I'm on to power inverters now.......

You do need an invertor. Connects to the battery with crocodile clips and has 3 pin socket, and ours has USB port. Bought ours off ebay and it's been great.

I'm not got at any more, I'm sure someone knowledgeable will be along to ensure you get the right facts. I know watts came into it 😉 before buying.

We're loving time off grid.

Has your battery topped up now?

Thanks for that.

Yes, I'm living the high life again. A few days of chasing the sun around with the solar panels and we have swung back to green.

I charge my phone, tablet and mobile broadband hub overnight and I am always amazed that solar panels let you do that with 'free energy'. I'm like a big kid, you should see me in the window seat when taking off in a plane. Powered flight - wow!

Hi Rosie

I bought mine off Ebay for around £30, see the following,

UK-New-Modified-Sine-1500W-3000W-Peak-Wave-Auto-Power-Inverter-DC-12V-to-AC-240V

The important thing to bear in mind is the power consumption of the appliances you're using it for. As long as you don't use anything over 1500 watts then you'll be fine. (Some tech expert will come on and say differently but my system works a treat)

Toaster (750)

Vacuum (700)

Hair Dryer (1200)

Microwave (800)

As Bakers2 pointed out it should be hard wired to the battery although I also have a 600/300 watt model that plugs into the 12 socket which I use for powering the 30 watt TV.

I hope this helps.

Sooo - I found this one on ebay -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-New-Modified-Sine-1500W-3000W-Peak-Wave-Auto-Power-Inverter-DC-12V-to-AC-240V-/262602118327?epid=569790535&hash=item3d244e54b7:g:tbQAAOSwFdtXxog3

It comes with a cigar lighter plug - so could I just plug it into my 12v socket without having to wire it to the leisure battery? My laptop has a 5 amp plug which should be OK and as long as I get a suitable hairdryer and microwave I could experience the joys again of a baked potato and what passes for a hairstyle and not necessarily in that order.

I like the idea of these gadgets

 Rosie,

I think you are going to need help with this. You can't run a 1500W inverter off your ciggy socket, it will need hardwiring with massive wires to your battery. 

A 150W inverter will run off yor ciggy socket but won't power hairdryers etc...

I'm sorry, I'm dashing out but can write a bit more later if no one else does so.....

When off grid, I charge my laptop, shaver, camera batteries, and phone up with a 150w inverter, no problem. Battery kept charged up by a 150w folding solar panel.

I just found the 150 Watts converters on eBay. They look like usb chargers for cigarette lighters but have a 3 pin plug instead. I think I will go for that purely for my laptop - the hair and baked potato will have to wait until I learn more.

Probably OK for the car as well.

Well done Rosie you are doing a brilliant job!  I connected my inverter to the battery with croc clips but at the next caravan service I got them to do a proper job and wire it more permanently.  Lidl did a small inverter for around a tenner that I use in the car occasionally. 

The one being a small inverter! 

That's a good idea re the service. Was wondering about the logistics of connecting up direct to the battery and dangling the microwave out the window in order to plug it in!