and battery for a while.

Inverters cost around £20 up, the charger cost less than £10 and you can get a leisure battery from around £40 up.

Together with our 20W panel we have not been without power yet, I did buy a generator a couple of years ago and only used it twice before we started using these methods.

 

[MooseontheLoose]

I am interested in a solar panel. I appreciate the need to go for a regulator on a 20W panel such as yours but are there any other things I need to be aware of? I have looked at Towsure and Riversway Leisure websites and their kit is much more expensive than is for sale on ebay. Is the old adage of you get what you pay for appropriate?

Also with the inverter do the mains sockets in the van work without a hook up? I am unsure as to how they function.

I'm only 34 but a lot of this gadgetry is getting beyond me, I still have and use my gaslight regularly at rallies!!

 

[JeremyClarksson]

We only have a cheap panel(s) and it works fine, on small panels it is more important that they have a diode to stop reverse charging than a regulator.

Sign up for the Maplins newsletter they do 13W panels at

 

[colin_5079068]

I am interested in a solar panel. I appreciate the need to go for a regulator on a 20W panel such as yours but are there any other things I need to be aware of? I have looked at Towsure and Riversway Leisure websites and their kit is much more expensive than is for sale on ebay. Is the old adage of you get what you pay for appropriate?

Also with the inverter do the mains sockets in the van work without a hook up? I am unsure as to how they function.

I'm only 34 but a lot of this gadgetry is getting beyond me, I still have and use my gaslight regularly at rallies!!

Hi big col here you can get 80 watt solar panel charge controler plus cable forb about 280.00 off ebay i have one on caravan and now have one to go on motor home they work very well