plug sockets

[Ian Mchardy]

ok this might be really stupid but is it possible to energise the plug sockets using the battery? or does it need the full EHU? I have a Bailey caravan, picture of fuse box attached

 

[Gozza2]

Well you can - but you'll need a device called an inverter, which turns 12 volts DC into 240 volts AC, and you'll need it to be wired into your caravan by someone confident and competent with mains wiring.

Also unless you buy a really good quality inverter (i.e. expensive!), it's going to be quite wasteful of power and will run your battery down quickly.

Depending what you want to run, it may well be cheaper and easier to get a 12 volt version rather than provide mains power away from the grid.

 

[toad a caravan]

Three pin are 240v AC and two pin are 12 DC

 

[ProfJohnL]

Within a standard caravan the 230V ac system is needs a full EHU supply to make them function.

Even with a 12Vdc to 230Vac inverter the 12V dc system in the caravan would not be able provide very much 230V power so it 's certainly not advisable.

just for information - A fully charged 100Ah 12V battery can in theory can deliver 1.2kWh of power - but in reality you'd be lucky to get 1kWh before the battery discharged or even damaged.

So in practice the answer is the 12Vdc system cannot power the mains sockets.

 

[Gozza2]

Three pin are 240v AC and two pin are 12 DC

Sorry yes, my reply above assumed you were asking about energising the three pin mains sockets.

If you've got some form of 2-pin socket in your caravan (and most do), they are for 12v DC and if they're not working there's either a switch turned off, or a fuse blown. Or a flat battery of course.

 

[Ian Mchardy]

wow thanks guys that is really helpfull!

 

[toad a caravan]

Your welcome 🙂