Could you manage... ???? (1 Viewer)

Jan 2, 2015
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Slightly off topic (apologies) but I was watching a Place in the Sun the other night and a couple of the houses they were looking at were off grid with Solar panels on the roof and I wondered how day to day living was in this respect. I know that in many respects it will be similar to living full time in a motorhome with banks of batteries, standby generators, Gas for fridge, cooking, heating, etc. 12v for lighting, TV etc. But what about Satellite, Broadband, Vacuums & other things like that, do they use an inverter? Anyone any personal experience of living in a house off grid like this??
 
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OP
old-mo

old-mo

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Oct 16, 2008
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Weymouth. Dorset...
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Nearly aint got one.
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Caravan & motorhome 45 + yrs
So lets get this straight..
Mo, do you mean a daily allowance or maximum draw at any given time ?

What is let through at any given time at the EHU post...

So if I am reading you right, John, maximum draw at any time.

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Jaws

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Sep 26, 2008
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Ahh.. in that case.. Def no problem at all !!
About the only thing I would do is put away the 2kW kettle and revert to our little 800W jobby
 

Jaws

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Sep 26, 2008
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Slightly off topic (apologies) but I was watching a Place in the Sun the other night and a couple of the houses they were looking at were off grid with Solar panels on the roof and I wondered how day to day living was in this respect. I know that in many respects it will be similar to living full time in a motorhome with banks of batteries, standby generators, Gas for fridge, cooking, heating, etc. 12v for lighting, TV etc. But what about Satellite, Broadband, Vacuums & other things like that, do they use an inverter? Anyone any personal experience of living in a house off grid like this??

All of those things are available in 12v form... In fact we have them our selves :)
About the only thing we never use on batteries is a microwave
 
Jan 13, 2014
3,547
11,373
Leeds - Yorkshire
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29,678
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6amp! Luxury we can indulge, but we manage very well, 3 x 180 batteries, 340 solar,2k inverter, 100 litre Gas tank,2 Alu gas bottles in reserve, it's a struggle going without nothing!!!!
 

Lenny HB

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Oct 18, 2007
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Don't use EHU, brought a Motorhome to be self sufficient, don't want to have to hook up every time we stop.
In our caravaning days sites with only 3 amp EHU never caused us any problems.

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D

Deleted member 29692

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Slightly off topic (apologies) but I was watching a Place in the Sun the other night and a couple of the houses they were looking at were off grid with Solar panels on the roof and I wondered how day to day living was in this respect. I know that in many respects it will be similar to living full time in a motorhome with banks of batteries, standby generators, Gas for fridge, cooking, heating, etc. 12v for lighting, TV etc. But what about Satellite, Broadband, Vacuums & other things like that, do they use an inverter? Anyone any personal experience of living in a house off grid like this??

Solar panels fitted on a building generate 230v or the local equivalent so you don't need any special appliances. A big enough bank of them and you will more than cover normal domestic requirements without restricting your usage.

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Aug 6, 2013
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Just need enough to operate the charger and, preferably, the fridge. We have all 12v or LPG appliances so with solar we don't even need it for battery charging in Summer.
 
Aug 18, 2014
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Solar panels fitted on a building generate 230v or the local equivalent so you don't need any special appliances. A big enough bank of them and you will more than cover normal domestic requirements without restricting your usage.

Yes if it is 'back to the grid' system . Most here have battery banks & inverters.
 
Apr 23, 2014
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Spain ??
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Ice cream van
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More than ample!! we have had a 4A EHU to the van for last 2 weeks here in Portugal, keeps the fridge ticking over, and sometimes in the evening if its gets chilly we put the Truma on 500W setting to take the chill off.

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Huwmari

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Jul 26, 2013
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Yes, we can manage for about four days without moving. Very seldom have EHU anyway. Our two leisure batteries supply all our needs, including my husband's CPAP machine which is on all night.
 
Jul 29, 2007
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At Piau Engaly in the Pyranees you get 4amps Ehu on the ehu in the aire, that's enough to run your heating. In our case I shunted it directly to the battery charger and ran everything from the inverter. So telly, kettle it all still worked. :D

Ian

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Landy lover

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Jul 11, 2009
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Yes Mo - we can survive on 8 amps which is just a little more than 2kva which is a Honda EU2.0 genny output. Even that will allow us to run air con in the summer - just need to be frugal and avoid putting microwave and kettle on together or run things that can on gas.
 
Aug 4, 2013
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Probably not long term in winter, we have gas, stove, oven, a pan to boil water if I can't use nespresso machine or kettle, we have candles! Did juggle in Provence when we ran nothing except the aircon! Don't bother with TV much in summer though we have 12v and solar. Don't fancy winter wilding much .... though if we had a refillable gas tank I wouldn't be so bothered, would just be bothered about running out of gas.
 
Jul 29, 2007
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Its not amps that limit you, its Lpg, we could last indefinitely on 4amps, but would run out of gas after 5-7 days depending on the outside temperature.

Ian

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GWAYGWAY

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Sep 6, 2014
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1 KWhour equals 20 cents or thereabouts who is making all the money at 8 euros for EHU?
 
Aug 6, 2013
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Its not amps that limit you, its Lpg, we could last indefinitely on 4amps, but would run out of gas after 5-7 days depending on the outside temperature.

Ian
True but an 8A supply would allow for 1kW heating at least along with charging etc so gas would top that up as needed. A constant 1kW goes a long way towards keeping the van heated. Possibly half or more of your heating requirement.
 
Jul 29, 2007
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Ipswich
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32
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RV and PVC
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30 years
True but an 8A supply would allow for 1kW heating at least along with charging etc so gas would top that up as needed. A constant 1kW goes a long way towards keeping the van heated. Possibly half or more of your heating requirement.

You jest :D 1 Kw in my Rv? The yanks don't do insulation, they just fit big heaters, my blown air is 30,000 Btu's. A 3Kw heater is only just over 10,000 Btu's, in the mild winters we have in Suffolk, that's enough, in the Pyranees in winter? No chance, got to use gas. :(

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Aug 6, 2013
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Kendal, Cumbria
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Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
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since 1999
You jest :D 1 Kw in my Rv? The yanks don't do insulation, they just fit big heaters, my blown air is 30,000 Btu's. A 3Kw heater is only just over 10,000 Btu's, in the mild winters we have in Suffolk, that's enough, in the Pyranees in winter? No chance, got to use gas. :(
Indeed. No hook-up would meet that need:D
 

JohnM

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Nov 8, 2008
650
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Central Scotland
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Since Feb 2009 and 40yrs c/vaning
A big yes manage most of the summer without mains.

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