Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
In article ,
Marland wrote:
van drivers to have their lunch in - a meal
deal from the store, etc.
And they near all have their engines running. Perhaps understandable if
cold for the heater. But this happens at all times of the year.

AC is std on most vans now ,if it is there people will use it .

Some if they are off a building site or a repairman who is attending
several calls may be taking the opportunity to top up the batteries of
Cordless tools ,most of the well known tool makes like Makita make chargers
that work off the vehicle accessory socket.

Sorry, I simply don't believe every van running its engine when parked up
like this has a good reason to do so.

Try tapping on the window and asking? I have noticed the same phenomenon
at Hatfield Tesco but assumed they were running aircon or heater. Tool
charging does make sense.



I did tool charging in the van till I ceased work some 12 years ago, back
then due to having different makes of tool non of which AFAIK offered a 12
charger I used an inverter . 850 watts hard wired to the battery .More than
the chargers needed but meant I could use the odd corded item like a decent
lead lamp ( LEDs have really transformed things since then). Despite the
inverter rarely being asked to give its full output I was always a little
cautious at running for too long without the engine turning.

It would have been a rare thing then but now in tool chargers from the 12v
socket are more common as are more modern high capacity batteries but that
means you need more juice to fully charge them up.

GH