Hints, Tips and Great Ideas

Cruising Granny · Guru

RE: Hints, Tips and Great Ideas

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Good question - I would like to know as well.

Happywanderer · The Master

lol the jumpstart thingee has to be recharged on mains power girls.

It is a back up power supply.

The desk fan is for plugging into the pc which is what I would do if I had the pc on.

Smokeydk · Guru

My big purple jumpstarters ......plug in to 240 volts...or can charge via 12volt cig lighter plug in car...or I can plug it into my solar panel lead....

Happywanderer · The Master

Yes thats right smokey, thats how it works. Although I don't have solar power yet.

Smokeydk · Guru

its getting cheaper now HW......I got my 80watt Panel 4 years ago cost me back then $1,000.......now they are like $390

daffy · Member

those annoying little pests! we found the ant sand from bunnings worked well,probably not cheapest option but keeps you sane. biggrin

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Thanks guys, thought that was how the power thingys worked,. As for ants - I have them in the house - nothing seems to stop them - the other night they were inside the power part of the cordless kettle!!!

-- Edited by jules47 on Friday 13th of January 2012 05:19:28 PM

Cruising Granny · Guru

Thanks for the info on the jump starter "thingee". I have 2 batteries in Rosy, but I can only flatten 1. The second has an override switch so I can start the car. I don't have any alternate power sources in the car or the van. It's either 240v or 12v.
Maybe I need a battery fan for my little cocoon for the "spare room".

Esmeralda · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
Yesterday I bought a small desk fan in Target Geelong. $9.00 This one plugs into a USB port. It says to plug into a pc, but I think I will be plugging it into my JumpStart thingee which has USB ports.. Fantastic buy.

My dad bought me a 12V fan for when not at powered sites (can't use the air conditioner) and put in a couple of 12V plugs in the van and then mounted the 12V fan on a small wooden base so it can be moved around the van.

-- Edited by Esmeralda on Saturday 14th of January 2012 04:40:28 PM

Smokeydk · Guru

I've done the same thing Esmeralda............except when I was cleaning out my shed I found a 30year old 12volt fan....I used to have on the dash of my old HQ sedan........fitted a board to it.....so I could weigh it down as it moved on bench top

Esmeralda · Guru

I took my van in today to get some repairs and renovations done; and the man is going to install an Anderson plug on the exterior of the van connected to the battery and the other end will be attached to the solar panels. So when I want to use the solar panels I just have to position them and plug them in.

Thought it sounded like a good idea.

03_troopy · Guru

Smokeydk wrote:
I've done the same thing Esmeralda............except when I was cleaning out my shed I found a 30year old 12volt fan....I used to have on the dash of my old HQ sedan........fitted a board to it.....so I could weigh it down as it moved on bench top

When I was up in Malaysia for a couple of years in the 80's, it was very common to have a 12V fan bolted to the dash of the cars we used to drive. They were great and I have been trying to get a similar one down here for ages. I did pick up one of the modern versions a little while back, but they are mostly all plastic and very poor quality. The ones we had up there were made from metal and had a chrome plated metal guard and mount etc.

Esmeralda · Guru

Mine has the chrome guard and metal mount - if you want I can ask my father where he got it.

Smokeydk · Guru

Sounds like the one I got troopy......mine has chrome stand you can tilt any direction...the fan swivels on top...and has a lever on the motor to set it oscillating?......

metal blade ...chrome guard.......reminder there's a fuse inside of the plug

valnrob · Guru

hi guys, on those 12 v fans, do they use a lot of battery power? I'd like to get one too?

cheers

Esmeralda · Guru

I haven't tried mine yet but mum and dad have used theirs for years - they have about 4 in their van - but don't use them all at once. But do use the two over the beds together.

Smokeydk · Guru

When I used mine it was during the day...so the solar panel replaced what was drawn...from the battery...

the battery showed 12.9v before I turned van on.......1 hour later it showed 12.7v.......they might be heavy on a battery...

I noticed on new fans.....about $35.......they dont say what they draw either

http://www.dynamicsolarsolutions.com.au/appliances.htm

say

Deluxe oscillating fan

* 12 & 24 volt available
* Plastic blade
* 6 inch blade
* Draws 1.4amps

Esmeralda · Guru

That looks like mine Smokey

golivers travels · Guru

When we are camping without power I plug my square oscillating fan into our inverter which plugs into the 12v socket. Can run all night if necessary. Does use a bit of battery power but can charge up when on the road or with gennie. Cheers Glenda

golivers travels · Guru

In regard to bush ticks, I always carry a bottle of nail polish remover, cotton balls and tweezers. Wet the cotton ball with remover, press onto tick for about 30 sec and then remove tick easily with tweezers. Works each time. My husband spends alot of time wandering in the bush photographing birds when we are away and always seems to pick up ticks. One night I had to remove 7!

And then there are the leeches........ Glenda

03_troopy · Guru

Esmeralda wrote:
Mine has the chrome guard and metal mount - if you want I can ask my father where he got it.

Yes please Esmeralda

03_troopy · Guru

valnrob wrote:
hi guys, on those 12 v fans, do they use a lot of battery power? I'd like to get one too?

cheers

It wasn't an issue in my car, it was mounted on the dash and used while driving.... Or sitting in the ferry queue.. grrr for up to 4 hours sometimes.

neilnruth · Guru

Be careful with leeches. A friend recently ended up with cellulitis of the leg and they blamed the leech he'd had!

golivers travels · Guru

Thanks for the warning neilnruth. Glenda

milo · Guru

i remember having a 12vlt fan on the dash of our datsun 120b... struth that feels like such a loooong time ago.

Happywanderer · The Master

I have a 12 volt fan on the dash of Myrtle as she has no airconditioning. Works really well, had a very cool trip home in the heat. Not uncomfortable at all.

Boroma577 · Guru

Added these little rails to the top of my pelmets in the van. Makes another storage shelf for smaller items.

Baileys · Newbie

Some great tips everyone, we will follow the advice , thankyou

Baileys

Cruising Granny · Guru

Those rails are a good idea Boroma. I'm not one for too many trinkets and clutter, but I have a couple of spcial things I display on the shelves. Where did you get the rails?