Camping power supply advice for a novice

[Benrad]

I don't camp, ever. I did a couple of camps with Scouts decades ago and never since.

I do, however, participate in a 24 hour karting race once a year (in August, I'm hopeful it'll go ahead, if not I'll be doing it next year so the advice is still useful!) We set up a couple of tents and an awning between the team of 5 of us where we eat, rest and grab a few hours sleep. There's no electricity hook-up.

Last year we lugged a generator up there which worked OK but we might not be able to borrow one this year. We used it to keep our radios and phones charged (the phones get used to watch the live timing so really take a hammering) and also run a kettle and toaster. I know those last two are ambitious.

I'd been considering one of the jump start packs with a built in inverter. It'll keep the phones and radios charged I'd have thought, then we could get a decent camping stove for heating water/baked beans, fry up. The jump start pack may come in handy at home, but it's not required. Any recommendations or alternatives from experts who actually have to use this kind of thing regularly? Anything that will run the kettle toaster?

P.S. noise is much less of a concern than a campsite given we're next to a live karting circuit

[w1bbles]

By the time you get to a toaster-spec inverter you need to run it off a car battery with the engine running because the problem is battery capacity. So if your car is parked next to the tent you can install a Chinese inverter (see eBay for 2kW inverters and above). They’re not expensive. No emergency battery pack is going to run a toaster or kettle - so if you have no car engine then the only option is a generator. We’ve got. Chinese 2600 kVA suitcase generator too but it’s noisy and thirsty.

I’ve battled this problem on boats for years and for us the big inverter with the engine running is the best solution (my wife insists on having a hairdryer when we’re sailing!).

You will however comfortable charge mobiles off a car jump pack for a couple of days.

[TurnedEmo]

For toasting and boiling water, you're best using gas. You can get toaster gadgets to use on a gas burner and also boil the kettle on a gas stove.

A decent battery pack will work for your radios etc., but consider a fold-out solar panel to keep it topped up during daylight hours. I have a semi-flexible panel I put on top of our camper van if we don't have access to hook-up.

Alternatively, you can get a small and quiet 4-stroke generator from Screwfix for not a lot of cash.

[Benrad]

I should've said it's a five minute walk to where the car is parked

I appreciate the input guys, gas stove plus a jump pack or a little generator it is then

[Mr Pointy]

This has come up a couple of times & the answer at the end of the debate has always been a generator, either bought or hired. By the time you have bought a good deep-cycle battery & a decent inverter then it's been cheaper to hire a generator for the event, especially if it's only once a year.

Something like this could be around £80 for the weekend:
http://www.showhire.co.uk/equipment-hire/generator...

It'll run a microwave to heat up your pasties & soup.

[mike9009]

I would go gas stove for toast/ kettle\ baked beans \ fry ups. Far more versatile than an electric kettle and toaster combination

https://www.millets.co.uk/equipment/003295-camping...

And a couple of Anker 20000mAh battery banks. These should fully charge about three and a half phones from experience.

Solar is a waste of time and too weather dependent to be useful.

Sounds fun, luckily we have 240v in our van and rarely wild camp. Two kids just would not cope.....

[S0 What]

Solar generator, charge from home, 12V or (obv) solar pannels, battery, invertor and charge controler all in one.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220Wh-Solar-Power-Gener...

Having said that the worst items to use with electric are kettles, hair dryers and toasters, go gas

[Skyedriver]

Small fridge for milk etc?