Hair dryers?

[Marie-Claire]

Swmbo is asking all the fun ladies out there what is the way to go on a hairdryer. Is it best to go for a 12v and keep the engine ticking over so as not to kill the battery or have an inverter to run a household dryer. Currently have a 130ah agm in a sonic , would it need 2 batteries to go down this route?? Thanks in advance

 

[ORPP2]

I have lived on a boat and now a motorhome for the past 16 years and, in my experience, a 12V hairdryer is a complete waste of time.

If you really cannot live without a hairdryer, then I would suggest that you need to be able to plug into a campsite or CL with full-fat electricity.

On the boat, we had an inverter but I did not use it for a hairdryer and just left my hair to dry naturally. Afterall, in and out of the water every day, I didn't see the point.

Now on the motorhome, we do not have an inverter and I wait until we are with proper electricity to do my hair. Don't see the point of installing one just to use a hairdryer.

I appreciate that we all have different needs but this suits me fine.

 

[DBK]

We have a 1500W inverter and can run a 1200W hairdryer although my wife only ever uses it on the low heat as she finds it too hot on full power. We have two 95Ah batteries. The inverter is pure sine wave but this isn't necessary just for a hair dryer.

You could use your existing battery but expect battery life to be reduced but this may be a necessary price to pay for marital harmony. More capacity would be better of course but I don't think it's essential as the hair dryer should only be used for a few minutes a day.

 

[Lenny HB]

My wife has the perfect motorhome hair dryer a towel.

If you go the inverter route you need a travel hair dryer and a couple more batteries.

 

[Marie-Claire]

Thanks dbk, so if i got a second 130 agm battery that would easily power a 1500 invertor linked to a single 3 pin socket it would do the job and not kill the batteries

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[DBK]

Thanks dbk, so if i got a second 130 agm battery that would easily power a 1500 invertor linked to a single 3 pin socket it would do the job and not kill the batteries

It won't kill them but might knock a year or so off their life based on my experience.

 

[tonka]

Forget 12v... A light bulb has more heat...
Or if you really must i have one here for a fiver..

We have 2 x 90amp batteries, i think 200w solar (unsure as already fitted), an 1100w inverter.
Wife uses a domestic hair dryer but on the lower setting. Works fine as she lets her hair dry for a while before using the dryer.
Battery may be enough to run it but the issue is can replace the power used, ok if you have solar and a good day. Not so good on a very overcast / rainy one.

 

[Winger]

12v are apparently good at burning out your 12v socket or setting your van on fire for very little heat. It has been suggested that the heater of the engine on full with a dash vent open is a better option.
In a word a12v is useless

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks dbk, so if i got a second 130 agm battery that would easily power a 1500 invertor linked to a single 3 pin socket it would do the job and not kill the batteries

Depends on the power of the hair dryer if it was 1200 watts it will draw approx 110 amps at 12v allowing for invertor efficency.
With two 130 ah batteries if you want them to last you should keep the discharge rate to C5 max which would be 52 amps.
With 4 x 130 ah batteries it will be fine with only two you will shorten their life quite a bit.

 

[Marie-Claire]

Was thinking of leaving the engine ticking over whilst in use, on the trucks it seemed to work when using microwaves

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[Lenny HB]

Was thinking of leaving the engine ticking over whilst in use, on the trucks it seemed to work when using microwaves

Unless you have a very old van the last thing you want to do is let your van tickover from cold. Modern diesels never get up to operating temperature on tickover. Could end up costing you thousands.

 

[burtonwisher]

We went for the GHD Travel Flight hair dryer, which is a great performer that consumes only 1200W on full power and 600W on half. Cost about £60.
We run it off a 2000W pure sine wave inerter powered by 2 x 110Ah lithium batteries, and it works great.

 

[Southdowners]

The only advice I’d give is not to use a Dyson hairdryer or GHD tongs and straighteners. I did and nearly killed them.

 

[Tombola]

If you are going to change and budget allows why not 200 or so lithium 2000 inverter and then other uses such as microwaves leccy hob, kettle etc can be used.

Of course it's more dosh than another battery the same as you have now but is somewhat future proofing if you need it.

 

[jockaneezer]

Some people recommend a piece of ducting clipped onto one of the blown air heater outlets ?

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[Marie-Claire]

Sounds a great idea but we are on alde, that suggestion might get the radiator wrapped round my lug

 

[Lenny HB]

Some people recommend a piece of ducting clipped onto one of the blown air heater outlets ?

Carver (taken over by Truma) used to sell a hair dryer attachment for the heating outlets. Couldn't have been much fun when temperatures were in the 30's.

 

[KiwiKampers]

This question has come up before and I always recommend towel drying hair as much as possible and then using USB hair straighteners to shape your hair.

I use these Hair Styla USB hair straighteners. Wash and dry hair, then run your locks through the straighteners several times and they style adequately. Obviously, not as good as GHDs or probably the Dyson, but as these only cost me the equivalent of about £25 I am more than happy not to look like a happy camper. They recharge within about 20-minutes.

 

[Itsmcb]

I can recommend this little hairdryer which I bought especially for use in our van, my wife confirms it works really well. I have two 110amp lead batteries and a 1200w inverter. My wife also uses hair straighteners and we now have a microwave and coffee machine. If I have to replace the two batteries at a cost of about £160 after a couple of years it's a small price to pay for ' marital harmony '
(nice phrase DBK ).

Wahl Travel Hair Dryer, Hair Dryer with Attachments, Dryer for Travelling, Compact Hairdryer, Foldable Travel Dryer, Two Heat Settings, Worldwide Voltage, Portable Travel Hairdryers, Black https://amzn.eu/d/hr44JPW

 

[VXman]

Thanks dbk, so if i got a second 130 agm battery that would easily power a 1500 invertor linked to a single 3 pin socket it would do the job and not kill the batteries

We do the same. 1500W inverter, actually 3 batteries but I am sure 2 would do and the wife uses her home hair dryer on low power.

We do have solar panel though to recharge the battery.

We also use it for the electric toaster and recharging lap top. I have recharged my electric motorbike from it, but that was while on the move and with sunny weather for the solar!