Converting a 110V TTT to 12V

[fornesto]

I'm looking at buying a 63 Aloha Trailer - don't worry!, it's very small. It has no 12V system at all, but is wired with 110V. Since we don't do much really civilized camping and I refuse to park next to mini-busses, I want to convert it to 12V. I don't want a generator either. Aside from replacing the light fixtures, not a problem, how do I do this?

Idea 1: My idiot thinking says a 12V battery to a 110V convertor to the electric system - no light fixture changes required, but battery dies quickly. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Idea 2: Leave wiring in place and push 12V through it. Is wire too heavy?

Idea 3: Run wiring to parallel 12V system (a few lights is all we need anyway)

[madjack]

I'm looking at buying a 63 Aloha Trailer - don't worry!, it's very small. It has no 12V system at all, but is wired with 110V. Since we don't do much really civilized camping and I refuse to park next to mini-busses, I want to convert it to 12V. I don't want a generator either. Aside from replacing the light fixtures, not a problem, how do I do this?

Idea 1: My idiot thinking says a 12V battery to a 110V convertor to the electric system - no light fixture changes required, but battery dies quickly. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Idea 2: Leave wiring in place and push 12V through it. Is wire too heavy?

Idea 3: Run wiring to parallel 12V system (a few lights is all we need anyway)

1) that is an inverter you need for this option...not a convertor which goes from 120vac to DCV...
2) 120vac wiring will almost NEVER be too "heavy" but it may be too light, since it takes more amps from 12vdc to run an appliance than it does from 120vac
3) probably the preferred choice....

...I am sure, some of the more electrically "gifted" will chime in here as well..............
madjack

[fornesto]

I don't plan on using heavy drawing appliances (blenders and microwaves) when we're on battery power. It'd kill the battery anyway and it's just not our style of camping. (to each their own) Do you think I'd have trouble with the wiring being too light if I only used very light things - radio, lights with compact fluorscents or leds?

[fornesto]

Could I do a battery box, with a standard 12V battery hooked up to an invertor and plug the trailer plug (I assume its standard) into the invertor? It's a little ghetto for now, but might get me through the summer.

[madjack]

1) more than likely would be OK
2) yes...change to compact flouresent bulbs or other low power lighting for best battery life.......
madjack
p.s....ain't nuthin' wrong with "ghetto"................MJ

[mikeschn]

I would wire and fixture it to be frugal. So that means #3 is my choice.

I would have a balance of LED fixtures and Incadescent fixtures. And for backup I would have a lantern with some D sized batteries in it.

Or better yet, a small solar panel.

Mike...

[Sonetpro]

You could just wire the fixtures to 12 volt and use some 12 volt with a standard base.
Here are some led ones.
http://www.theledlight.com/12volt-led-bulb.html

[Miriam C.]

Any chance you can leave the 120vac in and also run 12 vdc. In case you have a different outting or use it at home. Some thin wire run stuff can look nice if the runs are done right.

[Elumia]

Now that you've shown off the trailer, I'd rig up a couple under cabinet lights and something close to your bed, oh and you have a potty room so there for sure! I've even seen some battery powered LED's that look like they have some promise. Maybe you could get a couple of those and stick em under the cabinet. maybe you could use rechargeable batteries and get a little solar charger - that might be the quick and easy way to do it before you do something permanent.

Mark

[bobhenry]

Your little trailer is a classic ripping out the 120v wireing would definatly affect the resale value later. If you can run seperate wiring for the 12 volt system by all means do it. As a quick fix just screw in 12v bulbs ( in the auto section of Wally World(Walmart) and feed the 12 volts thru the existing wiring. you could feed it from the existing male feed plug on the outside just put the positive on 1 side and the negative on the otherside of a female 120v plug. Clearly mark all plugs as 12v only and disconnect any 120v items plugged in. This is why I would piggyback a 12v system you now have the luxury of both options, If your 120v wiring is not fastened with staples in the bones it may be fairly easy to use the existing wire to pull in new 120v romax and 3 12 gage wires for your 12v system. Color code the 3 12v wires so you can recognize positive , negative and a dedicated ground. Take a peek at my album I converted a standard fixture to piggyback as 120v or 12v by adding an inexpensive 1157 auto taillight socket.

[bobhenry]

http://tnttt.com/album_ ... c_id=22595

here it is !!

[fornesto]

I think I'll go with a parallel system. Since we're going on a 1 week camp trip in a couple weeks, I think I'll buy a couple "tap lights" from Wally World to get us by.

Are there 12V bulbs that screw into standard fixtures? What would happen if I connected a battery to the trailer as it is right now by cutting open an extension cord, plugging one end into the trailer and splicing the other to the trailer by connecting + to + and ground to -? I know I couldn't use the plugs for serious demand and would have to use 12V bulbs.

[Elumia]

go to yor local solar store - gotta be one down there somewhere...
find somethis like this: (I bet they have lots similar stuff)

http://store.sundancesolar.com/12volt8ledlamp.html

description:
This is the latest in low wattage lighting products. This lamp consists of a cluster of eight light emitting diodes (6 yellow, 1 blue and 1 green). The power consumption of this bulb is 7/10ths of a watt. The avg. life span is 100,000 hrs, output is 11 lumens.
Our 5-watt solar panel, in many locations, could easily produce enough solar energy to power this lamp for 24 hours per day, every day. Our small 1.8-watt panel could easily power this light for more than 10 hours per day. A 100 amp-hour deep cycle battery stores enough energy to power this lamp for over 8 months at 6 hrs of use per day (without any charging!). At the avg. life span of 100,000 hours, if you used this lamp 6 hours per day, it would last over 40 years! You'll want to leave this bulb to your heirs!
Fits standard socket. 12 VDC, 60mA. Operating temp. Range -4F to 122F.
Shipping wt. .5 lb., Made in Germany.

[brian_bp]

...Are there 12V bulbs that screw into standard fixtures? What would happen if I connected a battery to the trailer as it is right now by cutting open an extension cord, plugging one end into the trailer and splicing the other to the trailer by connecting + to + and ground to -? I know I couldn't use the plugs for serious demand and would have to use 12V bulbs.

Yes, there are 12V bulbs which use the same base ("medium screw base") as common household 120VAC bulbs. I didn't know this until I found that my trailer has one, in the stove vent hood. They are not easy to find (don't see them in WalMart...), but following a tip from someone else I did find a compact fluorescent version at a marine supply place (WestMarine), so I suppose RV and marine suppliers are likely sources.

Having provided that info, I will vote against this scheme. My concern would be that after putting 12V bulbs in the fixtures and plugging 12V appliances in with common two-blade household plugs, the supply will be switched back to AC, and something is gonna blow up. There's also the risk that one of those bulbs will get put in a 120VAC socket in the house at some future time, or a 12V appliance with a converted plug will get plugged into a real 120VAC socket. I would rather have devices of incompatible power requirements not interchangeable... but maybe that's just me.

[fornesto]

Thanks for all the valuable input. Here's my medium-term plan. I want to convert the entire thing back to 12V.

1. Swap out the duplexes with these:



2. Swap out the 110 light fixtures with 12V fixtures.

3. Swap out the 110 fuse panel (if any) with a good 12V panel.

4. Swap out the sink pump and any other built-in fixtures with appropriate 12V fixtures.

5. Leave the wiring in place.

6. If I have 110 available and a dead battery, use the battery charger and charge during the day.

Where's Gage anyway? Probably on vacation.