newbie question

banditandjo · Veteran Member

newbie question

Hewy54 · Senior Member

Not sure what he/she watches, but if you are watching movies, would a laptop or DVD do the job?. They use about 30% of the power of a 25" TV and so you could use an inverter off batteries and so have no need for a gennie.

spida · Guru

My Tv runs for ages on 12v - have solar panels.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Best way is get a 12v combo TV/DVD player. Your solar panel will put power into the battery during the day and will run the TV longer than one hour with power to spare.

I have a 24" combo Teac and hardly uses any power. I have it plugged into 12v all the time, even if van is hooked upto 240v.

Inverters although great chew up your battery power quickly.

-- Edited by Dougwe on Saturday 20th of August 2016 06:02:43 PM

rainy1850 · Senior Member

Dougie how did you get to be so knowledgable.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I wouldn't say knowledgable Lorraine, just what I have learnt from other great members from this forum. You also learn from your own mistakes or experiments.

If I can help someone else out I pass that info on to them and I tell you that for free.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

banditandjo · Veteran Member

Little person is watching abc kids but we have dvds for when we have no reception. Abc kids i view is chewing thru our available data when we have reception and we use the laptop when using dvds but i only get about an hour at a time.
Thanks for the advice.
We have a tv with built in dvd player not sure how long it will last on 12 vilt though
WILL give it a try

adreamer · Senior Member

Does anyone know about these 'GOAL ZERO' solar generator? they can be powered up by solar or normal power.

That is all I know, met a lady last week who was very happy with the one she had (not sure what size she had) Looked on the net and they don't seem too expensive if it does the job.

Think you can get them from Victoria.

Helen

Cupie · Guru

A quick net search shows that as expected the Goal Zero is a lead acid battery in a box along with a range of input & output devices.

Nice & convenient but perhaps a bit expensive for what you get.

It would have all the limitations of any lead acid battery set up. Though it might have built in devices to prevent over discharge etc.

PeterD · Guru

adreamer wrote:
Does anyone know about these 'GOAL ZERO' solar generator? they can be powered up by solar or normal power.
Helen

Here is their range of products. There seems to be two ranges of them. There is a selection of kits under $650 but these are too small for caravan use unless you are only going to use them for lights. The second range of kits are all over $1500. These have 100 Ah batteries. You should be able to get a complete solar installation in your van with a 100 Ah battery, 200 W of solar panels, regulator and mains charger for less than the purchase price of their kit with solar panels. See this one for $2K. Add to those put-offs, they don't reveal the chemistry of the battery.

macka17 · Guru

Buy a 100\200w panel with a 20a Regulator (for possible updates later.)
Combined with a 300\400w Inverter.
That'll run your interior lights TV 240 v fan Overnight when connected to a 85\100a Battery

Put battery in front boot. Then You can use an Exide Extreme or other brand.
NO need for an exxy AGM.

Generators. I've always had one.
Runs tools etc on road when breakages occur.

Unless you wanting to run AIrcond, Microwave. kettle etc
a 1 kVA will run everything
incl a 20a Charger. decent size VERY important.
4 way or more on net. smart charge the best
You CAN buy everything on net at better price than dealers.
Just stay with known brands. Even the battery's.
I just bought a coupla 85w GIANT AGM batt;s 2\3rd the price of dealers.
Delivered to my door.

I have a 3.8kva Genny. but it runs house when power down too.
OR 2 x aircond vans at same time.

You don't normally use that size. I just happen to have.

My 1.8kva Honda powered, lasted me over 30 yrs with oil changes and 2 solenoid swaps.
Still running on mates farm as water pump supply. (swapped for a $50 note)

Once you start on solar you can end up costing a fortune.

200w panel. (I paid $235 del)
20a Regulator. around $50\70 for a basic one that'll do the job
and give room for solar expansion later.
300\400w Inverter will run laptop. lights. 240v fan for a while
tv\box dvd player. Around $100\150
The bigger the inv the more juice it devours just standing there .

"PURE" sine wave, maybe but in over 30 yrs never had a problem with standard.

85\100a Hybrid battery. around $180.
I use Exide Extremes, long life and no problems (touch wood)

Genny.
as said. 1 kva for normal use.
2 plus KVA for Aircond Plus.

Yammy 2.4 does easier job and more reserve doing so than exxy Honda 2kva
Genny's vary from the exxy Jap ones to some good Chinese as well as rubbish chinese.

Look for the HONDA powered Chinese ones.
they half the price and mine working well after around 5 yrs now.
(3.8kva $475 del from Malaysia)
Plus maybe $50/60 for cabling and tube of silicon. saddles and screws.

Look around.
You'll get a better quality system together than ANY kit form.

Go on Solar forums and ask.
There are waaaay more real... experts than us on there.
mostly we are trial and error here. Me for over 40 yrs now.
Have fun.

Tony Bev · Guru

banditandjo wrote:
Little person is watching abc kids but we have dvds for when we have no reception. Abc kids i view is chewing thru our available data when we have reception and we use the laptop when using dvds but i only get about an hour at a time.
Thanks for the advice.
We have a tv with built in dvd player not sure how long it will last on 12 vilt though
WILL give it a try

Hello banditandjo

I will try to give some ideas on the part I have highlighted

Our 12 volt TV/DVD combo is usually switched on through the day, and well into the night.
The boss likes her TV

With Satellite TV and normal LED lights, I have never measured more than about 4.6 amps using a hand held amp meter

I have a Mono type 300 watt (16.67 amps) panel on the roof with a 50mm air gap.
This is adequate for our needs, but depending on your needs, may not be what you require

Until I actually purchase new batteries, the original
100 AH GEL (of unknown age, use/abuse), plus a backup
55 AH SpiralCell type AGM battery, purchased 2011
Are adequate for our needs.

As the batteries are different types, size, and age, I can only charge/use them one at a time, through isolating switches on the charging and power circuits.

We charge our laptop, phone etc with 12 volt chargers.

We have never used an inverter to try and run 240 volt

Since having the roof solar, we have stopped carrying the gen set

Hope that this can give you some ideas