Reddit reviews BESTEK 200W Power Inverter DC 12V to 110V AC Inverter with 4.2A 4-Port USB Car Adapter [ETL Listed]

This is what we used this last year Stanley J7CS 350 Amp Battery Jump Starter with Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RZXVQSU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_0dYryb53RQN05

Jump starts your car and comes with an air compressor. My group of four was able to charge our phones and play music all weekend. Just get a power inverter ( BESTEK 200W Power Inverter DC 12V to 110V AC Inverter with 4.2A 4-Port USB Car Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EY6RJKA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8kYryb7XBT29W ) and you can power anything with it.

http://www.amazon.com/outlets-inverter-adapter-notebook-MRI3011BU/dp/B004MDXS0U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405470334&sr=8-2&keywords=12v+inverter+with+usb

or for even cheaper

http://www.amazon.com/inverter-adapter-outlets-charging-MRI2011GU/dp/B00EY6RJKA/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1405470334&sr=8-8&keywords=12v+inverter+with+usb

This way you're not limited to just powering your wii u, you can use it for other things (even a tv, heh!)

I borrowed a friend's DC car inverter, which has two AC outlets and two USB ports. Worked great. Looks something like this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EY6RJKA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467592138&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=car+inverter+power+outlet&dpPl=1&dpID=41l9Yi7L6kL&ref=plSrch

Sure, this is the one we used:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EY6RJKA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you get license plate DYB15 that was ours!

Since I read all the horror stories about broken equipment and getting charged for preexisting dents and scratches I also made a list of all the things to check out once we picked the van up: all supplies were provided, heater worked, extras like GPS and Wifi were included, video/photo all existing scratches, etc. The guy who checked us in was very thorough and showed us how to work everything. They were great overall and I never felt like they were scamming us for extra charges.

Just don't get stuck in a deep gravel parking lot like we did and pay $350 for a tow truck! That was embarrassing. We called the rental company and they sent someone out to help within an hour. Other than that we had no problems with the van. Would definitely rent from campervaniceland again.

you probably want to use leds for the lighting as you can very cheaply aquire and run some 12v leds straight off the battery without needing an inverter.

Same goes for a cell phone charger. Use a 12v car charger.

If those are the only 2 things you need to power you'll have plenty of juice in that battery.

Why that battery in particular?

If you're getting a solar panel you'll need a charge controller, and neither of those will be super portable anyway.

Consider a 12v 7ah sealed lead acid battery.

They are super cheap for their capacity.


As far as the solar panel, something like this would work.


it includes a charge controller.



here's a couple images of one of the solar power kits ive put together.

http://i.imgur.com/nfA1GnO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/rQKQ1uD.jpg

4 x 12v 7ah SLA batteries
1 10 watt solar panel

1 charge controller (much better than the ones that are often included with inexpensive panels

1 200w inverter


I can run just about anything with this setup.

12v devices and wires can be connected straight to the "Load" terminals on the charge controller.
Anything 110v can be plugged into the inverter.

The thing I REALLY like about that inverter is is has 4 usb charging ports that are on even when the inverter is off.

2 x 2 amp usb.

2 x 1 amp usb.

I recently took a road trip with my mother (60), a 10 year old and a nearly 3 year old. We drove from North Texas, to Southern Ontario Canada and then to the Jersey Shore then back to Canada. Just under 4000 miles, lots of time on the road!

This made our trip a lot easier to manage.

My sedan only had two car chargers and between my phone and my mothers-not to mention the DVD players the kids had, the computer, our Kindles etc. I knew charging various things would be an issue. This one was around $20 and worked well. It has a fan inside, but I was able to put it under the seat while in use and the sound couldn't be heard.

You might consider one!

The Schumacher will certainly do the job - but for [$125 you get to carry around 24 lbs. of 22 amp hour battery and a compressor] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EIAADG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004EIAADG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20). The thing is so heavy that I hate carrying it back and forth to the car after I charge it up in the garage.

I bought this thing 3 years ago, and it has served me well, but I wouldn't buy it again now that lithium batteries have come down so far in price.

Today, you can get a [50.8 amp hour lithium jump starter/power pack for $62 that weighs less than a pound] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012SF971W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B012SF971W&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20). With a [$13.79 female cigarette socket] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SP4KV0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007SP4KV0&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) and a [$25.99 inverter] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EY6RJKA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EY6RJKA&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20), you can pay $24 less, charge everything you need to charge - and not break your back carrying an old-style lead acid battery around.

Again, hope this is helpful!

-- If you email them they can answer your questions about the inverter, and that might be a good idea because it can vary from what's pictured, but the pic looks like it has one USB port and one plug port for European plugs. I brought my own inverter, this one which has 4 USB ports and 3 US outlets. The red version has better USB ports (4x 2.1a instead of 2x 2.1 and 2x 1a). With this I never needed to look for an outlet to charge any of my gear.

-- The stoves are usually butane fuel and come with one bottle. On my trip fuel was readily available at gas stations and some campgrounds. They may have supplies from previous renters you can pick through as well.

-- I bought all my food there (my van had a fridge) so I'm no help on this one.


Enjoy your trip!

So this weekend I plan on playing music through speakers and a laptop power through my car. I am using this which has a stated output of 200W Rated, 250W Max, 500W Peak (AC). The speakers I am using are LSR305s which have an LF Driver Power Amp 41W Class D and a HF Driver Power Amp 41 W Class D. I am using two of these and at times I'll need to charge my 2012 Macbook (simultaneously maybe) which uses a 60W charger.

I'm kind of lost looking at all these numbers. For example, do I add the LF and HF amp and multiply by two an add the charger wattage? The back of the LSR305s say 127W Max, is that at full volume?

Get a lighter socket convertor. Job done.

EDIT: like this one

One of the best portable phone chargers I have ever used (though its $5 over your limit): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009V5X1CE/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Someone else suggested this same fan (but here is a link for $9.99 instead of $19.95) I used it last year in my tent and it worked great: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AVMSEY/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (thinking about making a swamp cooler with this fan and a styrofoam cooler this year!)

If your car camping, this is can charge/run 7 different items at once: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EY6RJKA/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also if car camping, and will need to run your car at all to charge things, a flexible duct to route exhaust out of your campground is invaluable!: http://www.amazon.com/Dundas-Jafine-BTD48TC-ProFlex-Transition/dp/B0015UGPWQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396231801&sr=8-3&keywords=dryer+vent