Has any body gone just 12v on a camper conversion

[Halfnail]

thinking of just a 12v system for my camper conversion. any body else gone just 12v.
thinking battery to battery charger twin batteries and 100watt solar panel. to run fridge lights charge phones ect.
has any body else just gone 12v or is it a bad idea and 240 is needed.

 

[PJfamilyguy]

My conversion will have a 240v hook up but only to charge the leisure battery and pass through to a single 240v socket which only works when hooked up. There is no inverter from 12v to 240v which simplifies things I think.

Hope that makes sense

 

[Deaky]

I have 240v at the moment but have only used it to charge the leisure battery prior to camping. I’m not bothering on the new van. DC-DC charger and panel on the roof.

 

[rod_vw]

I'll agree 240v is not always necessary in a camper BUT for what it costs when building it's worthwhile both as a 'just in case' for low battery situations and resale value later.
From experience a good B to B leisure battery charging system along with a 100W solar panel will support a Waeco CRX65 and LED lighting in good summer sun but we are not always blessed with that here in the UK.

Rod

 

[Davenjo]

We have 240 but most things (fridge, lights, water pump, Eberspacher) run off of the 12 volt system. The 240 is used primarily for charging the leisure battery, immersion heater for hot water (has a 12v element as well but will only work when engine running) and a couple of sockets.

As above, with the solar panel we could probably live without hook up, especially during summer, but if hookup is available we will use it (worth it for speed of boiling a kettle without eating into our limited gas supply).

 

[snoop6060]

I was dead set on going just 12v but at the last minute decided to add a hookup as it did not really cost much to do myself and I knew that when reselling, people would probably want it.

Even if you do not decide to do it, at least run some artic flex from the battery bay where the hook point will be to where ever you might put a CU and then from there to where your sockets are. If using CBE sockets, they are modular so if you suddenly wanted a 240v 3 pin, just swap the socket and fish out the flex you left there. Just the cable will cost you about 15 quid so you may as well lay it whilst you lay the 12v as there will be no going back when its all complete.

 

[Halfnail]

Thanks for the feed back like snoop says probably a good idea to run the cable in just in case i was dead set against but some good point raised.