# 12V Plug in Stuff



## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

Today I've been looking at all things 12v, and it's got me thinking.

What plug in appliances or other 12v things do you use in your motorhome?

The kind of thing that runs through a lighter plug or direct from the leisure battery.


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

Using various adapters - mobile phone, sat nav, computer, cool box, radio, TV, camera, TV aerial booster, vacuum and fan plus other 240V devices via an inverter.

However anything over 170 Watt needs an inverter wired directly to the battery - as is my 500W inverter.


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## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

I use my sat nav, and charge up my mobile phone using the same lead. I recharge batteries for my camera using the 12V lighter socket it came with. Soon I'll be able to charge up a couple of music speakers and player 8) 

Looking around there's all kind of things you can plug in to a lighter socket. 

A 12V heated blanket 8O ?

A toasted sandwich maker 8O ?


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## Kees (Jan 15, 2009)

Hi yozz

One thing to remember that might not be obvious - even when on mains hook-up, if the 12 volt load exceeds the battery charger rating (usually 12 amps) then you will be discharging the leisure battery.

Kees


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## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

Kees said:


> Hi yozz
> 
> One thing to remember that might not be obvious - even when on mains hook-up, if the 12 volt load exceeds the battery charger rating (usually 12 amps) then you will be discharging the leisure battery.
> 
> Kees


Hi Kees

I have a leisure battery so I can discharge power from it. That's the point of it really.


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## pieterv (Feb 3, 2009)

He probably means if you have a continuous 12V load greater than the charge current of the charger then you will (sooner or later) empty the battery.


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## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

Yep of course it will pieterv. 

As mentioned earlier I'm mainly using the leisure battery to either recharge appliances, or run them for short periods of time. Although the 12V electric blanket (which I don't have) could well fall in to that category.

The general wisdom seems to be that you shouldn't let your leisure battery go below half charge or you will start to have problems. 

I use a voltmeter and apparently these are considered the safe limits for a leisure battery:

12.7v - fully charged

12.3v - half discharged

11.8v - anything below this and it's fully discharged so kiss goodbye to your leisure battery.

I'm happy to be corrected if I've got any of that wrong


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## Kees (Jan 15, 2009)

Hi Yozz

I was just pointing out that more than 150 watts average of 12 volt load will reduce the capacity stored in the battery even whilst on mains hook-up. If you wild camp the next day after a short run, you might not then have the capacity in the battery that you expect. There is already 12V lighting, water pump, TV?, eating into the 150 watts. You are abviously aware of the situation - I thought others might not be.

Kees


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## marnaz (Jun 24, 2009)

Apart from my lighting, and waterpump I try to use the leisure Bats as least as poss. If I can get hook up I will always go for it everytime.
Its always handy to have a little spare power even if 12v. Im now thinking of solar panels to keep them topped up. as we do have frequent long stays of 28 days. If I cant get hook up then they do get a good discharge running lights and things. But The TV dose bring them down rapidly. not forgetting the old sky box, dvd and cd players that run from small inverters on 12v or 230v Like many others I have a electric kettle but not a 12v one...


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