How many nights without hookup? (1 Viewer)

Touchwood

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OK, so we're not new to motorhoming, but until now have always enjoyed the luxury of a hook-up. We planned to go away this week to one of our favourite sites (Beadnell Bay in Northumberland) but their hookup pitches are fully booked. How many nights can we we be reasonably confident of managing without? We'll be heating and cooking with gas (obviously) and using power only for lighting, TV, and water pump (washing up and quick wash only, we'll shower in the site facilities) I have a fairly new 100 Ah battery and a 70Ah spare in a more doubtful condition (both will be fully charged before we leave but I'm not sure how well the spare holds charge)

If the worst comes to the worst of course we can resort to torches, but I'd rather not fully flatten the batteries. Reckon we'll be OK?
 

ukbill

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you can stay as long as you want really all you need to do is recharge ya batteries by runnibg ya engine for a while
 

Janine

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We have only one leisure battery and at longish meets (like Malvern) without hookup or running the engine, we reckon we can last 5 days just using the battery for lighting (not LED) and the water pump.

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Sep 12, 2012
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I would have thought that without charging, probably 3 days ish...... Depends how long you have things on for.

Similar usage that you have listed but with all LED lighting & 100W solar on roof, we seem to be OK indefinitely providing there is a bit of sun :Smile:

You could of course take a generator :RollEyes:
 

Mastercamper

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OK, so we're not new to motorhoming, but until now have always enjoyed the luxury of a hook-up. We planned to go away this week to one of our favourite sites (Beadnell Bay in Northumberland) but their hookup pitches are fully booked. How many nights can we we be reasonably confident of managing without? We'll be heating and cooking with gas (obviously) and using power only for lighting, TV, and water pump (washing up and quick wash only, we'll shower in the site facilities) I have a fairly new 100 Ah battery and a 70Ah spare in a more doubtful condition (both will be fully charged before we leave but I'm not sure how well the spare holds charge)

If the worst comes to the worst of course we can resort to torches, but I'd rather not fully flatten the batteries. Reckon we'll be OK?


Ditch the telly, go to bed at dusk get up at dawn.
You can last for weeks.
We do. :thumb::thumb:
 
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Touchwood

Touchwood

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Thanks all. No generator and I don't like the idea of being antisocial by running the engine, but I'm guessing we'll manage so will give it a go. Be good to know anyway.

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GJH

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We used to manage about 4 days OK in our Autoquest before we bought a stand-alone solar panel and then indefinite. We did use a low power 12v TV rather than a mains one through an inverter.
 

WynandJean

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What about taking it for a drive after a few days? We go for weeks on end with no hookup or solar, (just one leisure battery), but don't stay parked up on site.

Wyn
Thanks all. No generator and I don't like the idea of being antisocial by running the engine, but I'm guessing we'll manage so will give it a go. Be good to know anyway.
 
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Feb 24, 2013
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I reckon your TV will be the killer, we have 12V LED TV's and they take 2A when running, so you can factor this into your usage, non LED lights are surprisingly heavy on Amps as well, our controller gives me demand (in amps) I am keener to turn some things off now, some of our early issue mood rope lighting is not LED and takes daft amounts of power for nothing other than effect

But if you do want the TV every night, a trip to the shops in the MH taking the long way round will give you quite a bit of recharge

I was very impressed with the output from BreweryDave's free standing solar panel at Chester, something else to consider, easy to use no fitting etc

Have fun, even if it is the dark :thumb:

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mikebeaches

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Now the nights are drawing out, shouldn't need too much juice for lights as long as you don't stay up too late.

We only have a standard 85amp leisure battery and no solar or genny. Don't normally use TV or satellite system.

However, our space heating is blown-air only, so running that uses some electric.

But we're rarely in one place for more than three days without driving somewhere, so we've never had a problem to date.

Having said that, we normally use a hook-up if they're available. Perfectly happy to wild it as well though. :thumb:

Mike
 

ukbill

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Thanks all. No generator and I don't like the idea of being antisocial by running the engine, but I'm guessing we'll manage so will give it a go. Be good to know anyway.

running your engine or using a genny when needed is not being antisocial if you think that from some of the posts on here then don't most are for fun and the serious 1's are to few to mention :Smile:
 
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Chockswahay

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The biggest power user is the fan on the heating :whatthe:

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sedge

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You usually need milk or something, and a run to the shops does it.

We certainly lived without solar for a while, we just look at the battery indicator and decide if the milk can wait till tomorrow or not!
 
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Touchwood

Touchwood

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running your engine or using a genny when needed is not being antisocial if you think that from some of the posts on here then don't most are for fun and the serious 1's are to few to mention :Smile:

Didn't mean to upset anyone who regularly runs their engine or uses a genny - perfectly acceptable things to do PROVIDED thought is given to the peace and quiet of other people - as I'm sure it is by all the civilised folk on here - but unfortunately not in my experience by everyone!
 

Builder147

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We came back from Wadebridge on Sunday, arrived Thursday afternoon. So 3 1/2 days with no hook up, we have a 110ah battery and a spare 135ah battery which is not connected yet, we like it warm so heating was on a lot (blown air) about 4 led spot lights on for about 3hrs a night, the water pump and a 12v tv for about 2 1/2 to 3hrs a night. The battery when we left was showing 12.2v. So all in all it went well I thought:Smile:
 

GJH

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The biggest power user is the fan on the heating :whatthe:

We were a little concerned when we bought the Burstner as it has blown air heating (the Autoquest only had a gas fire). We've been very pleasantly surprised, though, at how little electricity it actually uses and how quickly the solar panel puts it back.
 

Techno

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I must say I personally I have striven to be electrically self sufficient and for 8 months of the year I can say I achieve this without cutting back on our usage
I chose a heavy chassis van so I do not have to bean count when I add the considerable weight required to claim freedom. I can go all year around without hook up if I moderate my usage in the darker months

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mikebeaches

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No fan on my heating!

That sounds good.

It's a shame that few vans these days provide the option of whether to turn on the blown-air heating, or just rely on convection from a fixed heater.

Years ago our caravan was absolutely fine with a gas convector heater - obviously no electricity required to keep warm. And virtually no noise too.

Blown air is good for when the weather is colder, and also to circulate the warmth quickly; especially around your feet. But the fan does consume some electric.

We looked after a rental van about four years ago that offered both options - which struck me as the best of both worlds. :thumb:

Mike
 

MattR

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Four of us have just returned from 2 weeks in Scotland where we watched a few films and used the heater for a few mins. The 75aH battery lasted us at least 4 days between driving more than 20 miles or hooking up (once).

Be aware that starting the engine will take vehicle battery power and charging the leisure battery will take a lot of driving miles - some say around 300 for a 100 aH battery.

I would guess that you would be fine with your batteries.

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C

Chockswahay

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You can always tell who is 'conserving' their power on site......... they will be the vans with no lights on and blinds open until really dark...................no TV aerial................just one lamp on when they do light up the van................and they probably go to sleep fairly early :whatthe::Eeek:

Err............that'll include us then :Blush::Blush:::bigsmile:
 
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Chockswahay

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joking apart............. we rarely use EHU (maybe 3 nights in 100) and never have a power issue. We do tend to move on after 2 nights or less tho. We have 2 90amp leisure batteries and no solar.

When it was REALLY cold in France last year we did feel nervous after 3 days of 24hr heating but were then driving to next Aire so not really a problem.

Try for a few times and see how you get on. We were going to have solar fitted but to be honest can not see the need now (for us).

:thumb:
 
Apr 22, 2012
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Night without hook up

We spent three weeks in the Glorious Outer Hebrides last June. We wild camped for all but 2 nights - one after about a week then another after a further 8/9 nights. We really used sites to charge up electrical stuff, do laundry and have LONG showers :Smile: The battery seemed ok (we don't have solar) - but we were driving a bit most days (usually only 20 miles or so to the next stunning wild camp spot), no lights were needed (daylight till 11pm) and we don't take a TV. (Nothing on the box can compete with the views from where we were sitting!).
Hope that helps!

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