Best way to use hairdryer when wild camping

[garry63]

Hi all
Looking for best solution for wife using hairdryer and straighteners whilst wild camping.
I have 130w solar with 200ah gel battery
Never run out of power as only light users on 12v we have everything we need.
Problem is her indoors needs to wash and dry hair every 4/5day
So whats best inverter or quiet small genny.
Whats your experiences please?
Please don't take the thread down the noise and disturbance to neighbours worm hole as would use responsibly
Look forward to your solutions

 

[MichaelT]

Please don't take the thread down the noise and disturbance to neighbours worm hole as would use responsibly
Look forward to your solutions

Blimey is the dryer a jet engine

Do a search loads if threads on here.

 

[The Coops]

Short hair cut? We have 200ah gel and a 2000w inverter, no trouble at all, just tell her to stick her head out of the window when travelling along, you have seen how happy motorcyclist and dogs are!

 

[MisterB]

i would try with a decent sized inverter with the battery you already have and see ..... it will come down to how much discharge the battery can handle and how much power the hairdryer consumes.

quite often something will work, even though the stats will tell it wont, which is why i suggest trying it .... whether the solar is enough to replenish the hairdryer is another issue of course, again, it might be best to trial it?

an alternative is to fit a large lithium and a large inverter ...... but at a massive cost, how much do you love her LOL .....

 

[Armytwowheels]

As a hair dryer user, I would say a bigger inverter, maybe 1800w minimum and another solar panel. The price of which should be less than a 'quiet inverter'. Also less agro from others and less space taken up in your locker. My Hairdryer is a small 1000w one, but I use it sparingly and my hair is almost dry by the time I use it. So just for final shaping. Straighteners you will have to research, as I cannot advise.

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[garry63]

Blimey is the dryer a jet engine

Do a search loads if threads on here.

No i just need 240V for appliances

 

[garry63]

Not that much

i would try with a decent sized inverter with the battery you already have and see ..... it will come down to how much discharge the battery can handle and how much power the hairdryer consumes.

quite often something will work, even though the stats will tell it wont, which is why i suggest trying it .... whether the solar is enough to replenish the hairdryer is another issue of course, again, it might be best to trial it?

an alternative is to fit a large lithium and a large inverter ...... but at a massive cost, how much do you love her LOL .

i would try with a decent sized inverter with the battery you already have and see ..... it will come down to how much discharge the battery can handle and how much power the hairdryer consumes.

quite often something will work, even though the stats will tell it wont, which is why i suggest trying it .... whether the solar is enough to replenish the hairdryer is another issue of course, again, it might be best to trial it?

an alternative is to fit a large lithium and a large inverter ...... but at a massive cost, how much do you love her LOL .....

I'm not tenically minded so working things out above me

 

[pjay]

If you've got blown air heating, stick a pipe on the end of one of the vents, job done.

 

[garry63]

I'm thinking genny route so can use when sunlight in short supply I'm not fitting more batteries or solar or b2b happy with set up I have. Maybe get rid of her indoors and get a dog

 

[garry63]

Short hair cut? We have 200ah gel and a 2000w inverter, no trouble at all, just tell her to stick her head out of the window when travelling along, you have seen how happy motorcyclist and dogs are!

Do you use inverter if so what spec?

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[Richard n Ann]

Look at the Babyliss Big Hair dryer it's only 700w but there is a 350w setting too, Ann loved hers.

BaByliss Big Hair Rotating Hot Air Blow dry Brush, Dry and style in one step, 50mm https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E91T0OS?tag=mhf04-21

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

If you've got blown air heating, stick a pipe on the end of one of the vents, job done.

That is not a bad idea as one might think.
If you used the first blown heating vent in the circuit, ie the one closest to the blown air heating fan, it would be the hottest quickest and have more power than the remaining vents in the loop.
Often thought of doing this for myself but as I am folically challenged, it would be a waste of good piping.

 

[tonka]

I fitted an 1100watt Inverter using our 2 x 90amp lead acid batteries, wife uses a standard hairdryer but always on the low setting (higher settings use more heat and hence need more power). It has done the job for her over past 4 years and we are off grid / at rallies most of the time.
Recently swopped over to 2 x 100amp Lithiums but same inverter, she was over the moon when she could go to setting no 2.

This is what i fitted, not top range or expensive but not the cheap chinese type either.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KRI%C3%8BGER-1100-Watts-UK-Installation-black/dp/B07GRGKXDF/?tag=mhf04-21

 

[bubble63]

Generators are noisy , smelly and heavy. Why would you want one over an inverter ?
Had one years ago, it sits under my bench unused for years

 

[andyman]

Look at the Babyliss Big Hair dryer it's only 700w but there is a 350w setting too, Ann loved hers.

BaByliss Big Hair Rotating Hot Air Blow dry Brush, Dry and style in one step, 50mm https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E91T0OS?tag=mhf04-21

That's pretty much what Lynn uses. 2 90amp gels and 100 watt solar. Uses it every day and we never run out of power in the summer. We are ok for 3 days spring and autumn.

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[Marie-Claire]

Gas powered straighteners is what her indoors uses

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Off grid use with Mrs DW was entirely dependent upon her hair straightener and hair dryer being operational.
As the straightener is electronically controlled, pure sine wave is the only option (also guaranteed suitable for anything within the capacity of the inverter) so we have a 2000w Sunshine Solar unit connected to 2X 100Ah batteries.
Everything works perfectly and uses a maximum 7% of my battery capacity each day even on high setting (approx 130a draw for a few minutes) but the solar panels replenish this easily on summer days.
We have used a generator many years ago and TBH apart from the nuisance to others, setting it up securely and storing and carrying it, is a total PITA.

 

[The Coops]

Do you use inverter if so what spec?

Renology 200 -4000W inverter bought off here from a funster use on low setting for her Dyson hair dryer no problem

 

[DBK]

I fitted a 1500W inverter which my wife uses with a 1200W hairdryer. The dryer has two heat settings and she only ever uses it on the low power setting which is probably about 800W.

This has worked fine for several years with 190Ah battery capacity. It is quite a load and the life of the batteries will be shortened but I can live with that.

You'll have to search around for a 1200W dryer but they do exist.

I fitted a pure sine wave inverter so we can charge the electric toothbrush. If this isn't a requirement then a modified sine wave inverter will be cheaper.

 

[DangerMousy]

I'm thinking genny route so can use when sunlight in short supply I'm not fitting more batteries or solar or b2b happy with set up I have.

If you don't want to change your setup, instead of a generator why not look at a portable power station? Would be much easier to store, almost silent in use, and no need to worry about carrying the fuel around either. For example, we have an Ecoflow Delta and my hair dryer (1200 watts) uses 5% for me to dry my hair from wet.

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[Barriesimpson]

If you've got blown air heating, stick a pipe on the end of one of the vents, job done.

But what if it's 36ºC?

 

[DangerMousy]

If you've got blown air heating, stick a pipe on the end of one of the vents, job done.

That is not a bad idea as one might think.
If you used the first blown heating vent in the circuit, ie the one closest to the blown air heating fan, it would be the hottest quickest and have more power than the remaining vents in the loop.
Often thought of doing this for myself but as I am folically challenged, it would be a waste of good piping.

Having had Truma blown air on a previous MH, all I can say is no no no.....all you'd end up with is a replica of those terrible all-in-one hairdryer units you used to find in leisure centres or cheap hotels: all heat and no power. This idea comes up on almost all hairdryer threads, but I wonder how many of the people suggesting it actually use a hairdryer to dry a decent amount of hair? Hair dryers don't have to be hot (in fact too much heats damages hair), its the combination of warm air and good strong airflow that dries hair - and of the two, the airflow is far more important and the Truma vents just aren't powerful enough.

But what if it's 36ºC?

This too.
Though if its that hot, then I just let mine dry naturally and use straighteners to tidy it up afterwards (if I can be bothered).

 

[Baggydave]

If you've got blown air heating, stick a pipe on the end of one of the vents, job done.

What a brilliant idea. Only good for winter months though.

 

[garry63]

If you don't want to change your setup, instead of a generator why not look at a portable power station? Would be much easier to store, almost silent in use, and no need to worry about carrying the fuel around either. For example, we have an Ecoflow Delta and my hair dryer (1200 watts) uses 5% for me to dry my hair from wet.

Like the sound of that will investigate

 

[Barriesimpson]

This too.
Though if its that hot, then I just let mine dry naturally and use straighteners to tidy it up afterwards (if I can be bothered).

Oh no, that would definitely not work for the missus, if not dried properly it all goes 'estofado' as they say in Spanish and then I have problems

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[faraway]

Anyone tried one of these? USB recharge

Bewinner Professional Cordless Hair Dryer - 3 Speeds & 3 Temp USB Rechargeable Battery Hair Dryers, Portable Hairdryers with Digital Screen for Women Beach Camping https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D8JQQ1LK?tag=mhf04-21

 

[Hils and Glenns]

A lot depends on the length and thickness of Mrs gary63's hair . I have recently found this https://www.amazon.co.uk/REVLON-RVHA6017UK-Tangle-Free-Styler/dp/B071D3PJXV/?tag=mhf04-21
My hair is chin length and quite fine and this works brilliantly. Its only 250w on full power and it has an even lower setting. Works well on my hair. I let my hair dry naturally and then use this while its just damp to style it. Love it.

 

[garry63]

Anyone tried one of these? USB recharge

Bewinner Professional Cordless Hair Dryer - 3 Speeds & 3 Temp USB Rechargeable Battery Hair Dryers, Portable Hairdryers with Digital Screen for Women Beach Camping https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D8JQQ1LK?tag=mhf04-21

Wife has seen these but not sure if any good dont know anyone thats used one

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Having had Truma blown air on a previous MH, all I can say is no no no.....all you'd end up with is a replica of those terrible all-in-one hairdryer units you used to find in leisure centres or cheap hotels: all heat and no power. This idea comes up on almost all hairdryer threads, but I wonder how many of the people suggesting it actually use a hairdryer to dry a decent amount of hair? Hair dryers don't have to be hot (in fact too much heats damages hair), its the combination of warm air and good strong airflow that dries hair - and of the two, the airflow is far more important and the Truma vents just aren't powerful enough.


This too.
Though if its that hot, then I just let mine dry naturally and use straighteners to tidy it up afterwards (if I can be bothered).

So basically then, just sit in front of a bog standard desk fan on full tilt in a warm-ish van.
I , thankfully don't need this, as a quick rub down with a copy of the Racing Post dries my bald patch admirably.
Horses for Courses

 

[Grasmere9]

Me....wild camping=wild hair
Since arriving in France I have left my hair to go curly and I actually quite like it