# Using 240v sockets whilst driving?



## Grievous (Jun 27, 2005)

Hello all,
I'm new to motor caravaning so bear with me. i've just ordered a new Bessecarr E425 but dont get it till 1st sept an i'm going away on the 2nd! so I would like to know if its possible to run a domestic fan to cool the dogs in the vehicle from the 240v sockets whilst i'm travelling? or will I need to put it through an invertor from the 12v the fan is a max. of 70w?
Many Thanks Simon.


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

:? Hi *Grievous*. Are you talking about using 240v from an Invertor or a generator ( the cable to home would have to be rather long :roll: ). Either can be used. We have run the generator while we were travelling and we have boiled kettles from the Invertor while travelling. No problems at all. :wink:


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

Hello Grievous

You should be fine running a fan from a small stand alone invertor. Maplins had a 300w invertor on offer recently for £19.99 that would easily handle the 70w, and may come in useful for other things. You just need to check that your connection to the 12v side of the van is rated high enough, if you are using a 12v point as the above mentioned invertor comes with a cigar lighter plug or a lead for direct connection to the leisure or vehicle battery. The best way to connect the invertor would be directly to the leisure battery.

heres the link to maplins, but they are out of stock of the one i mentioned 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=36316&doy=3m8

Dave


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## Grievous (Jun 27, 2005)

Not got a cable that long :lol: but i take it from what you are saying that it is not possible to use the on board 240v sockets whilst the engine is running as we have no seperate generator, i didnt know if they worked thru some sort of invertor? but if thats not an option if i was to get a 150 w invertor from 12v socket it should work the fan (max 70w) whilst i'm driving? :? 
Thanks Simon


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O No *Grievous*. The 240 volt power points do not run from the Motor. !2 volts do and can run an invertor with no problem. :wink: Or you could run a 12 volt fan. Some of them are as efficeint as 240 volt versions. :wink:


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## BERTHA (May 21, 2005)

Unless you have a built in generator then the 240v sockets will only work when connected to the mains.

You can purchase a Inverter that takes your 12v power and takes it to 240v.

On some vans there is a cigar socket which is rated, there is some sockets especially dedicated for powering other things usually to 180w which is enough to run a 150w inverter which can then run your 70w fan.

We purchased a Water Air Cooler from B&Q which is 75w which is plugged in to an Inverter which is plugged in to my dedicated 12v 180w cigar type socket

B


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

Hi Simon

I recently got some 12v fans from Roadpro, around 12 or 13 quid each. They are really efficient, and come with cigar lighter plug.

Like JSW said, that might be a simpler option.

They are here

http://www.roadpro.co.uk/

just put "fan" in the search

you can mount them in the van or put them on a dod of wood to make a portable fan.

Dave


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

*240v while travelling*

We have a 12v oscillating fan mounted in the cab area

Use the 12v to charge mobile phone & the like - run the fridge


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## captainking (Jun 16, 2005)

If you go to lidl tommorow they are selling 12v fans for £2.99 they are the same type that I bought a few weeks ago from Towsure for £12.99 Urgggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!

Captainking


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

Oh Dear - that'll teach me as well

I just bought 3 at the price earlier in the thread.

I bought exactly the same type at a Lidl in France last year for 5 euros. But they went with my old MH.

They never have them when you want them


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Grievous said:


> if i was to get a 150 w invertor from 12v socket it should work the fan (max 70w) whilst i'm driving? :?
> Thanks Simon


Hi

As your van is new you may find that none of the 12 volt sockets in the van work when the engine is running.....the latest vans seem to have a relay which cuts the 12volt power to the habitation area when the engine is running...the fridge will be connected but nothing else. If your Bessacar is wired like this the only sockets that are live while the engine is running are the cab cigar sockets.

Hopefully one of the Bessacar owners ...(Claypigeon should know he has one) will see this post and tell you if your van is going to be like this.

Just a further thought...when you are travelling you will be able to arrange a good airflow through the van by opening the windows...in fact many motorhomes provide far too much in the way of ventilation into the van so that in winter it can be very cold and draughty in the back, lots of rear passengers take to staying inside a sleeping bag when travelling...........another of motorhomings best kept secrets :lol:

Mike

P.S. The Lidl fans are OK but a bit noisy but OK for while travelling.

P.P.S. I don't wish to be pessimistic but if you are collecting it on the 1st sept and hoping to go away on the 2nd I would not plan to go too far away from the dealer or take a full set of tools and diy stuff with you so that you can fix all the little faults that may be present on your new motorhome. It might be a good idea to sleep in it outside your home on the first night....I am serious :lol:


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## captainking (Jun 16, 2005)

Yep! I would'nt venture too far.........we picked ours up from Germany last month and it took a lot of time getting every thing sorted.....bedding....plates....food.......you will just keep making lists of things you forgot.................we also had our first planned trip north to Barnard Castle........but had a punture on one of the rear tyres which caused the other to overheat and that expolded........so stuck on A1 12 midnight sat.....sunday saw us buying two new tyres but it didn't spoil the weekend had a very nice time but not at Barnard Castle....make sure that you have a good jack and a long handle on the wheel brace this caused us a problem getting the nuts off after the were put on by gun at the Merc garage when it was serviced...

Good luck have a great time.....we are both new to M/H...........but boats now yer talking!


Captainking


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## 88724 (May 9, 2005)

Hi

Sorry but the talk of venturing too far had me in stitches, last time we did a survey here, there were very few who got their motorhome on time, but by and large those that actually had it delivered in the right month were rare.

To be fairly sure you need to be arranging a delivery 3 months before your first planned trip (you stand a good chance of having received it *just before *then) BTW If its a foriegn dealer it will arrive on correct day, if its in Germany if they say 14:15 then if your watch says 14:16 either get a new watch or set it to 14:15 when it arrives.

the other thing is that generally you will then need 6 months to a year to get *most *of the faults ironed out. Some people it is claimed get the whole thing sorted in time for trade in ( I dont believe this myself )


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

Dam it George

And i've just returned from a "Why don't we post positive posts anymore" Thread that really uplifted me.

Dave


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

GeorgeTelford said:


> Hi
> To be fairly sure you need to be arranging a delivery 3 months before your first planned trip


Hey come on George whatever happened to your Sense of Adventure :lol:

If they do get it on the 1st Sept as promised there should be nothing wrong in trying it out almost immediately.........mind you they will experience a very sharp learning curve if it is their first van.

Out of argumentative interest I have met at least a couple of owners who said that their new van was delivered with absolutely no problems....any of them on here I wonder?

Mike


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## Andysam (May 10, 2005)

Erm, no!


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Mike,

Well, I collected mine and stayed around the area for 3 nights, at least a day of which was testing everything out as far as I could and reading the gumpf. Many times I thought I had problems but I didn't, such as when the turbovent didn't, but it wasn't switched on at the master control panel (when in doubt, RTFM ....)

Returned to the dealer, mentioned that the PDI missed the washer bottle, which had been empty, collected the original spare single pane windows where I had specified double glazing, had a chat and left. Not yet been back.

Subsequently it has been into the local Fiat garage to have the rear brakes deglazed to cure brake squeal, caused I suspect by the conversion dealer leaving the handbrake on for long periods. And the fridge door dropped a little having had stuff in it the first time, making the locking mechanism tricky, but a few turns of a spanner at the hinge adjustment sorted that.

Now, 5 months on, I wonder if one of my airrides is losing a little more air than it should. And a radio that I supplied doesn't seem to receive Long Wave but I haven't looked at it yet.

So very acceptable .

Dave


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

:? What do these previous posts about delivery time got to do with 240v supply with the engine running? If the delivery date is late? Does that mean you can or cannot have 240v supply when the engine is running? :roll:


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## Grievous (Jun 27, 2005)

Thanks for all the fan advice, think i will be able to get that one sorted out now. will probably try the invertor route  .
I understand completely where you are coming from about delivery time of the vehicle, luckily it is now already with the dealer having a few extras fitted. We could have it a lot sooner but we are waiting for the sept no. plate. They have said though that they will deliver it on trade plates prior to the 1st sept and put it on the drive, so will hopefully have a couple of days to do a bit of fettling :wink: . We are heading for france southern Dordogne, and had already booked the accomodation while we are there so we only have 1 night down and 1 night back to actually stay in the vehicle this time so can rough it so to speak, but will definately take a toolkit! I own a landrover Freelander so am well used to breakdowns an probs while away :x it came back this year from switzerland on a flatbed lorry after the swiss landrover supposedly fixed it :x dont ever buy one buy the way had it from new loads of probs, and the dealers are probably the worst you could meet( bunch of criminals) anyway rant over with so anything will be better than that. 
thanks again for all the advice Simon


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

johnsandywhite said:


> :? What do these previous posts about delivery time got to do with 240v supply with the engine running? If the delivery date is late? Does that mean you can or cannot have 240v supply when the engine is running? :roll:


I do hope you really are making a joke or your comment could stifle all the interesting talk that goes on on here  as you well know forums can and do ramble and this one is one of the best for it but that is what makes it worth using.......now what has all that got to do with a 240v supply with the engine running......I have no idea but you started it John :lol:

Mike


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## badger (May 9, 2005)

Just a silly point, that I may have missed or having had any technical ability or knowledge surgically removed.

Isn't it dangerous to use 240v in transit (moving....not the van)

I'm thinking sparks....petrol....accident etc.

I know......12v can cause sparks as well but just a thought.......


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O Nope. There is already (in Petrol engined M/H) a bigger, fatter spark that can explode petrol and gas. It's called the ignitions system :roll:


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

JSW,

No doubt Mike and I will be checking your posts to score relevance against the title and first post in a thread. Watch out! 

As to 240V when driving, yes, I've done that, having all of mains roof aircon, laptop charging, phone charging and camera charging off mains at the same time and still having a positive energy budget. Just don't expect a standard offering in factory trim to do that; it requires some thought and planning regarding alternator, 12V cables, inverter & integration into mains wiring.

Dave


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O My answer was relevant *Dave*. I stated before that I have run the generator before. Although I usually use the Solar/battery power. When this failed (Snow, rain insufficeint charging - Alternator broken etc) I had to use the generator to charge all the batteries including the motor battery. I stated it was NOT dangerous to do so from experience. :wink:


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

In my last motorhome, I made a point of having everything 12 volts. Times have moved on, and we all have different energy requirements, but I still haven't found a need (as opposed to a 'desire') for 240volts, with three exceptions:
1 Battery charging (from mains hook-up).
2 A decent vacuum cleaner.
3 A hairdryer that works properly for Sue.

Other than those, 12volts does for me (fans, TV, DVD player, etc)

An exception may be the air con, which works on 12 volts, albeit via a dedicated inverter. This could be the thin end of the wedge, though... I bought that bargain of a 300w inverter from Maplin (the 20 quid one?) even though I have absolutely no use for it (at the moment - never could resist a bargain!) :?


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Talking of bargains and relevant to this post. My wife just went and picked up 2 of those 12 volt Fans at £2.99 from Lidl. :wink: I now have a use for the 2 into 1 12v Cigarette lighter plug and sockets I bought 5 years ago from the Ork show.


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## smifee (May 17, 2005)

hi grievous

get cab aircon and let the dog drive and/or navigate


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## 89079 (May 13, 2005)

jsw... 
I agree that it is safe to use 240V while traveling, but am not so sure about:-

"and we have boiled kettles from the Invertor while travelling." ?

How about a deep fat fryer?  Have I misunderstood something? (not unusual)

---
Steven


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

No Steven you are not mistaken. We boil our kettle using the invertor and fill uo our stainless steel flask. It's cheap and saves gas later. :wink:
I don't know about a deep fat fryer because we haven't got one. :roll:


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## captainking (Jun 16, 2005)

Il'e have to think what sort of power I will need for the Jaccuzie......Have to watch out for then bends in the road as well..... cos the water slopps about......the cheap fans are great for clearing the windows while Sue's in the steam room..!!!!!!! makes it a lot easier while driving...!!!!!!!

Captainking


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