Australian CamperTrailers
national meet at Wellington 2012

thursday

understanding dc-dc chargers  

Redarc's Stuart Peddle along with Wayne Magennis presented a workshop on DC-DC chargers. There has been huge advancements in 12volt battery charging in recent years, especially for those remotely located batteries found in camper trailers which are a long way from the vehicles alternator. The biggest downfall in a situation like this is the voltage drop over the distance involved, sometimes of around ten metres or more. An alternator is known not to be the best thing to charge a battery to full capacity, commonly only achieving 80% in wet cell lead acid batteries & 90% in AGM's. A DC-DC charger will recharge the battery to 100% capacity using 3stage charging techniques from the vehicles alternator. 

The auxiliary batteries in camper trailers are more often than not deep cycle & used to power a large range of power hungry accessories from 12volt fridges, tyre pumps to lighting. A battery which is charged to 100% has more useability, meaning a longer stay in camp without recharging.  The latest Redarc BCDC range of DC-DC chargers also feature a MPPT solar regulator extracting the maximum available power from a solar panel at any given time. This is a huge advancement in solar charging & also a big plus for us camper trailer owners.

birdfeeder making workshop for the kids

Nathan & Rachel Earsman hosted a birdfeeder workshop for the kids.

geological history talk

Dave Cook continued with the geological history from the previous day with the group reassembled back at the campsite to examine the results of the treatment of previously gathered limestone from the hillside reef which had been dissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid. The fossils at this locality have been converted to silica, a crude form of glass, which is resistant to the acid. By dissolving the calcium carbonate between the fossils were left behind as delicately preserved examples of long extinct life forms.

lithium iron batteries 

Armin Pauza from Lithium Batteries Australia was on hand to tell us all about lithium iron batteries & the advantages of their use in camper trailers. These batteries are sure to revolutionize remote power requirements for camper trailer owners in coming years by enhancing the amount of power which can be stored in a given size battery.

Having no lead the lithium batteries are extremely lightweight, around half the weight of a lead acid with an expected lifespan of up to 20 years & over 2000 deep discharge cycles life compared to typically around 300 for lead acid. They also have double the usable capacity of similar amp hour lead acid batteries with a virtual flat discharge curve which means maximum power is available until fully discharged. They can be left in a partially discharged state for extended periods without causing permanent damage. Best of all they are absolutely maintenance free for the life of the battery & do not contain any toxic heavy metals.

pamper session for women

A large number of ladies and young girls joined in on Carol's Camper Pamper session, a trained Mary Kay consultant. On arrival everyone had a satin hand smoothie, then treated to a deluxe facial with a botanical mask, eye and lip spas. Everyone loved the pamper and faces felt fabulous! Next everyone used different body lotions on their arms and legs. Several lucky door prizes were awarded. Chris Rogers' grand daughter, Rachael being the first prize winner. We all had a terrific time laughing, chatting and enjoying the time, especially when Rob came in to take the photos!!

workabout australia

 Warren Williams from Workabout Australia presented a workshop on his business which provides employment opportunities for people travelling around Australia via their website & book which was first published back in 1996 & now covers 200 locations. It lists the facts about a region, employment opportunities including seasonal work & the numbers required, recruitment & contact details, plus accommodation.

The Workabout Australia Club was established in late 2000 as a means of keeping members up to date with employment opportunities. The club features weekly email bulletins, locations of employers, deals & discounts, tips & hints, a classifieds page and also a member’s forum.

 

introduction
attendees
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