Lorry - Invertor, 12v and hook up

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YummyHorses

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Sorry guys if these are silly questions just trying to work it all out.

So when I go to an away show I will want to be able to have a shower, use my hairdryer and feel comfortable on board with heating, water, be able to cook, have the fridge going etc etc.

If I am unable to get a hook up at a show - whats the best way of getting this? Is it the inverter battery system? Just I have been quoted 1500 quid which seems a lot of money for it and I dont want to spend the money if it isnt going to give me what I want. A generator has also been suggested but I have been told they get stolen, are noisy and very heavy to move around.

Help please? Advice needed!!
 
Are all the appliances you want to use on your lorry able to be run off 12v?
 
You can get a Diesel fired heater unit , at a price:eek: which runs on battery power. You will need gas for hot water for a shower , not cheap either.Gas powered fridge and cooker . Forget the hair dryer or buy a generator. An inverter will not be suitable for anything that involves heating.
 
An inverter is a bad idea unless you have a realy big lorry that can carry the weight of the batterys you will need at least two huge lorry sized leisure ones, then you need some way of charging them when you get home!!!
best bet is a camping leisure generator best is a Honda EU20i cost about £1200 will run most stuff and very economical simple to use and easly resellable if you find you no longer need it just make sure you buy a good lock and chain to secure it to the lorry chassis as they are easly picked up and taken ... dont be tempeted to buy a industial type site generator they are heavy and the noise they make will drive fellow lorry owners insane within 20 minuits and they will look at you like they would something smelly stuck to their shoe..:D
 
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Okay everyone here are the answers...

Its a 7.5ton lorry so not sure whether it has the space or not. I think so. I believe I would re-charge them when I get home by putting in my hook up. Thats what I have been told.

Would the invertor system last for long though? And would it do the hairdryer etc for long?

Unsure on the heating etc. I believe that works off the leisure battery but could be wrong.

I am 240v on board I believe.

Kinda feel a generator could be a good option as I will have a tent at stay away shows as well and I assume I could plug in to the generator for tent lighting.
 
Heating will need to be gas or diesel unless you have hook up or genny in which case I have used elec panel heaters once

Hot water is normally gas.

Hair dryer will not work off an inverter unless it is a very big sort and in any case will quickly flatten batteries.

What you are asking for is probably best sorted by a genny but whichever way is going to be expensive to do properly. I would suggest you ask yourself how many nights away you are actually going to spend in the lorry before you start signing cheques.
 
I believe heating and water is gas powered. Just checked with other half.

Thats my concern with the hairdryer and the invertor system. Will a hairdryer work okay on the generator though?
 
Fourlegsgood said:
I would suggest you ask yourself how many nights away you are actually going to spend in the lorry before you start signing cheques.
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This is good advice. We did the sums and decided to stay in B&Bs/hotels instead whenever we want a bit of luxury, otherwise we slum it without heat. We have lights on both voltages in the living: 12V when running from the battery and 240V when there is a hookup. The inverter only works for low-powered things like computers - really not feasible for hairdryers: mine is only rated for 120W so a hairdryer would kill it. Generators are expensive/noisy/heavy/needs fuelling and maintaining. They are the way to go it you stay away a lot - all the big pro lorries have them - but they are an effort to keep running and they ALWAYS break down at the most awkward moment.

If you do get a generator, read the small print on your hairdryer to check how many watts it uses (typically 1000 or 1500) then make sure that your generator can provide this. It does seems like an absurdly expensive way to dry your hair!
 
Ha ha and I dont have a lot of hair!! I guess its not just for the hairdryer but other normal stuff used.

Having got the calculator out and chatted to you guys on here I think I will slum it on the nights where there is no hook up.

Not sure the generator option will work and not sure the invertor system will work - so not gunna do anything at the moment!!

Thanks for your help everyone.
 
Have just spoken to OH as he's into all this stuff. He reckons generator is best option. We have hook up, generator or inverter on ours. Generators vary like mad - the Onan Microlite we have on board is very quiet (noise is to do with the exhaust, he tells me!). We have a cheaper free standing spare one (only £300) which is heaps noisier. The inverter we have was only about £50 from QVS and is only used for the tv in an emergency and would soon flatten the 2x12v leisure batteries - it certainly wouldn't run a hairdryer!
 
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I have a Honda suitcase generator. I run hair dyer, microwave tv etc off this. The generator is very quiet and I just use a really good motorbike chain and attach it to the lorry when I am away. Unused to take the generator when I was staying in a tent so I could have lights, telly, hair dyer etc. I paid £750 for my 2kw generator.
 
I'm away most weekends in my lorry, I have a gennie, but its a suitcase version so requires being taken out of locker and fueled up etc rather than just one press of a button.

I have only used it during one 5 night stay in the past 4 years and I do an average of 30 nights per year in my lorry!

I have diesel heating, and everything else is 12v, I did buy a 12v hairdryer, but its a bit of a chocolate teapot!! I now have solar charging, so unusual for the 12v to give out on long trips!

Turbie / microfibre towels are the answer, as they dry hair really quickly!

(edited to add: If I had a push button generator, I would use it more often!)
 
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I understand the hairdryer dilemma!

After much consideration I spent £12.99 on a gas-powered hair styler brush thingy. It's not fantastic but better than nothing. :p
 
Oh I feel your pain, spent many years trying to work it all out. New lorry has hook up, leisure batteries and genny. I use the genny to charge phones and hairdryers and thats all, just use it in the day so the sound doesn't drive everyone potty. Keep leisure batteries charged for other use and my heating and hot water run off gas bottles and try for hook up wherever I can :D
 
My lorry has an invertor as we needed one to run my OH,s computer so he could work in pre iPad days the iPad is happy to charge off 12 v's.
Forget it for running hair dryers and things does not work its just too much draw on the leisure battery's .
So learn to rub with a towel and rub in some mousse or something.
I have a generator , unless I am away a almost a week I leave it at home it's noisy and a hassle and if you keep your leisure battery's in good condition ( check the water in them regularily) they should do you for running the heating fan and lights the pump charging phones etc for a long weekend.
Use 12v LEDs where ever you can for the lights they use a lot less power.
 
My last box had a leisure battery system which was charged up when the lorry was running(ie, it was powered when you drove the lorry). This was fantastic, as you did not have to charge the batteries much at all as the constant charging when using the lorry was sufficient for two to three days away, and I imagine that is where most of your quote price would go on.
My current box has a leisure battery, and I carry a spare when staying away. It is not charged when the box runs, so we leave a solar panel on it, which gives it constant trickle charge, so it does not constantly need mains charging.
I have a portable camping hook up like this,which I also take when we stay away:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Camping-Site-Mains-Supply-Unit/dp/B001DJ8E9Q/ref=tag_stp_s2_edpp_url
That allows me to charge or run electrical items when I need, too.
Hope this makes sense!
 
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