This is my first time that I am asking a question so please bear with me (I have only been registered for a little while but the advice on these forums has been invaluable).
I am going camping this afternoon for the first time. Having taken a lot of the advice here, we are going to a campsite 3 miles away and seeing how it goes.
I managed to purchase a 85amp leisure battery from a carboot sale last week for $4. I also purchased an inverter from a different car boot sale which is a 200W one. I have charged the battery up and it all seems to work.
We are not going to have a electric hookup but I was wondering if I can use the battery for things like a toaster and possibly for a hairdryer for my wife.
Obviously, I will not be able to re-charge the battery whilst away (2 nights) but am curious as to if it will work for that and how long it would last (would like to go camping for a few more days later in the year).
Many thanks
Vic
(ps - would be useful to have replies before 1pm as that is the time we will be planing on leaving - do people get up early?)
a toaster or a hairdryer take a lot of power, far in excess of your 200w inverter, if you try to use then it will blow the inverter ! , for items such as you mention you would need something like a 500W inverter as a minimum
Hi- An 85amp leisure battery new costs about £ 30 you have one for £4 ? and you hope it will last a couple of days with toasters and hair dryer without being charged up. I think you will find you will be let down by this gear. My advice to you if you want to be self sufficient is not to go the electric way but to use gas, you can cook, boil water, even toast with the mesh grill tops which you place over the burners, hair dryer.. well you are in the outdoors with fresh air and wind, lol you can certainly hook up a small light from the car battery if needed, and you wont have to lug around a heavy battery, which is waiting to let you down, hope you enjoy the camping . kiev
Thank you for your prompt responses - no I don't particularly want to go the electric way - I will be going gas way - just bought a mobicool 3 way and am on the lookout for a nice gas cooker (with grill). Just thought it may be handy to take along a toaster instead of grilling the food as I've read that the grills aren't fantastic - Also seems like a pain in the backside if you want a few slices of toast with beans on!
With regard the costs - I tend to buy a lot of my stuff from car boots - purchased a thetford 365 last week in great condition for £5! The mobicool was brand new in a box (guy was going camping but then bought a caravan) and I paid £115 - point is that the battery was a 'typical' buy for me. Will probably still take it along for charging the mobile (will keep it in the carso won't need to lug it anywhere).
When we camped we used gas for cooking .Car battery for light (plugged in cigarette lighter). And wind as hairdrier. Good luck with your 1st venture hope if it goes wrong you will not be put off .as the out door life is great
The one big problem for us with non electric camping is a hairdryer! The easy response is don't use one - however for some of us with "difficult" hair that isn't always an option. My hair is dreadful if not dried with a hairdryer. I spend most of the summer with it long enough to tie up but even then it looks awful!
Some practical suggestions - if you are going to a proper site then often they have hairdryers (although they can be a bit hit and miss like hotel hairdryers!), or they will have sockets in the shower blocks that you can plug a hairdryer into.
Otherwise, I've just bought some gas hair straighters - Braun ones - they weren't cheap but they just about do the job.
If there are any clever people or manufacturers out there a simple solution to the hairdryer problem would be much appreciated!
PS - don't bother with a toaster or a gas grill, buy a Coleman dual fuel stove and toast on that!
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: Camping with a leisure battery
