Date:         Thu, 3 Nov 1994 06:52:26 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         David Garth <dgarth@cymbal.aix.calpoly.edu>
Subject:      Re: generators vs. camping (long and tiresome)



Many of you who have tried and not liked inverters are missing the point. 
Inverters, even the best ones, are rather inefficient. So trying to run 
everything you do at home for the same length of time will be 
frustrating. That's the brute force method...not very elegant. You would 
need another bus just for the batteries.

A better way is to practice a little energy-consciousness and creativity. 
Americans use way too much energy by world standards, so why not use 
camping as a way to learn some new tricks:

1. Heating appliances (like stoves and heaters) and refrigerators work 
best and most efficently on propane. Using an electric heater or hot 
plate or 120V fridge is silly when propane works so effiently and quietly.

2. Electronics designed to work on batteries are usually more efficent 
than those designed for 120VAC. So a car CD player will use much less 
juice than a home CD, especially considering the losses in inverters and 
transformers.

3. Lighting of all types (inclding Halogen, flourescent, etc) is 
available for 12 volts and is very efficient.

4. When all else fails, ask the question, do I really need this? Can I 
read or talk or hike instead.

5. When the answer is still yes, can I plug it in at the restroom? (Like 
a hairdryer)

It's actually fun, at least for me, to "dry camp" for many days and see 
how efficently I can camp. Shouldn't camping be a little different than 
being at home?

Dave Garth