Newbie 12V Question

Thanks for the reply, Les...

We have no additional battery in the vehicle. The LED lighting would be great but we've been managing without it. We have thought about a fridge but have decided against for the moment. So the pump and possibly the lights would be all we'd need in the near-term. Thanks for sending the pump and panel links.

Is it possible to set up a single battery to use as required and charge from the panels when not in use, sort of on-demand, without have to disconnect / reconnect (if that makes sense)?

Neither a pump or led lighting really needs full blown, are you camping for only weekends ?
Or longer periods touring ?
If just weekends, the pump and leds could be run from a small 12v battery charged at home, and maybe not even need charging in the field.
You can run leds (eg small strips) from 6v, and I think even a 9v duracell battery would do it !!
Though I've only used 12v, but pretty sure they runn off about anything like mentioned.

With 12v, you still need to fuse for safety, but this can all be done on the trailer after input connection.

It wouldn't be easy setting up solar panels to charge 2nd battery while driving, although you could go to a flexible thin apanel and attach to trailer top perhaps if there was asuitable flat place to mount.

Probably easier to set up something in between what I originally suggested, maybe have a small enough AGM in the engine bay and charge via VSR.
Set up in a battery box perhaps, anderson plug connection, so it can be easily disconnected, velcro strap retainer released, lifted out and taken to the camper.

At the camper, just plug into anderson plug, through a fuse block to accessories.
You could say go for smaller AGM battery maybe about 80w, that would even handle a decent 40lt or so fridge overnight.
Otherwise you could start with a small 2nd hand normal wet acid battery if you wanted.
That would run a pump and lighting fine.

Set up this way, if touring you could just have it charging when driving, if camped up put the solar out and hook up to battery.

You need to assess just how you intend using for the short and mid term, because setting something up for led and a water pump is still going to cost maybe 80% of what a larger setup will, and then later if getting fridge / other you will need to upgrade a heap of stuff too, battery to hold power needs, larger solar to put power in during daylight to meet needs.

Think about setting up to meet current needs and perhaps mid term needs.
If budget is an issue, just go for cheap battery, charge at home, use to run pump / led strip(s), buy one of those folding solar panels (all integral with controller) and set it up to charge battery at camp.

Others might like to add to suggestions above, I'm just thinking what could be done, but don't know exact circumstances of your current and future needs and camping habits etc.
Time out will have a big bearing on the above options as mentioned.

Have a look at the Whitworths website here.

They have a large selection of pumps, both hand & 12v to choose from, as well as giving you an idea of what's available. They also stock LED lights & solar panels. Their mail service is excellent too!

Bob

Gawd, that takes me back. We had a Kombi camper in the 80's with one of those hand pumps. Too often you had dirty/greasy hands and trying to wash them (one pumping, one under the water flow) was bordering on ridiculous, and wasted water too.

I fitted an in-line pump just as you suggested, operated by a thigh-level momentary push switch at the front edge of the under-sink cupboard. Worked a treat.