230v. to12v???

[keen novice]

We have recently purchased our first motorhome(a lovely s reg fiat ducato). We are going to Brid this weekend but are having to stay on a site because cannot fathom how to use the 12volt system. Not wanting to appear completly stupid but this will no doubt be a straight forward problem that I am just not sorting!We can turn it from 230 mains to 12v by pressing a switch on control panel. The lights and blow heating work fine but we havn't got 12v appliances so do we need an inverter per appliance or one to do everything? Would it be cheaper to replace the appliances or buy the inverters?

 

[t&s]

your fridge might be a 3 way ie 240 v or 12 v or gas if there is electrisity available on your site you can still run 12 v and just use electric to keep the battery toped up
i am sure you will get more help from others in understanding your set up
let us know what make of van this can sometimes help if someone has the same

 

[cas]

What appliances are you wanting to use?

 

[Belgian]

We have recently purchased our first motorhome(a lovely s reg fiat ducato). We are going to Brid this weekend but are having to stay on a site because cannot fathom how to use the 12volt system. Not wanting to appear completly stupid but this will no doubt be a straight forward problem that I am just not sorting!We can turn it from 230 mains to 12v by pressing a switch on control panel. The lights and blow heating work fine but we havn't got 12v appliances so do we need an inverter per appliance or one to do everything? Would it be cheaper to replace the appliances or buy the inverters?

Not such a stupid question Novice.
If you hook up you can use 23OV, also your leisure battery will be charged (build-in transfo 23OV>12V) so you can use 12V appliances if you have a 'cigar-socket' fittet on the leisure battery. (don't use the cigar-socket in front for this drains your engine battery).
You can invert on the leisure battery > 23OV. Only watch the powerconsumption then because it drains the battery very quickly.
Most electronic items (radio, tele..) run also on 12V (without the plug-in transfo). A laptop generally needs 18V. There are special converters for 12>18V.

 

[wildman]

appliances are rated in watts battery power is rated in amps/hrs.
watts =current (amps) x power (volts)
amps = watts divided by volts
an inverter is rated in Watts.
One inverter can power the whole 240v system if it is large enough. However the cost of running 240v from 12v batteries is a huge consumption of current and can run batteries flat in a very short time so must be used sparingly. Fridges should be run using gas when static, 12V to maintain temperature when driving and 240V only when on a mains hookup. Running on 12v will flatten the battery very quickly if the engine is not running (unless it is a condenser fridge and you have very large solar panels to put back what you are taking out. Reduce power consumption by replacing bulbs with LED bulbs, remember to replace power as you use it. A constantly flat battery ends up a very expensive dead battery. you can boil water in a saucepan using gas you don't need an electric kettle, nor iron or even hair drier so leave them at home. That way you will not be tempted to use them. Learn to live differently. You will need an extra leisure battery, better still a matched pair of about 110amp/hrs. Protect all batteries inc main engine battery with a trickle charge solar panel. To prevent slow leakage when laid up.

 

[keen novice]

240-12v

Thanks everybody for the advice.Setting off to Bridlington this afternoon so I will let you Know how well we survived our first trip. I am actually excited about this. I have no intention of taking the iron, this is a break from all that!!