Hmm, must be doing summat wrong ... (1 Viewer)

stcyr

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Been at Wildman's since 1st May, no EHU, 1 x 110a battery (of unknown vintage), 130 solar panel. Everything still going strong today, 17th. Liberal use of 2 laptops, printer, lights, tv, water pumps etc., no rationing ... reading other threads it seems 3 or 4 days would be average expectations for such a small set-up ... :winky:
 
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Hi for comparison i have only a 85 AH Gel battery ( its new ) and get 3 days no rationing and 4 days with sensible use. no solar or any support.
 

GJH

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Wot no generator? :roflmto:

Seriously, I'm not surprised at all. With our previous van we had a 50w free standing panel (85Ah then 110 Ah battery after some years) and on our current van we have a 80w fixed panel (80Ah battery). Both panels have easily coped with replacing whatever we have used each day between February/March & September/October. It's all a matter of balance.

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Popeye

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Been at Wildman's since 1st May, no EHU, 1 x 110a battery (of unknown vintage), 130 solar panel. Everything still going strong today, 17th. Liberal use of 2 laptops, printer, lights, tv, water pumps etc., no rationing ... reading other threads it seems 3 or 4 days would be average expectations for such a small set-up ... :winky:

Impressive, what are you using to get on the forum? Dongle/3/wifi?.....Griff
 
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PPSSSITTT!!! The key to the front Door is under the third from the left Plastic Gnome!

Just before the Birdbath with the Piriwhinkles next to the Statue of the Thinker Sssshhh!:thumb: by the old Land Rover
 
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stcyr

stcyr

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Impressive, what are you using to get on the forum? Dongle/3/wifi?.....Griff



T-mobile dongle. Works perfectly wherever there's a phone signal ... :thumb:

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stcyr

stcyr

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Yep, ours works anywhere there's a mobile signal, even just one bar ... :Smile:
 

Snowbird

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I love to hear real field trials like this. Although we are not wasteful with 12 volt we use it as we would at home and with 3 X 110 batteries and 2 X 75 watt panels have not had hookup in years. All this nonsense regarding solar panels only extend your battery life for a few days is just that. Those that cannot survive without hookup when they have solar should really be looking at changing there van as something is seriously wrong with there electrics. Unless of course they are running a 3 bar electric fire through a 2000 watt inverter and watching 26 inch tube mains TV instead of 12 volt.:Doh:

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I love to hear real field trials like this. Although we are not wasteful with 12 volt we use it as we would at home and with 3 X 110 batteries and 2 X 75 watt panels have not had hookup in years. All this nonsense regarding solar panels only extend your battery life for a few days is just that. Those that cannot survive without hookup when they have solar should really be looking at changing there van as something is seriously wrong with there electrics. Unless of course they are running a 3 bar electric fire through a 2000 watt inverter and watching 26 inch tube mains TV instead of 12 volt.:Doh:

I have 240Watts of solar and 500AH of batteries and it lasted me 4 days at Peterborough show.

Having said that. It was chucking it down and I was on my big laptop most of the time.....

I also have a compressor fridge.

In decent weather the solar panels should support me fully but in the less than optimal weather we have been having it is just extending the life of the bats.
 
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stcyr

stcyr

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Forgot to mention use of the Truma fan as well - been a bit chilly down here some evenings... :Smile:
 

Snowbird

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I have 240Watts of solar and 500AH of batteries and it lasted me 4 days at Peterborough show.

Having said that. It was chucking it down and I was on my big laptop most of the time.....

I also have a compressor fridge.

In decent weather the solar panels should support me fully but in the less than optimal weather we have been having it is just extending the life of the bats.
Do you run the BIG laptop through an inverter or direct 12 volt. I have a widescreen laptop and herself has a normal lapy, both run 12 volt direct. We do have an inverter but only use it for herselfs low power hotbrush. I would say that your power is going into your compressor fridge. I did look at them when I had to replace the fridge but decided that for our wilding lifestyle it was not suitable. We even use a dedicated 12 volt battery charger for charging camera batteries etc 12 stack CD player which is constantly on, TV, DVD, and sat box,all on 12 volt. Have never once ran out of juice,even after a wet week on Shell Island with the heater running.

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GJH

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I have 240Watts of solar and 500AH of batteries and it lasted me 4 days at Peterborough show.

Having said that. It was chucking it down and I was on my big laptop most of the time.....

I also have a compressor fridge.

In decent weather the solar panels should support me fully but in the less than optimal weather we have been having it is just extending the life of the bats.

Interesting. We have 80Ah battery and 80W panel and the battery was more or less still full when we left Peterborough on the Sunday lunchtime, having been there 4 days. Main power usage was heater fan, water pump and LED lighting. Otherwise recharging Jill's tablet, phones & e-readers. My netbook didn't need charging as it has a long battery life and I didn't use it for more than e-mail and checking Fun.
 

Snowbird

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Am also of the opinion that anyone that owns a MOTORHOME that cant live without electric hookup does not own a MOTORHOME any more. They own what can only be described as a static caravan that occasionally moves from site to site. Am sure this will come as a shock to some, but stop and think why you chose a MOTORHOME in the first place instead of a static caravan.:Blush:
 

Jim

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We have 220ah of batteries and 360 watts of panel on the roof, we don't do TV but always have a couple of laptops hooked up though a 600 watt inverter. We are rarely on hookup and the day length by Easter allows us to be away from a hook up indefinitely, or at least till October when the days get shorter:thumb: Solar rules::bigsmile:

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Snowbird

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We have 220ah of batteries and 360 watts of panel on the roof, we don't do TV but always have a couple of laptops hooked up though a 600 watt inverter. We are rarely on hookup and the day length by Easter allows us to be away from a hook up indefinitely, or at least till October when the days get shorter:thumb: Solar rules::bigsmile:
Why not get a dedicated 12 volt charger for the laptops Jim. Got a new one today from Maplin £14-99p. Runs my Toshiba Satellite no problem.
 

Bushtrekker

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I use my T mobile phone and a 3 dongle.

We weren't a million miles away from you on the way back through last week and I managed to get a signal using my phone everywhere we stopped in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. Because my wife has a laptop I bought a 3 Mifi when I bought the camper, but have yet to use it as the phone works perfectly.
 

oldun

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I'm rather confused by many of statements made in earlier posts.

The idea that an 85 Ah battery (about 60 Ah usable) can last four days with or without a solar panel is quite interesting. We are talking about consuming 1 amp for 15 hours a day, 2 amps for 7.5 hours and 4 amps for about 4 hours.

Without knowing exactly what is being used in the way of electricity and for how long each day the quoted figures have no meaning.

Certainly it would not would not power an outfit using a satellite TV system nor would it be man enough to use a laptop for too many hours a day (my lap charger when charging consumes about 45 watts).

The lights alone in many vans consume significant amounts of electricity - many a spot lamp consume about 1.75 amps. The water pump, electric toilet and gas heating system all consume a fair amount of power

If, like me, you have no TV or DVD player, no gas heating, use the laptop sparingly and have mostly LED lights then my two 120 Ah batteries and small solar panel allow me to camp 3 of 4 days without a hook-up.

I do have a 12V compressor fridge. This is very efficient all the time (even when traveling and on board a cross channel ferry), needs no external venting (no drafts), produces far less waste heat and is more compact than a 3-way fridge but it does eat into the battery power when not on a hook-up.

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Snowbird

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I'm rather confused by many of statements made in earlier posts.

The idea that an 85 Ah battery (about 60 Ah usable) can last four days with or without a solar panel is quite interesting. We are talking about consuming 1 amp for 15 hours a day, 2 amps for 7.5 hours and 4 amps for about 4 hours.

Without knowing exactly what is being used in the way of electricity and for how long each day the quoted figures have no meaning.

Certainly it would not would not power an outfit using a satellite TV system nor would it be man enough to use a laptop for too many hours a day (my lap charger when charging consumes about 45 watts).

The lights alone in many vans consume significant amounts of electricity - many a spot lamp consume about 1.75 amps. The water pump, electric toilet and gas heating system all consume a fair amount of power

If, like me, you have no TV or DVD player, no gas heating, use the laptop sparingly and have mostly LED lights then my two 120 Ah batteries and small solar panel allow me to camp 3 of 4 days without a hook-up.

I do have a 12V compressor fridge. This is very efficient all the time (even when traveling and on board a cross channel ferry), needs no external venting (no drafts), produces far less waste heat and is more compact than a 3-way fridge but it does eat into the battery power when not on a hook-up.
Have a look at Gromets post and see what you both have in common. It will all become clear then.
 

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