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Power Options for your Campsite
Power Options
Batteries, Chargers, Inverters, Jumpstart Kits, Generators & Solar
Click here if you can not see the video above
Click here to download a print version
When boating, travelling and camping we may want to run appliances such as lights, fridges and even televisions. To run these appliances we will require a power source such as a generator or batteries and in the case of batteries a means of putting power back into the batteries. In this article we are going to look at power sources including batteries, jumpstart kits and generators, charging options including battery chargers and solar panels and a handy gadget the inverter that will allow you to power the television and Wii off a deep cycle battery, even in the middle of the bush. At the end of this story are a couple of examples of power setups we use to power our campsite when on long duration stays, especially in remote areas.
Marine Batteries
Marine Batteries are specifically designed to stand up to the marine environment. They feature reinforced plates, such as the Century Batteries Platelok system, that is designed to stand up to the pounding of the ocean. This pounding can cause the breakdown of traditional
automotive batteries.
Deep Cycle Batteries
Automotive batteries are designed to provide a large burst of power and recharge quickly
from your alternator, a shallow cycle, but are not designed to provide the slow steady
discharge from running 12V appliances and the constant deep discharge and recharge.
Deep cycle batteries are designed with the ability run appliances for extended periods. They
can be drained and charged repeatedly without destroying the battery, but it is
recommended that you do not drain them below 20% capacity. All batteries have a life span in terms of the number of recharges but quality deep cycle batteries although a fair initial investment can provide up to 500 – 1000 recharges.
Battery Chargers
At the heart of many power systems is a quality deep cycle battery or battery bank. Quality batteries, especially deep cycle batteries, can cost you hundreds of dollars, and by looking after these batteries you can get maximum life out of them. A quality battery charger can
ensure that your batteries are kept charged, without the risk of overcharging.
Many small automotive chargers are inadequate when it comes to charging large deep cycle batteries, especially when replacing large amounts of power drawn from the battery by high draw appliances. A 10 amp charger is capable of charging a large deep cycle battery overnight, which is ideal when running high draw appliances such as fridges and electric motors or when stopping at a 240 volt power source to charge a battery bank during your travels. The ultimate in battery chargers is a ‘smart charger’ they are designed to provide a fast and accurate charge and
are a true ‘connect and forget’ charger. A smart charger will boost the battery rapidly up to about 70% and then gradually reduce the charge to avoid damaging the battery. Once the smart charger has completed its charging cycle, it drops to a safe ‘float’ voltage to maintain the batteries full charge, without overcharging.
Smaller battery chargers are suited for topping up a battery, but a 10 amp smart charger is a worthwhile investment when running fridges, electric motors and other high draw appliances or multiple pieces of equipment from your battery or battery bank.
Power Inverters
Inverters change 12 volt DC (battery) power to 240 volt AC (household) power. This allows you to run 240 volt appliances from a 12 volt battery for mobile applications, emergencies or simple convenience. To run these appliances the inverter must produce enough power to support the appliance. For example a TV that uses 90 watts of power would require a 150 watt or larger inverter.
Power inverters are generally small rectangular devices that have a wire lead with cigarette lighter plug, or alternatively alligator clips for connecting directly to a battery. The device normally has one or two outlets for standard electrical plugs, like those found in the home. Your laptop, small-screen television, video game player or 240V lighting are all examples of devices that you can power through an inverter.
Power inverters are great for camping at parks that do not provide electricity. The television, fan, and stereo can all still be used. When boat fishing we can plug in the digital movie camera to capture those cracker fish on video that we might have missed after the camera's battery ran low!
In a black out a power inverter can be used for emergency electricity. Plug in a radio to tune into important alerts, run essential medical equipment, lights, or whatever else we need that falls within the inverter's power limits.
When using a power inverter it is important to remember that the inverter is drawing power from the battery and battery levels should be monitored. A second, or separate, battery is ideal, as well as a means of charging such as a generator or solar. If you are running an inverter from your vehicles starting battery the vehicle should be run regularly to recharge the battery.
There are two main types of inverters.
Modified sine wave inverters deliver power that is consistent and efficient enough to run most devices fine. Due to price this type of inverter is the most popular. Modified sine wave inverters can cause minor buzzing on radios and minor buzzing and lines on televisions, but this can be overcome by stepping up to a pure sine wave inverter.
Pure sine wave inverters are the most expensive, but they also deliver power that is referred to as ‘clean’ or ‘pure’ power as there is no spikes or surges. Some sensitive equipment, like certain medical equipment and variable speed or rechargeable tools require pure sine. Any device will run on a pure sine wave, whether it requires it or not.
Always use a power inverter that is rated high enough for the device(s) you are running and avoid adapters that would allow more outlets than the unit is designed to accommodate.
Jump Start Kits
Jump Start Kits are a portable auxiliary battery used to jump start a vehicles flat
battery. They can also be used to provide a power source for 12 volt appliances
including airbed pumps and lighting.
It is important to remember that these packs feature a smaller battery and so will not
run appliances for the same length of time as a larger deep cycle battery. By running
appliances from this pack it is also possible that it may not carry enough power to
jump start a vehicle.
They are handy for running airbed pumps, as the bed can be pumped up in the tent,
as well as for 12 volt showers and for running 12 volt lighting. 12 volt lighting is
growing in popularity as better lights draw less than an amp per hour and there is no gas or mantles so even
the kids can operate them.
Fact Sheet - Power Options for your Campsite
FACT SHEET: Power Options for your Campsite
Generators
Generators are an ideal means of taking 240 volt power with you wherever you travel. Generators are rated in watts, for example a smaller generator may put out 800 watts, where a larger generator may be capable of supplying 2000 watts or more of power. The first step in selecting a
generator is to decide on the appliances you wish to use and then you can select a generator capable of running these appliances.
As with an inverter, generators are rated in watts and must be matched to the appliances you wish to run. Each appliance will have the amount of power they draw on the specification plate or label attached to the appliance. Simply add these together to get the total watts you require to power these appliances. Select a generator that is rated to more than this amount. A 1000 watt generator will power an average campsite, including lights, TV and radio. A 1600 to 2000 watt generator is generally recommended for larger campsites with more equipment and for running power tools.
Generators run on petrol and produce 240V (household) power to run 240V appliances including lighting, freezer, television, radio and laptop. Generators when running can also power a charger to charge a battery bank. This allows you to power 240V appliances while the generator is running and then switch over to the battery bank when the generator is turned off. The battery bank can then either power 12V appliances, such as lights and radio, or continue to run the 240V appliances via an inverter.
Base model generators produce modified sine wave power that may not be suitable for sensitive equipment such as video cameras, laptops, medical equipment or multi speed power tools. In these instances a pure sine wave inverter is preferred, and although more expensive it produces pure power that is suitable for sensitive equipment as well as running quieter and using less fuel.
Solar Panels
Solar power is power created by converting sunlight into electricity.
Solar power is becoming more popular for a range of reasons including:
• Decreasing costs and increasing quality of solar panels and equipment
• Solar power is free once the system is set up
• Solar power is clean, efficient and renewable
• Increasing and ongoing cost of fuels for generators
• The banning of generators in many areas, including some National Parks
Solar panels convert the energy from the suns rays into 12 volt power which can be used to charge 12 volt batteries. They are available in many sizes and power output capabilities, rated in watts/hour and amps/hour. You can use solar panels to keep a battery topped up when not in use. These solar panels are smaller and have a low power output. They are often referred to as ‘Trickle Chargers’ or ‘Battery Saver Systems’ and put out
around 2 to 10 watts. If you are wishing to run accessories from your battery and charge it with solar panels you will need a larger solar panel, or panels that supply more power than you are using. It is important to consider what appliances you want to run and how long you want to run them for each day to calculate a daily power draw. A safety margin of 30% more power supplied is ideal.
Solar Regulator / Charge Controller
A solar regulator, sometimes referred to as a charge controller, is designed to prevent your batteries from being over-charged. Solar regulators will stop, or decrease, the power being supplied from the panel to the battery once the battery has reached its capacity. It is important to select a solar regulator that is rated to the output of the panels that you will be using.
Example 1 - The Camp Shower
When camping for longer periods of time a camp shower is a great option, setup the ensuite, the 12V shower and the 12V light for lighting up the shower at night and you have a stand alone shower setup. The question then is power.
We solve this power requirement by setting up a 12V deep cycle battery beside the shower and connecting a 7amp solar panel to the battery with a charge controller to avoid overcharging. We have been set up for 4 weeks at a time and not had to charge the battery even with a large group of campers using the shower. After the initial set up cost you have the convenience of a stand alone shower ready to go, day or night, whenever you need to wash the salt or dirt off or warm up ready for a night around the fire. We erect a cover over the
battery and charge controller to protect them from the weather.
Example 2 – The Ultimate Camp Site
We often camp in a remote location for 4 weeks so it is essential that we can power any appliances we want to run, such as lights and freezers, for the period we are there without worry of power shortages. The power setup that we use consists of the stand alone shower described above, a generator, deep cycle battery, 10 amp battery charger and a 600W inverter.
The generator is run for a couple of hours each morning and a few hours each night to keep the tuckerbox freezer frozen and we ensure that we only open it a couple of times a day to remove food for meals. We have a gas fridge and 12 volt fridge that are opened more frequently for drinks and snacks. While the generator is running it is also powering any 240 volt appliances such as lights and television for the news, weather and football and connected to a 10 amp smart charger that is charging a 100amp Remco battery.
When the generator is running our battery is topped up each time so once we turn off the generator off we can switch over to 12 volt lighting as required, or 12 volt radio, television and other appliances. If wanting to run 240 volt appliances such as television or radio we simply attach an inverter to the battery and run these 240 volt appliances.
This power system allows us continual 12 volt and 240 volt power as required.
Power Options
Batteries, Chargers, Inverters, Jumpstart Kits, Generators & Solar
Click here if you can not see the video above
Click here to download a print version
When boating, travelling and camping we may want to run appliances such as lights, fridges and even televisions. To run these appliances we will require a power source such as a generator or batteries and in the case of batteries a means of putting power back into the batteries. In this article we are going to look at power sources including batteries, jumpstart kits and generators, charging options including battery chargers and solar panels and a handy gadget the inverter that will allow you to power the television and Wii off a deep cycle battery, even in the middle of the bush. At the end of this story are a couple of examples of power setups we use to power our campsite when on long duration stays, especially in remote areas.
Marine Batteries
Marine Batteries are specifically designed to stand up to the marine environment. They feature reinforced plates, such as the Century Batteries Platelok system, that is designed to stand up to the pounding of the ocean. This pounding can cause the breakdown of traditional
automotive batteries.
Deep Cycle Batteries
Automotive batteries are designed to provide a large burst of power and recharge quickly
from your alternator, a shallow cycle, but are not designed to provide the slow steady
discharge from running 12V appliances and the constant deep discharge and recharge.
Deep cycle batteries are designed with the ability run appliances for extended periods. They
can be drained and charged repeatedly without destroying the battery, but it is
recommended that you do not drain them below 20% capacity. All batteries have a life span in terms of the number of recharges but quality deep cycle batteries although a fair initial investment can provide up to 500 – 1000 recharges.
Battery Chargers
At the heart of many power systems is a quality deep cycle battery or battery bank. Quality batteries, especially deep cycle batteries, can cost you hundreds of dollars, and by looking after these batteries you can get maximum life out of them. A quality battery charger can
ensure that your batteries are kept charged, without the risk of overcharging.
Many small automotive chargers are inadequate when it comes to charging large deep cycle batteries, especially when replacing large amounts of power drawn from the battery by high draw appliances. A 10 amp charger is capable of charging a large deep cycle battery overnight, which is ideal when running high draw appliances such as fridges and electric motors or when stopping at a 240 volt power source to charge a battery bank during your travels. The ultimate in battery chargers is a ‘smart charger’ they are designed to provide a fast and accurate charge and
are a true ‘connect and forget’ charger. A smart charger will boost the battery rapidly up to about 70% and then gradually reduce the charge to avoid damaging the battery. Once the smart charger has completed its charging cycle, it drops to a safe ‘float’ voltage to maintain the batteries full charge, without overcharging.
Smaller battery chargers are suited for topping up a battery, but a 10 amp smart charger is a worthwhile investment when running fridges, electric motors and other high draw appliances or multiple pieces of equipment from your battery or battery bank.
Power Inverters
Inverters change 12 volt DC (battery) power to 240 volt AC (household) power. This allows you to run 240 volt appliances from a 12 volt battery for mobile applications, emergencies or simple convenience. To run these appliances the inverter must produce enough power to support the appliance. For example a TV that uses 90 watts of power would require a 150 watt or larger inverter.
Power inverters are generally small rectangular devices that have a wire lead with cigarette lighter plug, or alternatively alligator clips for connecting directly to a battery. The device normally has one or two outlets for standard electrical plugs, like those found in the home. Your laptop, small-screen television, video game player or 240V lighting are all examples of devices that you can power through an inverter.
Power inverters are great for camping at parks that do not provide electricity. The television, fan, and stereo can all still be used. When boat fishing we can plug in the digital movie camera to capture those cracker fish on video that we might have missed after the camera's battery ran low!
In a black out a power inverter can be used for emergency electricity. Plug in a radio to tune into important alerts, run essential medical equipment, lights, or whatever else we need that falls within the inverter's power limits.
When using a power inverter it is important to remember that the inverter is drawing power from the battery and battery levels should be monitored. A second, or separate, battery is ideal, as well as a means of charging such as a generator or solar. If you are running an inverter from your vehicles starting battery the vehicle should be run regularly to recharge the battery.
There are two main types of inverters.
Modified sine wave inverters deliver power that is consistent and efficient enough to run most devices fine. Due to price this type of inverter is the most popular. Modified sine wave inverters can cause minor buzzing on radios and minor buzzing and lines on televisions, but this can be overcome by stepping up to a pure sine wave inverter.
Pure sine wave inverters are the most expensive, but they also deliver power that is referred to as ‘clean’ or ‘pure’ power as there is no spikes or surges. Some sensitive equipment, like certain medical equipment and variable speed or rechargeable tools require pure sine. Any device will run on a pure sine wave, whether it requires it or not.
Always use a power inverter that is rated high enough for the device(s) you are running and avoid adapters that would allow more outlets than the unit is designed to accommodate.
Jump Start Kits
Jump Start Kits are a portable auxiliary battery used to jump start a vehicles flat
battery. They can also be used to provide a power source for 12 volt appliances
including airbed pumps and lighting.
It is important to remember that these packs feature a smaller battery and so will not
run appliances for the same length of time as a larger deep cycle battery. By running
appliances from this pack it is also possible that it may not carry enough power to
jump start a vehicle.
They are handy for running airbed pumps, as the bed can be pumped up in the tent,
as well as for 12 volt showers and for running 12 volt lighting. 12 volt lighting is
growing in popularity as better lights draw less than an amp per hour and there is no gas or mantles so even
the kids can operate them.
Fact Sheet - Power Options for your Campsite
FACT SHEET: Power Options for your Campsite
Generators
Generators are an ideal means of taking 240 volt power with you wherever you travel. Generators are rated in watts, for example a smaller generator may put out 800 watts, where a larger generator may be capable of supplying 2000 watts or more of power. The first step in selecting a
generator is to decide on the appliances you wish to use and then you can select a generator capable of running these appliances.
As with an inverter, generators are rated in watts and must be matched to the appliances you wish to run. Each appliance will have the amount of power they draw on the specification plate or label attached to the appliance. Simply add these together to get the total watts you require to power these appliances. Select a generator that is rated to more than this amount. A 1000 watt generator will power an average campsite, including lights, TV and radio. A 1600 to 2000 watt generator is generally recommended for larger campsites with more equipment and for running power tools.
Generators run on petrol and produce 240V (household) power to run 240V appliances including lighting, freezer, television, radio and laptop. Generators when running can also power a charger to charge a battery bank. This allows you to power 240V appliances while the generator is running and then switch over to the battery bank when the generator is turned off. The battery bank can then either power 12V appliances, such as lights and radio, or continue to run the 240V appliances via an inverter.
Base model generators produce modified sine wave power that may not be suitable for sensitive equipment such as video cameras, laptops, medical equipment or multi speed power tools. In these instances a pure sine wave inverter is preferred, and although more expensive it produces pure power that is suitable for sensitive equipment as well as running quieter and using less fuel.
Solar Panels
Solar power is power created by converting sunlight into electricity.
Solar power is becoming more popular for a range of reasons including:
• Decreasing costs and increasing quality of solar panels and equipment
• Solar power is free once the system is set up
• Solar power is clean, efficient and renewable
• Increasing and ongoing cost of fuels for generators
• The banning of generators in many areas, including some National Parks
Solar panels convert the energy from the suns rays into 12 volt power which can be used to charge 12 volt batteries. They are available in many sizes and power output capabilities, rated in watts/hour and amps/hour. You can use solar panels to keep a battery topped up when not in use. These solar panels are smaller and have a low power output. They are often referred to as ‘Trickle Chargers’ or ‘Battery Saver Systems’ and put out
around 2 to 10 watts. If you are wishing to run accessories from your battery and charge it with solar panels you will need a larger solar panel, or panels that supply more power than you are using. It is important to consider what appliances you want to run and how long you want to run them for each day to calculate a daily power draw. A safety margin of 30% more power supplied is ideal.
Solar Regulator / Charge Controller
A solar regulator, sometimes referred to as a charge controller, is designed to prevent your batteries from being over-charged. Solar regulators will stop, or decrease, the power being supplied from the panel to the battery once the battery has reached its capacity. It is important to select a solar regulator that is rated to the output of the panels that you will be using.
Example 1 - The Camp Shower
When camping for longer periods of time a camp shower is a great option, setup the ensuite, the 12V shower and the 12V light for lighting up the shower at night and you have a stand alone shower setup. The question then is power.
We solve this power requirement by setting up a 12V deep cycle battery beside the shower and connecting a 7amp solar panel to the battery with a charge controller to avoid overcharging. We have been set up for 4 weeks at a time and not had to charge the battery even with a large group of campers using the shower. After the initial set up cost you have the convenience of a stand alone shower ready to go, day or night, whenever you need to wash the salt or dirt off or warm up ready for a night around the fire. We erect a cover over the
battery and charge controller to protect them from the weather.
Example 2 – The Ultimate Camp Site
We often camp in a remote location for 4 weeks so it is essential that we can power any appliances we want to run, such as lights and freezers, for the period we are there without worry of power shortages. The power setup that we use consists of the stand alone shower described above, a generator, deep cycle battery, 10 amp battery charger and a 600W inverter.
The generator is run for a couple of hours each morning and a few hours each night to keep the tuckerbox freezer frozen and we ensure that we only open it a couple of times a day to remove food for meals. We have a gas fridge and 12 volt fridge that are opened more frequently for drinks and snacks. While the generator is running it is also powering any 240 volt appliances such as lights and television for the news, weather and football and connected to a 10 amp smart charger that is charging a 100amp Remco battery.
When the generator is running our battery is topped up each time so once we turn off the generator off we can switch over to 12 volt lighting as required, or 12 volt radio, television and other appliances. If wanting to run 240 volt appliances such as television or radio we simply attach an inverter to the battery and run these 240 volt appliances.
This power system allows us continual 12 volt and 240 volt power as required.
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