Well after reading your posts I'll def give the generator a miss and to be honest after reading your comments about most toilet/shower blocks having sockets I don't reckon I'll need one.. My hair isn't that bad to be honest and it would just be me that noticed it but you know what its like ladies, if your hairs a mess its all down hill from there especially in the bad mood department... I'm just being too fussy and I hadn't given it a thought about 12v girlie appliances or even gas, I'll check that out..
I need to get into camping this year properly and see what I do need and probably find its not a lot as like you say thats the idea of camping.
Someone mentioned a leisure battery, how long in general do these last once charged up ? It would be as said only as a back up and wouldn't be running anything huge, maybe a small fan at night when and if it gets really hot ( i can only hope), and possibly a hairdryer if plan a was A no go (i.e.. no socket in the loo's) Oh, and my husband has one of those cooler boxes in his truck we were thinking about maybe taking that to keep food fresher for longer, thats 12v too..
I can't wait until camping kicks off for us again shortly, I so loved it last year just getting away from total normality and having quality time out in the open air with a glass of red in one hand in the evening, music quietly playing in the background and a few laughs, camping heaven :-)
My wife got a pair of Straighteners online last year that plug into the lighter socket. She uses them when we go camping non EHU. Its all about compromise and there's always a way.
Quote: Originally posted by wongers on 30/1/2011
 a stand alone battery will last very long with the likes of a coolbox or hair dryer pluged in i'm afraid.
I think you mean "won't last very long"....(not being the grammar police, you've made a good point and I wouldn't like it to be misunderstood because of a typo
Please remember, that if you are using a car or other type of motor vehicle, then you are driving about in a "generator".
IE, if you had two leisure batteries, then you could be recharging one battery during the day and then changing them over to recharge the other the following day.
So if you particularly wanted to use only 12v electricity, it is possible with very little expense and a little bit of ingenuity.
I was pitched alongside "mobile generator" last year who kept his 2.2ltr Xtrail running for hrs at a time to charge his battery.
If you are going to encourage people to use their vehicles then please make sure to tell them to do it while they are driving!
The fumes were worse than half a dozen generators.
Saxo1
Good idea, Lobey, but if you do try this, Julie, remember that a) It will only work if you're actually touring, or putting a fair mileage in between battery changes. If you're staying on one site for a week with maybe a couple of local shopping runs you could wind up with two flat batteries!
b) If your vehicle has a radio code make sure you know it before you disconnect the battery.
c) Make sure the battery is readily removable and you have appropriate sockets etc., for the terminals (negative off first, on last), the battery retaining clamp and anything you may need to remove to lift the battery out (like the bracing strut found on some Skodas, for example).
Have you tried googling "pedal generators"? Some interesting ideas there which should, I imagine, address any noise issues!
To Saxo 1. I did say in the first sentence, " then you are driving about in a "generator". "
To Hacksaw Bob. There is no need to "know your Radio Code" because we are talking about "Leisure Batteries" here and not vehicle batteries.
There has been a lot of discussion on here in the past regarding the ins and outs of using and recharging leisure batteries both on site with generators and in vehicle using your alternator and like most subjects of this sort, there are a lot of very different opinions.
I have, up until recently, been using a Uni-Charger by Furnvo Design Ltd to recharge my Leisure Battery from my car but as this is no longer made, I cannot give you a contact email address.However, if you are lucky enough to own one of these, you will know that it will complete charge a flat 85Ah leisure battery over two nights just from a car battery that has been used during each day of normal running. It will further leave enough power still in the car battery to start the car the following morning. We originally used this bit of kit in a Morris Minor when we camped with a TT.
This was a brilliant bit of kit and I am surprised that it is no longer in production because it had a potentially large market amongst the camping fraternity.
Yes, sorry, didn't realise you meant using the engine's alternator to charge a leisure battery leaving the vehicle battery permanently installed, in which case,of course, none of my warnings would apply!
I have to say that if I was to have a problem with generators running, I would be speaking to the site owners, and I wouldn't be visiting that site again.
We've had one short break completely ruined by this, and now ask, when booking, if generators are allowed.
Caravanning and camping should be a peaceful experience. Unfortunately the sort of people who use generators also don't seem to consider others.
------------- Leave only footprints. Leave it like you would expect to find it.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Which camping generator?
I'll be investing in some of those too...
