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Using the battery during boondocking?

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10:22 am
September 4, 2011


newfie bullet

New Brunswick, Canada

Member

posts 6

I have just got back from our first trip out with the sportsman 14RB. Great times but when we were boonbocking on the way down into Maine we didn`t have power at the outlet to use the computer. All the lights worked but not power anywhere else. Is this normal and if so how can I fix?

10:42 am
September 4, 2011


bojewy

Member

posts 27

Your battery is only going to produce 12VDC, which is what your lights are running on. If you want to run A/C while boondocking, you would either need a generator for shore power, or look into solar and an inverter.

10:49 am
September 4, 2011


pfidahospud

Post Falls, Idaho

Member

posts 107

120V AC power to the outlets is only available if your trailer is hooked up to an electrical outlet or generator, so unfortunately what you experienced is 'normal'.  You can however buy an electrical inverterwith the capacity to run your computer from the 12V DC power of your trailer's battery.  Be sure to get one that's appropriate for sensitive electronics like your computer.  The inverter would be plugged in to the cigarette-lighter style outlet in your trailer or hooked up directly to the trailer's battery, and your computer would be plugged into the inverter.

Hope that answers your question! Smile

Stephen

Tow-er: 2010 RAV4 3.5L 269 hp V6 with Tow Pkg ~ Tow-ee: 2011 Sportsmen Classic 14RB ~ Director: The wife

10:52 am
September 4, 2011


newfie bullet

New Brunswick, Canada

Member

posts 6

The trailer has an inverter and still would I require to hookup to something to use the outlets? During my childhood we ran lights and a black and white TV off battery will boondocking for weeks at a time. So the inverter doesn`t do this.

11:06 am
September 4, 2011


pfidahospud

Post Falls, Idaho

Member

posts 107

Any chance you were told your trailer had an inverter, but does not?  It does come with a converter, maybe the confusion lies there?  Also, you can get many 12-volt appliances (including TV's) that don't require inverters.

Stephen

Tow-er: 2010 RAV4 3.5L 269 hp V6 with Tow Pkg ~ Tow-ee: 2011 Sportsmen Classic 14RB ~ Director: The wife

10:20 pm
September 4, 2011


Mike Magee

near Tulsa OK

Member

posts 204

The device in the trailer will take the shore power when you are plugged in and convert it to 12v dc to recharge the battery, but it can't take 12v battery power and change it to 120v ac.  An inverter accessory can do that for you, though.  You have to connect the inverter to the battery and then plug your 120v items into the inverter.

Not sure, but is it possible the old TV you had back then was a 12v TV?  If not, the device in your childhood trailer must have been different than the ones the mfrs routinely install nowadays.

2008 Toyota Highlander – 2011 Escape E14RB

6:12 am
September 7, 2011


Woodie

Connecticut

Member

posts 18

newfie bullet said:I have just got back from our first trip out with the sportsman 14RB. Great times but when we were boonbocking on the way down into Maine we didn`t have power at the outlet to use the computer. All the lights worked but not power anywhere else. Is this normal and if so how can I fix?


Get a car adapter for your computer. Then you can plug it in to the 12DC outlet next to the antenna connection. That's what we used this past summer when we had two computers, 1 car adapter and 1 AC adapter.


2011 14RB>–2003 Honda Odyssey:

9:30 pm
September 7, 2011


Mike Magee

near Tulsa OK

Member

posts 204

Oh!  So that's what that hole is for!  Laugh  I could plug in a 12v electric blanket there!

2008 Toyota Highlander – 2011 Escape E14RB