Dead wall outlets

[mgap]

Can anybody tell the reason for having the wall outlets not work with battery power only on? I mean how can I watch Opra when boondocking Pff

[DKB_SATX]

The wall outlets are 120v. Batteries are 12v.

You MAY have an optional inverter that provides AC power to some outlets when running on battery power, but it's only recently become a common thing.

[polarlyse]

you should have 2 kinds of wall outlets. Those that look like the ones in your house. These are 120v and will only have power when the trailer is plugged in ( that is unless you have an inverter as mentioned above). You should also find a few, 2 or 3, round plug outlets. These are 12v and should be powered all the time. That is as long as you have battery power OR are plugged in. These are like the lighter plug in your car and will take a plug of that type. Useful for cell phone chargers or a 12v television.

[Melody Ranch]

What DKB said.

[mgap]

Well I can forfeit Opra, but I'll get pretty cranky if I am not able to get my coffee pot a brewing. I do imagine that I will need to get a gas generator, and plug in. Then I will have outlets working, right?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by mgap

Well I can forfeit Opra, but I'll get pretty cranky if I am not able to get my coffee pot a brewing. I do imagine that I will need to get a gas generator, and plug in. Then I will have outlets working, right?

12 Volt Coffee Makers: Power Hunt, Cuisinart, RoadPro 12 Volt Coffee Pots

[polarlyse]

However you can you must PLUG it in to power those 120v outlets. If you're out in the boonies roughing it a generator will do the trick. If your travels have you in places cool enough there are some smaller generators out there that will do the trick nicely. If you plan to be places hot enough to want AC your choices are reduced to the larger ones capable of enough power for the AC units. We've managed 4 days with careful usage on our batteries. No AC and No heat though.

[SteveSueMac]

Mgap - your profile doesn't say what year/kind of trailer you have. In my 2012 Flying Cloud there are a few outlets with blue labels on them. They look like regular household plugs but are meant for your flat screens so long as your inverter is on. In my trailer, that's done with a push button under the tank meters near the kitchen sink.

Good luck!

[mgap]

Ok, so I have a 2004 Safari 25'. As far as I can tell I don't have any 12v outlets or inverter. This week I did get 2 new batteries, the 2 that came with it we all but completely dead.
If I buy the 12v coffee maker it looks like I will need to brew in my truck cab.

[wkerfoot]

mgap,

Boil water on the stove and use a Melitta coffee maker.

Bill

Originally Posted by mgap

Ok, so I have a 2004 Safari 25'. As far as I can tell I don't have any 12v outlets or inverter. This week I did get 2 new batteries, the 2 that came with it we all but completely dead.
If I buy the 12v coffee maker it looks like I will need to brew in my truck cab.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by mgap

Ok, so I have a 2004 Safari 25'. As far as I can tell I don't have any 12v outlets or inverter. This week I did get 2 new batteries, the 2 that came with it we all but completely dead.
If I buy the 12v coffee maker it looks like I will need to brew in my truck cab.

:-)

Hang in there now. Do you have a user manual?

If not, do any of your wall outlets have a small blue label on them? Especially near your television(s)?

[rayandre]

When we don't have a power hook up I have a back up solution going back to our backpacking set up and use a long time invention dating back centuries with our modern manual version being a percolator on the gas stove-works great although we do have to carry two different grinds-the price we pay

[mgap]

Hang in there now. Do you have a user manual?

Right, "Stay Calm and Carry On" Thanks for all the input. My wife bought a french press coffee maker, we will see how it works out, no electricity needed.

[Drathaar]

Use a Melita #6 cone filter. Get the one with the long neck, and you can make coffee directly into a Stanley thermos. No messy French press to clean.

Edit: just saw Bill's post. Same idea...

[mgap]

If not, do any of your wall outlets have a small blue label on them? Especially near your television(s)?

No, no outlets with blue lables, so I am guessing that I don't have any 12 volt outlet. I do have a unusual outlet that is where my cable for the television plugs in. Just above the cable there is what looks like a 12volt outlet(1" wide and round)that says voc 8 amp max on it. I am assuming that it has something to do with the boobtube.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by mgap

No, no outlets with blue lables, so I am guessing that I don't have any 12 volt outlet. I do have a unusual outlet that is where my cable for the television plugs in. Just above the cable there is what looks like a 12volt outlet(1" wide and round)that says voc 8 amp max on it. I am assuming that it has something to do with the boobtube.

That round thing is a 12 volt accessory outlet. You can plug in things like cell phone car chargers and if you find a 12-volt flatscreen that would probably be more efficient than having an inverter powering a 120-volt TV anyway.

[mgap]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

That round thing is a 12 volt accessory outlet. You can plug in things like cell phone car chargers and if you find a 12-volt flatscreen that would probably be more efficient than having an inverter powering a 120-volt TV anyway.

Thanks for the information. Hmm I wonder if I could plug my laptop computer in for a charge on that one?

[polarlyse]

I just looked at the charger for my Mac-book. It says 15 amp. but that's through a
130-240 v outlet. If you have a 12v charger check what the draw is. It might work.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by polarlyse

I just looked at the charger for my Mac-book. It says 15 amp. but that's through a
130-240 v outlet. If you have a 12v charger check what the draw is. It might work.

Magsafe output should be 85 watts... which comes in just under the 8A at 12V listed on that outlet. Since you're really generally dealing with 12.7 volts or more, it should be a little under 7A assuming 100% efficiency, so there's a little wiggle room.

Even 1.5A at 120v is 180W... more than double what they list as the nominal rating of the Magsafe 2 adapter.

[jsutro]

Recommend solar battery charging, and inverter for 110 volts for charging laptop computer. 12 volts is marginal. Generally for boondocking avoid electrical use unless you have a solar charger. Anything requiring heat is more efficient with propane - french press or filter drip coffee works great with a kettle on the stove.