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ARC99



Member Since: 19 Feb 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1831
United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Cairns Blue
USB chargeing. 12volt or 240 volt efficency.
Looking for some advice from someone who has knowledge of Elec trickery as I don't.

I'm taking the Caravan away for its outing to Yorkshire and have been wondering what the most efficient way of charging the mobile phone,MP3 players, e readers oh and the headphones that need to be taken.

I will not have 240 supply except for the 1KV generator that I can only run for 3 hours due to perceived noise pollution .

I will be using 2 x 120w solar panels connected to 20 a dual charge controller that connects to a bank of 2 x 110 amp batteries for the main supply to the caravan and 1 x110 amp for running lights and S.H.M.B.O.'S hair dryer. Last year I used and invertor with a 3 pin USB charger to recharge items , this took me most of the day which gave me time to contemplate "Am I getting the most efficient use out of the power being supplied by the solar panels, they are recharging the batteries which is them being converted to 240v ac then back to 5v dc.


I am considering using 2"Power Banks" to allow for more items to be charged at the same time but I still have the nagging feeling that I'm not being efficient by recharging them through a Invertor. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place,
so it doesn't take much to Censored us off.

Richard
Post #714950 28th Jun 2018 10:40am
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jonny



Member Since: 10 Mar 2013
Location: North Wilts
Posts: 172
Converting from 12v to 240v and then back to 5v is a very inefficient way of doing it, as you say...

Can't you get a 12v USB charger to power all your devices up? If you don't have a cigarette lighter socket in the van, then something like:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inverter-Regulato...071RKBH82/

Add some crocodile clips / ring terminals (or whatever 12v sockets you have in the van) to connect it to the leisure battery and an appropriate fuse and you are off...
Post #714964 28th Jun 2018 12:17pm
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Paddie42



Member Since: 24 Apr 2014
Location: Hamphire
Posts: 230
England 2003 Defender 110 Td5 SW Belize Green
I'm not sure if there would be a difference between 12v or 240v, it's more likely to be the maximum output current your USB socket can deliver.

Many sockets have a maximum of 1 Amp for changing, while many of the new devices can draw up to 2.1 Amps.

I've fitted some USB sockets under each of the back seats for the children to be able to charge their phones etc. I made sure that they can all deliver 2.1 Amps. There isn't a noticeable difference in changing rates between the 12v sockets or the mains sockets that they use in the house. If they plug it into one of the 1Amp sockets then there is a real slowdown in charging, and again the slower speed is about the same for 12v or 240v.

Using an inverter to power the USB charging will have losses on route as you're going from 12V dc -> 240ac -> 5V dc.

Just my thoughts and observations.
Post #714965 28th Jun 2018 12:17pm
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AMBxx



Member Since: 24 Jul 2016
Location: York
Posts: 1041
United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
If you're running a hair dryer for 20 minutes a day, any gain relating to charging a mobile phone is going to be minimal!
Post #714986 28th Jun 2018 1:31pm
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ARC99



Member Since: 19 Feb 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1831
United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Cairns Blue
jonny wrote:
Converting from 12v to 240v and then back to 5v is a very inefficient way of doing it, as you say...

Can't you get a 12v USB charger to power all your devices up? If you don't have a cigarette lighter socket in the van, then something like:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inverter-Regulato...071RKBH82/

Add some crocodile clips / ring terminals (or whatever 12v sockets you have in the van) to connect it to the leisure battery and an appropriate fuse and you are off...



I hadn't come across those, interesting one of those connected to two Power blocks and I have six outlets. the Power Blocks can recharge overnight and during the day when not needed. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place,
so it doesn't take much to Censored us off.

Richard
Post #714990 28th Jun 2018 1:58pm
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ARC99



Member Since: 19 Feb 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1831
United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Cairns Blue
AMBxx wrote:
If you're running a hair dryer for 20 minutes a day, any gain relating to charging a mobile phone is going to be minimal!


As most commercial sites are 10 amp supplies its a low amp consumption dryer or she can use the 12v dc one. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place,
so it doesn't take much to Censored us off.

Richard
Post #714991 28th Jun 2018 2:00pm
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jonny



Member Since: 10 Mar 2013
Location: North Wilts
Posts: 172
Why do you need the power banks in the mix?

You have two gigantic power banks already in the leisure batteries - just plug the devices straight into those USB chargers and you skip a step?

Only advantage the power banks give you is portability...
Post #714992 28th Jun 2018 2:02pm
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ARC99



Member Since: 19 Feb 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1831
United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Cairns Blue
The two Power Banks have already been purchased now and will give the facility to charge 6 items at once instead of two as in the past i.e.2 phones, 2 MP3 players with headsets, 2 e readers. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place,
so it doesn't take much to Censored us off.

Richard
Post #715007 28th Jun 2018 2:54pm
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jonny



Member Since: 10 Mar 2013
Location: North Wilts
Posts: 172
Ahh, OK.

So plug the power batteries into the 12v USB converter, then all your devices into the power banks.

You may find that some devices charge more quickly directly plugged into the converter - but it's down to the power banks and how much current they can output. That'll be a bit of trial and error (and possibly looking at the device to see if it thinks it's charging via USB/cable (slow), AC (faster) or fast charging (quickest)).
Post #715010 28th Jun 2018 3:05pm
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ARC99



Member Since: 19 Feb 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1831
United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Cairns Blue
I haver taken the gamble and bought a couple of those items from the shopping site and will see how they go.



Thanks Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place,
so it doesn't take much to Censored us off.

Richard
Post #715017 28th Jun 2018 3:48pm
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