Electric Outlets

[curryp]

I bought my camper recently and this weekend and am on the first trip using it. We are dry camping and the lights work fine but none of the electric outltets work. Is there something I need to do to get the outlets to work?

[curryp]

I bought my camper recently and this weekend and am on the first trip using it. We are dry camping and the lights work fine but none of the electric outltets work. Is there something I need to do to get the outlets to work?

[ForestCreature]

Nope, nothing to get. Those outlets are useless while dry camping. If you want electric, you'll need an inverter hooked up to the battery. Plug into that. There's  probably a way to work it in with the existing plugs but I don't know how.

[flyfisherman]

I bought my camper recently and this weekend and am on the first trip using it. We are dry camping and the lights work fine but none of the electric outltets work. Is there something I need to do to get the outlets to work?

Someone else asked this very same question not too long ago.

Those outlest are for 120V, when your connected to shore power ... or a place that has 120V electrical hook-ups. When your dry camping your living off 12V ... that's what the overhead lights are. When you plug into shore power it connects to the camper's converter and the 120V is reduced to 12V for the lights and whatever alse you have have that operates on that voltage.



Fly

[curryp]

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for posting.

[curryp]

Thanks for the reply - now I know. I do have a portable jump starter with a 12V that I use an inverter with. I will have to bring that so I can listen to an electric radio.

[Gutpile]

I was camped on the Sacandaga River this past weekend and had the same problem - actually learned that it is not a problem after all, as you discovered too.  I asked another camper who explained the need for an outside source.

I do have another question though - is there a way to use 12V appliances, ie, tv, coffee pot, etc?

[wavery]

I was camped on the Sacandaga River this past weekend and had the same problem - actually learned that it is not a problem after all, as you discovered too.  I asked another camper who explained the need for an outside source.

I do have another question though - is there a way to use 12V appliances, ie, tv, coffee pot, etc?

There are a couple of things that you may want to consider.

If you want to use 12V appliances, you will need to wire in a 12V outlet somewhere in your camper. For the type of appliances that you are talking about, you will want to run a 12G hot (black wire) and a 12G ground (white wire), from the battery to the outlet and install a 30A fuse in the line, near the battery.

The other thing that you might want to consider is getting a 1500-2000W inverter and adding another deep cycle battery. This will allow you to use 110V home appliances (that tend to be much better quality) and use some other 110V items that you may have.

We have this set-up and we can go 3 days without charging our batteries. We use our microwave oven and a few other 110V items. You can look at my Webshots pics at the bottom of this page to see our set-up.

[Gutpile]

There are a couple of things that you may want to consider.

If you want to use 12V appliances, you will need to wire in a 12V outlet somewhere in your camper. For the type of appliances that you are talking about, you will want to run a 12G hot (black wire) and a 12G ground (white wire), from the battery to the outlet and install a 30A fuse in the line, near the battery.

The other thing that you might want to consider is getting a 1500-2000W inverter and adding another deep cycle battery. This will allow you to use 110V home appliances (that tend to be much better quality) and use some other 110V items that you may have.

We have this set-up and we can go 3 days without charging our batteries. We use our microwave oven and a few other 110V items. You can look at my Webshots pics at the bottom of this page to see our set-up.

Thanks for the info and taking the time to respond!!

[flyfisherman]

I do have another question though - is there a way to use 12V appliances, ie, tv, coffee pot, etc?

I have a 12V television and an auto type oscilating fan that I plug into the camper light fixtures which have a receptacle for a just such things. Radio Shack has the cigarette lighter type connectors that can be used for connecting 12V accessories. Also, they have the connector that can be used for inserting into the camper light fixtures ... if I remember correctly, it's a 1/4" dia (metal) electric guitar connector; wire this with the cigarette type receptacle and you have your 12V connection!

As for that 12V coffee maker ... I've tried them and their performance leaves a lot to be desired; slow and luke warm coffee and a real drain on the battery! For boondocking it, I think you'd be better with one of those Coleman stove top coffee makers.



Fly