Why 12 Volt?

[Salisamber]

12 Volt appliances seem popular among vandwellers. Why is that? Why 12 Volt over other voltages?

 

[Weight]

My vehicle is 12 volts. I don't use anything that would need so much power to make 24 volts necessary. That said many are using 24 volt systems. I have seen some 48 volt. Unnecessary in my opinion.

 

[Scott3569]

Not much difference between 12v vs. 24v.. still the same system..

I am not expert, there are others here that have more knowledge..

12v is DC Direct current..
Outlets in a house is AC Alternating Current

It takes a lot of Energy to convert DC to AC, which is actually done in a house

To do it in a vehicle, you need an inverter
So, the inverter will drain batteries faster

if you just run DC appliances your batteries will not be drained as quick..

And that is about the extent of my knowledge on this subject

 

[highdesertranger]

Vehicles are 12v.
No conversion of energy is 100% efficient.
There are losses at every conversion.
So running as much as possible off of 12v is usually the most efficient.

Highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

12 Volt appliances seem popular among vandwellers. Why is that? Why 12 Volt over other voltages?

In the 1950s the auto industry standardized on 12 volts for automobiles.
So there are tons of 12V appliances to match.  Volume keeps the price down.

 

[hugemoth]

We have 12 volt cars because lead/acid batteries are or were the cheapest and easiest to produce. Since each cell is 2.1 volts, batteries are always multiples of that number. Old 6 volt (6.3 actually) systems work fine but larger wires are needed to carry the current. Some vehicles used 8 volts (4 cells) but 12 became the standard. 36 volts would probably be better but making 18 cell batteries in a convenient size was difficult. Much higher than 36 volts becomes a shock hazard.

 

[eDJ_]

Because most modern vehicles are 12 volt DC,  but not every campsite offers shore power 110 volt AC.
So your Vehicle will always be available power.   If you purchase 12 volt DC  appliances, you will have your own power plant built right into the Vehicle.

In the past I've seen some dual voltage appliances.  Coffee Pots that work on 12 volt DC and 110 volt AC, and aluminum electric skillets.  with just these two appliances you can heat water as a kettle or make coffee, and the electric skillet is capable of sauteing, pan frying, deep frying, heating foods, and even baking as the appliance has an adjustable temperature for consistent heat.  I even watched my dad use his as a "cook top" placing sauce pans in it to cook various things.   He had three thin pressed metal enamel ware sauce pans he used for that.

Dad's second Van rig he put together had an alternator. (the first had a generator)  So when he was doing something that would use some 12 volt DC power he would run the engine and set the throttle to run a bit faster.  Deep frying was one of those cases when we had gone fishing and had fish to fry and potatoes to make French Fries with, and of course hush puppies. (Coleslaw was in the ice chest purchased at the store)  But shore power in campsites wasn't that common in the places where we camped.  And when we deep fried we kept that outside at a safe distance.  Dad always worked directly from the battery on those occasions.

 

[Tony's Dream]

Do people avoid lawn mower batteries because they can only store around 50 amp hours? They are smaller and lighter to carry.

 

[highdesertranger]

"Do people avoid lawn mower batteries because they can only store around 50 amp hours? They are smaller and lighter to carry."

also they are not deep cycle

Highdesertranger

 

[Salisamber]

Not much difference between 12v vs. 24v.. still the same system..

I am not expert, there are others here that have more knowledge..

12v is DC Direct current..
Outlets in a house is AC Alternating Current

It takes a lot of Energy to convert DC to AC, which is actually done in a house

To do it in a vehicle, you need an inverter
So, the inverter will drain batteries faster

if you just run DC appliances your batteries will not be drained as quick..

And that is about the extent of my knowledge on this subject

Vehicles are 12v.
No conversion of energy is 100% efficient.
There are losses at every conversion.
So running as much as possible off of 12v is usually the most efficient.

Highdesertranger

Good to know! I had no idea that it was less efficient and that inverters drained batteries faster than just using 12 volt appliances.

 

[Weight]

Some devices I depend for my life style require 120V AC. So I have a 12V-DC to 120V-AC inverter. I need my microwave.

 

[ldsreliance]

Pretty much any appliance you can think of has a 12V DC version available because of the trucking industry.  A lot of truckers live in their rigs so there are fridges, microwaves, coffee makers, clothes washers, hair dryers, and all kinds of other devices that can use DC power instead of AC.  Most of those devices run on DC power in reality, they just convert it from house power first.  So you are losing 20%+ of your power by converting DC power to AC and then back again to DC.  That is a big deal in vans and RV's where you don't have a lot of energy storage capacity.

Yes, those appliances cost more than the AC counterparts but if you are truly intent on living in a van or RV full time, they will pay for themselves quickly.

 

[PeterPiper]

Do people avoid lawn mower batteries because they can only store around 50 amp hours?  They are smaller and lighter to carry.

Can you tell me where to get those "smaller and lighter to carry" 50Ah lawn mower batteries?  I'd like to buy some.

50Ah is about all I can realistically get from my full size, heavy and hard to carry "100Ah" 12v car batteries

 

[highdesertranger]

You can get them anywhere they sell batteries, However like I said they are not deep cycle. In other words it's the wrong type of battery to use it's a starting battery not a deep cycle. Highdesertranger

 

[Weight]

There are no 12 volt microwaves. The ones that make that claim have a built in inverter. If you know different please provide a link.

What is meant by lawn mower battery? My electric Ryobi has a 40 volt 5 amp hour lithium.

Otherwise they are just lead acid starter batteries.

 

[ldsreliance]

I know there are or at least have been.  Here is one example (no longer available, looks like):

https://www.roadtrucker.com/12-volt-microwave-wavebox/12-volt-dc-microwave.htm

They are out there but you are right, there are some companies that market 12V products that are not truly 12V DC.

 

[Weight]

Have you asked yourself, Why is the only one not available?

 

[Happy Camper]

Because that model has been discontinued. Updated model:

https://www.roadtrucker.com/12-volt-microwave-wavebox/12-volt-microwave.htm

Whether it makes more sense than a 120v AC microwave with an inverter in terms of cost, that's a personal choice.

 

[highdesertranger]

Happy read the whole ad both of those say discontinued. Highdesertranger

 

[XERTYX]

You can get them anywhere they sell batteries,  However like I said they are not deep cycle. In other words it's the wrong type of battery to use it's a starting battery not a deep cycle.  Highdesertranger

I've known a lot of hunters that just buy a lawnmower battery for roughly 30 bucks and a solar panel maintainer and stick em in a battery box. When they go hunting they sit it in the sun and have power for ciggy lighter plugs.

That WILL work. But not for long at all. This is the way it was explained to me. Lead acid starting batteries have a lead "spongelike" texture in the plates. More surface area to push more amperes more quickly but as it ages the sponges crumble until there is very little lead left in contact with the electrodes. 

Deep cycle lead acid batteries have heavy thick solid plates. They age as well and will crumble but it's more like a rock being weathered, it erodes slowly across the whole plate so it stays intact and in contact with the electrodes longer. 

So in the zombie apocalypse sure wire up every lead acid battery you can find, but for a reliable lead acid battery spend the extra 50 bucks or so on a true deep cycle battery. I think mine was less than $100 including the core charge. The $30 lawnmower batteries also have a $12 core charge. Spend the extra couple bucks and dont use a starting battery.