Hi all,
I'm currently researching 'efficient' 12 volt lighting as we're off for 6 months next year and are hoping to be as self sufficent as possible, keeping away from caravan parks. We all have LED head torches that last a long time and we're using rechargeable AAA batteries for them and rechargeable AA batteries for digital camera and kids games. These recharge quickly in the car and I'm happy with that side of things.
Our set up is:
4WD: dual battery 100Ah running small fridge.
Our 'new' 2nd hand Camper: on-board 75Ah battery also running small fridge, numerous 12V cigarette outlets in camper in which to plug 12V fluoro lights etc into. (Soon to purchase 1 KVA genny as last owner had permanently installed Smart Charger and used Genny, all set-up for me ready to go). Camper gets trickle charge from vehicle on the move.
I've been looking at 12V Lanterns as a light for eating under/cooking/playing Monopoly etc! With my current (old) one I usually buy a couple of 6V batteries and that's OK for a week or so, but I don't want to be buying lots of batteries for 6 months and am hoping to find a good rechargeable one.
The expensive ones on average list a 9 hour run time (on low power) with 10 to 14 hour recharge time - that's too long when out in the sticks for days. These are the fluoro type ones. There was a 6 LED one in K-Mart that could be recharges via 12V, 240V or winding dynamo, 2 minutes winding for 50 minutes light. This sounded great but the light output was a lot less compared to the fluoro ones.
I also have some 12V fluoro work
shop lights (9 to 11 watt). I'm trying to avoid gas & fuel type ones so I can use them safely inside the camper.
Even though we'll have a Genny with us, I want to use it as little as possible. I want to have an efficient set-up that can last a while, rather than simply relying on the Genny every day.
Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm hoping there's a LED lantern out there with good light and short re-charge time. Anybody have one?
Thanks,
Mark.