MOBY introduces an article written by a writer who actually enjoys staying in the car and camping car from the web magazine DRIMO, which distributes information on camping, staying in the car, van life, outdoor & car trips, including camping car information. To do. *The contents of the following article are quotes and references from DRIMO
This is Uehara from DRIMO Camping Car.
All campers look similar, but the parts used are completely different depending on the car. But there are only unfamiliar parts,I don’t know what criteria to choose a camper.
I wonder if there are readers who have the same worries as me. So, this time I would like to find out about the main parts of the camper!
Essential item for using home appliances in the car “inverter”
What is an inverter?
The role of the inverter is to convert the battery so that it can be used by home appliances.
There are products with a wide range of output capacities from 100W to 4000W, but most campers are equipped with 1500W. If you have 1500W, you can use most electric appliances such as microwave ovens and hair dryers.
Sine wave type is recommended.
The price of the inverter changes depending on the output capacity, but another point that greatly changes the price is “sine wave or pseudo sine wave”. Pseudo sine waves keep the price down, but be careful as some electrical appliances do not work.
Portable power supply is also an option
Inverters that are installed in the car are common in campers, but portable power sources that can be easily carried around seem to be popular these days. If the output is 500W, you can also use an electric pod, so it can be used not only for sleeping in the car but also for various outdoor scenes.
Leave the electricity in the car to this “sub-battery”
How to charge the sub-battery?
It seems that there are three main types of charging methods for the sub-battery.
- running charge Just like a car’s main battery, it’s a way to charge by running the car. However, most recent campers are charging control vehicles to improve fuel efficiency, so it may be better to use other charging methods in order to fully charge.
- solar panel charging Speaking of a camper, the image of charging with a solar panel. However, the panel cannot be used alone, so a charge controller that meets the specifications is required. If you choose one with good power generation efficiency, it will be practical enough even when traveling far away.
- External power type chargingAfter all, the most stable method is to charge from an external power source at home or in an RV park. Basically, it seems safe to adopt this method.
Lithium-ion batteries are hot right now
The sub-batteries used to power lights and televisions in cars have until now been mostly “deep cycle batteries”. but,Lithium-ion batteries have been gaining popularity in recent years.
The performance of the lead deep cycle battery is not bad, but the field of specialty is different. Deep cycle batteries are good at using small power consumption items like personal computers for a long time.
Lithium-ion batteries can also be used for large power consumption items such as air conditioners and microwave ovens.
there is a big difference in price
In terms of performance, the lithium-ion battery, which is strong against large discharges and capable of rapid charging, seems to be the winner, but there seems to be a large gap in price.
Lithium is about 200,000 more expensive, depending on the item. Equipping household appliances with large power consumption has its merits, so it seems that there will be individual differences in how to perceive that area.
Recommended for those who are concerned about the remaining battery power
It is the remaining amount of the sub-battery that makes me uneasy while traveling. You want to avoid running out of battery on a fun car trip. We recommend RV Land’s “BAT.MAN Ai2”.
It is an excellent product that allows you to easily check the remaining battery level with a smartphone, which cannot be measured with an analog voltmeter.
What did you think? This time I sent you the inverter sub-battery version. I would be happy if I could be of some help to the readers. Next time, we will feature the refrigerator version!
Writer: Kazuma Uehara
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