# Power Supply when Wild Camping



## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

We are planning on renting or buying a MH for use this summer (4 weeks use)
We plan to go to Ireland Western Isles. During this time we would prefer to 'wild' camp. Would we need a generator? How long will leisure battery last if using laptop and/or tv etc?

Your experienced thought would be v much appreciated


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## pieterv (Feb 3, 2009)

Hi,

You would need to be a bit more specific:
- how much laptop and tv use?
- how big a battery?
- how often/long do you drive the van?


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## MikeyB (Jun 20, 2005)

I'm sure the electrics experts will be along soon with some guidance, but there's insufficient detail in your question to get a worthwhile reply. E.g. how big is the leisure battery? How much power does your laptop/TV consume? How long do you think they will be used? What else will need power? etc etc. Generators are often frowned upon by fellow campers due to the noise, so be careful where you use it. Re. wild camping....be very wary where you camp, most land is owned by someone, and you may find yourself moved on in the dead of night! Sorry to be so negative, but it's better to be prepared. Hopefully someone will shoot me down, and all will be sorted out to your satisfaction. Have a good trip, Mike.


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

pieterv said:


> Hi,
> 
> You would need to be a bit more specific:
> - how much laptop and tv use?
> ...


when parked 2 hours tv + 2 hours laptop
dont know how big a battery as hiring
3 hours drive per day

I suppose main Q; Is it realistic to wild camp every day whilst using tc laptop at night and not run batteries down. Sorry if this is a stupid Q.

Thanks


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

Oh please don't let this turn into an anti wildcamping thread. Let's just help the OP when the additional info requested arrives.


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

seanysean said:


> pieterv said:
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> ...


Sean the battery Ah is vital to a me aningful answer. You cant get an answer that's meaningful without it. Your hire people will tell you if you phone and ask. 

Assuming 85Ah though I would think you'll be fine given the figures you quote so long as you're not taking a 50" plasma


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

Thanks

I have been trying to get some data. Looking at hiring a Sundance or similar? I assume there are meters when you can tell if you're burning the candle?


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## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

Most modern motorhomes have a control panel which enables you to see the state of both the leisure battery & vehicle battery.


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## hymerowner (Sep 10, 2006)

why spend big bucks on Motorhome and then scrimp and save?


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

seanysean said:


> Thanks
> 
> I have been trying to get some data. Looking at hiring a Sundance or similar? I assume there are meters when you can tell if you're burning the candle?


Yes you'll have an instrument that will display your battery status as you go. You wont be using much lighting or blown air so you should be fine.


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## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

hymerowner said:


> why spend big bucks on Motorhome and then scrimp and save?


He says he is hiring?


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

hymerowner said:


> why spend big bucks on Motorhome and then scrimp and save?


If you mean we might be wild camping to save money you have got wrong end of stick. It's just as far as I can figure there are not many campsites on the west coast of Harris, Uist, Barra,etc


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

Therfore I neednt worry about acquiring a generator as long as we are doing some driving each day?


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Making a few assumptions:
You daily need looks like 20 A-Hr.
As far north as this you will need very little extra for light in the summer.
No blown air heating.
The van has about an 85 A-Hr battery which will give you 40 A-Hr from fully charged. (If you discharge beyond this the battery will not last long)
3 hours running will just about put the 20 A-Hrs back. (There are devices that will do it better but they will not be on a hired van)
So if you stay 2 days in one place it will become marginal.

BUT if a previous hirer has misused the battery its capacity will be a lot less and you might not even last a night.

So I would cut the TV.


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

I think if you haven't found your hirers yet, it would be good to do a search for what you hope to hire, and then phone them for some real information... battery size being the best one, do they have one with solar panels on roof as well - do they come with a tv, some tv's use a lot of power, as opposed to when you buy your own motorhome, you can have tried to work out what your needs are and then add or specify (depending if buying used or new) exactly what you think will cover you.

For instance, we have 2 x 90amp batteries but we also have 2 x 85w solar panels, all somehow charging our system, and we also have a Sterling B2B charger keeping all things working. A NASA monitor to let us know exactly what the batteries are actually showing, so if you overindulge on TV - you will be able to check.

AFAIK none or mostly none of these are on hire vehicles, unless you are hiring privately - and some people do hire out their own motorhomes to help cover the costs.... 

Perhaps you could start a new thread with a WANTED - type heading, and see if there was anyone.... but you would need to check things like insurance etc., out.

So a bit more searching and phoning will probably get you more information.

Best of luck. I have not done the Western Isles, but have been around Ireland twice (around the coast) and once going off inland as well - and Ireland is definitely (or was back until 2003 when we last went) an easy place to wildcamp.

Carol


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## Avante524 (Sep 7, 2008)

Hello Seanysean

sorry don't know about the power consumption of a TV, but what I would say is get a 12V charger for the laptop charge it whilst you drive then when you are parked up and using it, it won't be using any power from any of the MH batteries, we picked up a new 12V charger for our laptop from TK Max for £16 and it came with 10 or 12 connectors for different laptops.

Hope this helps and have a good trip

Cheers...  still smiling


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## 115609 (Aug 16, 2008)

Hi Seanysean, As already mentioned just keep an eye on the meter reading for the leisure batt and if running low get off the laptop and start engine for a while.Really on here to wish you the best on your trip.are you heading to south of ireland?Might be able to point you to some sites and/or wild spots.I use a campsite forum and lots of people to help you out. cheers from Joe in tipperary.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

The battery meter that people have mentioned come in two flavours.

A voltmeter derived one it just measures the voltage and uses that to make a guess on how your battery is doing they are often widely inaccurate. 

A current sensing one. Very sophisticated samples current entering and leaving battery on a very frequent basis and determines charge in battery. Needs to be set up carefully and can be fooled by a failing battery that no longer has the capacity stated.

So ignoring them, your useage seems fair. Where you risk running out of battery is by staying still without an electric hookup or other electrical supply. When your battery falls below the point where it can support your appliances you will have reverted to having a tin or grp tent. That is not the end of the world a few bottles of drinking water will get you through the night until you are ready to move on. Everything else is luxury. 

As others have said running a battery down to nothing ruins the battery but I expect hire campers always have this done to them.


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

Thanks to all. Charging the laptop whilst driving makes sense. If a big deal I could get a spare battery and keep charged. Its good to know that running to flat can be damaging. Any other general advice re wild camping, other than checking tide tables!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

No one has written a MHF guide or FAQ to Wildcamping in the UK yet but there are lots of good points contained in the FAQs by Boff on wildcamping. try the Germany one here:

>FAQs<


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## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

Hi Seanysean

Before you collect the van just ask the hirers to make sure that the batteries are fully charged.

We wildcamped around Scotland a couple of years ago, our van had an 85amp battery and we had no problems. The bigger the size of TV the more power it will take, we used an inverter (a 300 amp can be used with anything with ordinary plug) to charge the laptop while driving and also if needing to charge it over night. Also charged camera batteries while driving. 
We found we didn't really watch TV as there was always something to see in the evenings, so apart from the news and weather it sat in a cupboard.

We found lots of places to camp, on beaches ( above the tide line) in car parks and forestry commission lands. Even sat with the rangers some evenings while they told us about interesting things in their areas.

A lot of the picnic areas have got water taps that you can use to fill tanks, be carefull where you empty your waste tanks though, remember other people would like to enjoy the area without your smelly washing up water and worse around their ankles.

We did pull into a couple of sites just to empty the loo and fill with water on a few occasions, there will be a charge for this as camp sites with ceptic tanks will have to pay to have them emptied and as a non camper with them it is only fair. Not bad for about £5 every few days though.
Ask Locals if they know anywhere you can park up overnight, we were directed to some lovely places. 
We also printed off details from this site before we went.

http://rutgerbooy.nl/Wildcamping.htm

We found it very helpfull.

Wildcamping motto corny but apt: Take nothing but memories and leave nothing but footprints.

Park with your line of escape easy, ie don't drive nose first into a dead end in case you have to move in a hurry. Don't leave chairs tables and other things outside the van at night. My rule of thumb is if I don't feel safe we find somewhere else.

Have a fantastic holiday

Tina


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Ring them up and ASK
1) Has it got an all electric (compressor) fridge? 
2) Has it got a diesel heater?
3) What size leisure battery has it got?
4) Will the leisure battery be fully charged when you pick it up?

The answers you want are
1, No, its a 3 way and runs on gas
2 No its a gas fired Truma
3 110 ampere would be nice, 2 X 110 ampere hour would be spiffing!
4 Yes, without doubt - and full gas bottles.

C.


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## MikeyB (Jun 20, 2005)

Clodhopper2006, re your comment "don't let's turn this into an anti wild camping post".....I think you've got the wrong end of the stick entirely! My comments were nothing to do with NOT wild camping, they were merely a warning, for ones own safety, to be careful when and where you do it. Mike.


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

No Mikey I wasn't having a go at you but it doesn't take much to get some people started on here so I was just waring them off this particular thread


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Bloody wild campers, Hi seanysean,

Would it be possible to borrow a genny, from somewhere, just in case, you might be able to hire one where you get the MH.

Enjoy your wild camping, have you done it before, if not just be careful where you go, don't tell anyone where you intend to stop for the night in a local shop, you might get a visit.

Kev.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Get a 12v adaptor for the laptop rather than using the mains charger and an inverter, it's more efficient to convert voltage once rather than twice. 
Maplins sell them
http://www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=85958&MenuName=Laptop Power Supplies&worldid=4&FromMenu=y

Just check the power consumption of your laptop and buy one that can handle it easily.


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## Pammy (Jun 2, 2005)

We wild camped in Lewis and Harris last October/November. After the end of October the few campsites were closed. Even so, most had no electric hookup. We had no gennie. just a solar panel and 2 batteries. Peace, perfect peace  As we were driving most days we never ran out of power. 

Unless you have satellite TV you wont get a tv signal. No TV aerials stuck on roofs on the Western Isles. Should save you some power. 

Pammy


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## philbre (Nov 13, 2008)

*check this out*

I wildcamp everywhere in Ireland & its no problem

if you can lay ur hands on 'footprint ireland' by pat levy & sean Sheehan thru www.footprintbooks.com it is a superbly detailed account of where 2 go & what to do etc in the 32 counties

if you cant get it, i can loan you my copy


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

Thansk for advice

Another newby Q. Will the electrical hook up charge the leisure battery?


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## hil26 (Jun 15, 2009)

why can't you use the laptop as a tv - only needs a tv card. one less electrical thing to take.


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

had thought abou that and as stated earlier we are unlikely ot get much of a reception anyway..

I see ALDi are doing a special DVBT laptop tuner for £15!


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

seanysean said:


> Thansk for advice
> 
> Another newby Q. Will the electrical hook up charge the leisure battery?


ooh I see no ones answered. Yes it will Seany


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

seanysean said:


> I see ALDi are doing a special DVBT laptop tuner for £15!


it was £19.99 in ours yesterday.

Kev


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

Do you reckon these laptop tuner are up to the job?


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

They do work seany although they tie up your laptopso you cant get on MHF  
Since buying my fantastic but cheapo Lidle sat kit (£29) the laptop tuner now resides in a locker unused.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

clodhopper2006 said:


> They do work seany although they tie up your laptopso you cant get on MHF
> Since buying my fantastic but cheapo Lidle sat kit (£29) the laptop tuner now resides in a locker unused.


It must be a different one to mine Bob, I had the TV in a window while looking on here.

Kev.


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## Gonewiththewind (Nov 17, 2007)

As a Guide I always use this


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