12V Supply

Good day all, just back from a very muddy Glastonbury Festival! Great to have the MH as a base and made what now seems to be a very sensible decision to use a camping field about 1.5 miles away from the festival site which included flushing loos and hot showers and then cycle on 'back lanes' to the 'Yellow Gate'. I can PM specific details if anyone interested for next year! We still had problems with the mud whilst leaving last night and I hate to think how long it will take the main car parks to clear since everyone will need a tow as far as I can see! (Note to self: check location of tow hook for future reference!)
Anyway, my question: are there any 12V sockets for recharging mobiles and laptops in the cabin of a Winchcombe or can this only be done using the cigarette lighter in the cab? I guess if the latter, the supply is off the vehicle battery and hence the engine should be running? Guidance much appreciated. Andy

Are there no 12v sockets (2pin type) for running TV off 12v? I've charged my phone and tablet from the cigarette lighter without running the engine for years now, never run the battery down enough to prevent starting (even leaving them connected overnight.)

Glastonbury in style. How steep were the hills to cycle up to get back to your site? Only been once and no mud for us that year. Back to the question. I always use a portable charger when without electric. Mine is an Anker. Very pleased with it.

Paulmold wrote:Are there no 12v sockets (2pin type) for running TV off 12v? I've charged my phone and tablet from the cigarette lighter without running the engine for years now, never run the battery down enough to prevent starting (even leaving them connected overnight.)

Paul, Thanks, good point about TV supply - will check (one place I hadn't looked!) Thanks also for advice about supply to cig lighter. Makes sense. Andy

rose49f wrote:Glastonbury in style. How steep were the hills to cycle up to get back to your site? Only been once and no mud for us that year. Back to the question. I always use a portable charger when without electric. Mine is an Anker. Very pleased with it.

Hi Rose, yes, thoroughly recommend site for Glasto. Last 200m of cycle back was a gentle uphill section but nothing too onerous and pub opposite was a good foil for often manic bars at the Festival! All in all a pleasant first experience for me of the Festival and I would book for next year if the weather could be guaranteed! The mud on site was pretty horrendous!!

My Broadway only had one 12v socket, so I have bought a "doubler"  for that one, fitted a new socket connected to the 12v leisure circuits myself and had a vehicle electrician rewire the two cab sockets so that they are on at all times, and not just when the ignition is on. So now I have five sockets and that is just about adequate. 

Anker power pack for me.

There should be a 12v Cig Style socket in the can and later AS vans have thease in the habitation area as they will stand higher amps than the old style 2 pin sockets.

There was a lot of good stuff posted a couple of years ago by members on charging laptops from the van - you will need to do a search

roli wrote:There should be a 12v Cig Style socket in the can and later AS vans have thease in the habitation area as they will stand higher amps than the old style 2 pin sockets.

There was a lot of good stuff posted a couple of years ago by members on charging laptops from the van - you will need to do a search

Good day Roger, thanks for pointers. I have found the details you refer to and also have found the 12V socket for the TV (which is also a 'cigarette lighter' type socket) and have ordered a cig. socket/USB connector so see how we get on. Thanks, Andy

On my 2014 Kingham there is a USB Port in the habitation area which can only used when stationary and a USB Port in the drop down compartment ( the one below the heater controls ) in the cab which can only be used with the ignition on.

2014 Stanton:
Cigar lighter socket on dash, only live with engine running.
Cigar lighter socket lower down, below ashtray and gear stick, permanent live.
USB socket in driver's dash tray, only live with engine running.
Cigar Lighter on rear of bulkhead aft of passenger door, live when panel switched on.
Cigar Lighter and USB sockets on bulkhead near microwave, live when panel switched on.
Cigar Lighter socket in overhead locker above microwave, live when panel switched on.

We have an end kitchen, btw.

Pete Taylor wrote:2014 Stanton:
Cigar lighter socket on dash, only live with engine running.
Cigar lighter socket lower down, below ashtray and gear stick, permanent live.
USB socket in driver's dash tray, only live with engine running.
Cigar Lighter on rear of bulkhead aft of passenger door, live when panel switched on.
Cigar Lighter and USB sockets on bulkhead near microwave, live when panel switched on.
Cigar Lighter socket in overhead locker above microwave, live when panel switched on.

We have an end kitchen, btw.

Doh!! I am a silly billy, had forgotten about charging through USB sockets! Problem solved!! Andy

See what happens when you spend that much time at Glastonbury.....

groundhog wrote:See what happens when you spend that much time at Glastonbury.....

Yes, must have transferred mud from me wellies to me brain!!

AndyLouch wrote:
Doh!! I am a silly billy, had forgotten about charging through USB sockets! Problem solved!! Andy

Be aware that you'll probably need high output USB to charge most modern smartphones reasonably quickly.

USB chargers come in a few flavours.

1.1A
2.1A
2.4A

The 1.1A ports will take a long time to charge a smartphone or Hudl2 for example, and the battery will still go flat if the device is used continuously for high drain applications like video or sat-nav.

A 2.1A port, or even better, a 2.4A port will be needed for fast charging and continuous use. Check the ports in the van, they should have a legend to say what current they're capable of delivering to a smart device.

meanchris wrote:

AndyLouch wrote:
Doh!! I am a silly billy, had forgotten about charging through USB sockets! Problem solved!! Andy

Be aware that you'll probably need high output USB to charge most modern smartphones reasonably quickly.

USB chargers come in a few flavours.

1.1A
2.1A
2.4A

The 1.1A ports will take a long time to charge a smartphone or Hudl2 for example, and the battery will still go flat if the device is used continuously for high drain applications like video or sat-nav.

A 2.1A port, or even better, a 2.4A port will be needed for fast charging and continuous use. Check the ports in the van, they should have a legend to say what current they're capable of delivering to a smart device.

Good day Chris, good point. I have have proper look at what USB ports are available with their ratings. Thanks to all for their advice, Andy