Why have DC power?

Anything electric, AC or DC

Why have DC power?

Postby superdad88 » Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:58 pm

My TD has both AC and DC. I was messing around with it tonight taking the cabinets out and was thinking how often would I use DC? In order to charge the battery I have to plug in a 120v charger anyway. I only plan on using a mini frig and maybe a coffee maker and don't really plan on camping at places with out shore power. There's 4 120v outlets and one DC.

Can someone tell me the pros/cons of DC?

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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby GuitarPhotog » Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:06 pm

If you are going to always camp at places with shore power, it saves some complication to not have 12 VDC. My standy had no 12 VDC system when I spent a month in it traveling through the northwest and western Canada. I had to bring chargers and power supplies for all the 12 VDC equipment though.

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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby MtnDon » Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:09 pm

If you always camp in campgrounds where there is 120 VAC available you do not need DC. If you never need a light inside / outside the TD when between places where you plug into shore power, you don't need DC (use a flashlight if you do). As for my wife and I, we can do without the AC plugin easier than doing without DC as we prefer places in the boonies. We have batteries and an inverter for the AC appliances, as well as a generator if needed. Different equipment for different folks.
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby superdad88 » Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:18 pm

Yeah there is a inverter in the TD. Maybe i'll leave the VDC in place for now and just take the battery out to save a little space and weight.
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby Graniterich » Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:33 pm

As others have said always AC, no DC required. You don't have DC in your house!
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby KennethW » Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:34 pm

I am in the other camp. Everything in my TD is DC. The only thing AC is my CPAP that uses a inverter. I almost never use shore power(A power strip). If I was relaying on shore power I would not be free to go where every the road leads me.
Last edited by KennethW on Fri Jan 29, 2016 6:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby tony.latham » Fri Jan 29, 2016 12:59 am

Can someone tell me the pros/cons of DC?


So you can camp in the woods!

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T :thumbsup:
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby bobhenry » Fri Jan 29, 2016 7:07 am

I swing both ways but don't tell anyone........Image

:rofl2:

Image 12 volt mode !
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby noseoil » Fri Jan 29, 2016 7:57 am

Good old Bob, who wouldove thunk it? Add me to the AC/DC list as well. We use mostly DC since there is light, power outlets & galley stuff available at any time & any place. The AC power is handy if it's available, but the 12 volt system with a solar panel for charging does everything we need, except for the air conditioning in summer. That's a power hog, but a necessary evil in the desert sometimes.

I can't imaging needing an extension cord just to read a book or charge a cell phone battery. Best to have both I guess, but a 12 volt system with LED lighting does most of it for us and the flat screen TV for a movie & a sound system for tunes is nice to have as well. A car stereo sounds good & provides plenty of music for very little battery drain. The TV is an added luxury, but a small set isn't too bad for power drains if the sun comes out once in a while....
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby KennethW » Fri Jan 29, 2016 9:45 am

{{The TV is an added luxury, but a small set isn't too bad for power drains if the sun comes out once in a while....}}
A newer led tv does not use much power. So the power drain is not that bad if you are running on battery's.
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby MtnDon » Fri Jan 29, 2016 9:51 am

Yeah Tony!! The pictures give all the reasons for DC!! :thumbsup: :applause: :thumbsup: :applause:
Our 6x12 deep vee nose cargo trailer camper conversion... viewtopic.php?f=42&t=58336

We have a small off grid cabin we built ourselves in the NM mountains; small PV solar system; 624 watts PV, Outback CC & inverter/charger ... http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=2335.0
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby Shadow Catcher » Fri Jan 29, 2016 4:33 pm

I would say we have spent as much time with out AC as with. One occasion at a KOA we ended up in a very nice area for tents, no power.
a couple of months after my heart attack we spent eight days on the north shore of Lake Superior.
I often say plan on more than you think you need, where you think you will be today could well change.
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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby daveesl77 » Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:16 pm

Conch Fritter is primarily DC, but has the ability to shift to AC either through shore power or inverter. With that said, I have multiple AC outlets in different locations throughout the trailer, but I also have multiple DC connections. It is the old sailboater in me, with 12v I can get stuff to work. With AC I can do some things more comfortably. We camp in a lot of places without shore power, so DC is a must for us.

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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby ParTaxer » Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:29 pm

I'm glad I have both. I use a marine stereo in my TD and it is hooked up to my DC current. It came in handy on my first TD campout when bad weather was about to move in and the radio was information.

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Re: Why have DC power?

Postby GuitarPhotog » Fri Jan 29, 2016 8:04 pm

I have both. All the lights and the fan run on 12 VDC, and I have a converter and a 100W solar panel to charge the battery. But when there's 120VAC available I use it for things like the waffle iron, the rice cooker, and the electric coffee maker.

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