You'll be the least popular person on the campsite if you're going to run a gennie at normal TV viewing hours ie the evening. A leisure battery is the way to go, charged up from your car when you're out and about. Anyway generators are expensive and take up fair bit of room in the car boot. (Too heavy to carry in the van with all your other kit.) Plus you can't use them everywhere anyway.
You could always introduce your OH to the concept of reading a book instead in the evening?
Anne, to clarify.....a fully charged leisure battery will run a 12V TV for hours and hours, and may not even need recharging during your holiday. It can be charge directly from the car when driving, and then used on site to power your TV. It can also be charged using a normal car battery charger at home.
Another alternative is to use a laptop with a TV dongle, or a rechargeable TV - the TV or laptop can then be recharged just by plugging into the car ciggie lighter socket.
An even better alternative is to learn to go without the TV for a few days - it's makes a massive difference to camping. My wife, kids and I get on with each other a millions times better when camping where you can escape from all the depressing rubbish on the box, or the racket on the radio that makes you feel all fraught - constant bombardment from adverts, sports, Hollywood films, irritating DJs....aaarrrgggghhhh!!
Thanks all, I think the inverter is what he is getting at. We don't have a laptop yet and as for a dongle...plus reading is not an option for him (would love it to be, but no hope). We have a solar panel.
just to say you won't be able to run an 12v to 240v inverter from your car battery for very long without killing battery also if you have the sort that plugs into the power outlet in the car 200w is the max which is not alot.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Mini generators
