Been busy fitting Solar, Inverter, 6 Leisure Batteries, and B2B Charger (2 Viewers)

[Mikey RV]

Fantastic work well done, and as a bonus with all them solar panels on the roof there’s less roof to wash.

 

[Robert Clark]

Nice job there Robert, when do you hope to be on the road.

Maybe in a week or two
As soon as registration is completed

 

[Wissel]

Firstly, i think that load is a seriously impressive piece of kit.
Just wondering about the practicalities of it though. Not wanting to be a sourpuss or similar but we dont do electric hook up and only have 120 watts solar panel and a couple of batteries with 12 volt lighting and tv (Gas does all the heating and cooking fridge) and although we are away in the summer in France, we dont even bother with taking the electric hook up anymore.
I cant see how we would use anywhere near 6 batteries worth of electric (struggling to use one up)
Washing machine as well.... that is quite a weight.
Looks really well done though. Congrats.

All down to different needs I guess.

I know our calculations for new electrics setup are based on a usage of around 70Ah per day (2 x laptop and wireless internet, coffee machine etc). With 540Ah of Lead Acid battery that's 270Ah (ish) that can be used.

A few bad weather days (without solar)and 270Ah would soon go for us. Maybe the same for OP.

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[Robert Clark]

All down to different needs I guess.

I know our calculations for new electrics setup are based on a usage of around 70Ah per day (2 x laptop and wireless internet, coffee machine etc). With 540Ah of Lead Acid battery that's 270Ah (ish) that can be used.

A few bad weather days and 270Ah will soon go for us, maybe the same with OP.

Like you say it’s all about balancing consumption, storage and generation.
If space and payload allows, I believe you can’t have too much solar or battery capacity.

 

[Dave K]

Very nice job Robert, I know you've spent a bit but imagine the price of paying someone's labour charge to fit it all as well

 

[Wissel]

Like you say it’s all about balancing consumption, storage and generation.
If space and payload allows, I believe you can’t have too much solar or battery capacity.

Totally agree Robert.

We will have around 270Ah usable as well (with 600w in the roof), but as we will be full-time I'd fit more if it were possible

Just not the space to do it. I have a feeling we'll end up with an Efoy as well, once I've recovered from buying the initial setup

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[DBK]

I can second the concept of "never having too much solar or battery capacity". We're in a somewhat muggy Brittany at the moment with only very rare glimpses of blue sky, let alone sun. We have 190W of solar and 180Ah of batteries but we would have struggled without finding aires with electric. Of course we could have started the engine - but that's cheating!

 

[chaser]

Don't know how to say this without sounding envious which I assure you I'm not, but @Robert Clark you have spent the best part of a £100000 on a van but you have now spent more than our van is worth on addons

 

[Robert Clark]

Don't know how to say this without sounding envious which I assure you I'm not, but @Robert Clark you have spent the best part of a £100000 on a van but you have now spent more than our van is worth on addons

As a young boy my father always used to criticise me whenever I wanted to spend my pocket money.
This constant criticism of spending money turned into guilt, and then a fear of spending money, which lasted for many years and was an extremely negative influence on my life and my self esteem.

50 years on, I'm finally getting over it.

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[Podney]

Dear Mr Clark,
I read with interest of the improvements that you have made to your motorhome. It looks like it started out as a good vehicle and you have transformed it into a state of the art palace.
Now,it seems to me that you have overlooked one very important add-on. What I am referring to is that I think you should have a chauffeur,so that you can travel in style and be fully relaxed as you travel the world.
It so happens that I have vast experience in driving vehicles such as yours,I already have a uniform,including a peaked cap,and the right license.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Podney.

 

[chaser]

As a young boy my father always used to criticise me whenever I wanted to spend my pocket money.
This constant criticism of spending money turned into guilt, and then a fear of spending money, which lasted for many years and was an extremely negative influence on my life and my self esteem.

50 years on, I'm finally getting over it.

@Robert Clark plese believe me , I'm not knocking anything , in fact I every respect for you and your tours , was only just saying.

 

[Robert Clark]

@Robert Clark plese believe me , I'm not knocking anything , in fact I every respect for you and your tours , was only just saying.

I appreciate that
Thank you

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[DavidG58]

Nice one Mr C very brave I truly admire your skills / confidence to just get on with it

 

[Candapack]

As a young boy my father always used to criticise me whenever I wanted to spend my pocket money.
This constant criticism of spending money turned into guilt, and then a fear of spending money, which lasted for many years and was an extremely negative influence on my life and my self esteem.

50 years on, I'm finally getting over it.

I was the same. Hard-wired to save, not spend. Or borrow, except for a house. Still struggling to overcome it. Been looking online for weeks at a bike rack which will make access to the back of our van much easier, but at £350, just can't click the "Buy Now" icon.
Love what you've done, just trying to work out how I could get all that into our 6m. PVC

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

As a young boy my father always used to criticise me whenever I wanted to spend my pocket money.
This constant criticism of spending money turned into guilt, and then a fear of spending money, which lasted for many years and was an extremely negative influence on my life and my self esteem.

50 years on, I'm finally getting over it.

Keep spending, you are only going to die once!

It’s not a competition to see who goes with the most, as long as my kids are set up with a good start in life I am spending the rest...

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[Robert Clark]

I was the same. Hard-wired to save, not spend. Or borrow, except for a house. Still struggling to overcome it. Been looking online for weeks at a bike rack which will make access to the back of our van much easier, but at £350, just can't click the "Buy Now" icon.
Love what you've done, just trying to work out how I could get all that into our 6m. PVC

I hope you click that button and get that bike rack
You deserve it !

 

[Theonlysue]

Very impressed!
Dont forget Co alarm.
What van do you have?

 

[Scout]

Very impressed!
Dont forget Co alarm.
What van do you have?

A xirty great big one

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[barsteward]

Well I'm going to be honest....I'm bloody envious and have to say you look to have done a cracking job

 

[Robert Clark]

Dear Mr Clark,
I read with interest of the improvements that you have made to your motorhome. It looks like it started out as a good vehicle and you have transformed it into a state of the art palace.
Now,it seems to me that you have overlooked one very important add-on. What I am referring to is that I think you should have a chauffeur,so that you can travel in style and be fully relaxed as you travel the world.
It so happens that I have vast experience in driving vehicles such as yours,I already have a uniform,including a peaked cap,and the right license.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Podney.

Dr Mr Podney
Thank you very much for kind offer to be our Chauffeur.
I have spoken to Mrs C about this and she is quite adamant that she already has a perfectly adequate Chauffeur (me) and that it has taken a great deal of time and effort to ensure that I meet her exacting standards, both in terms of driving style, road safety and navigation.

As such she could not contemplate going through the whole painful experience again having only just licked me into shape.

Sorry !

 

[Robert Clark]

Very impressed!
Dont forget Co alarm.
What van do you have?

CO alarm is awaiting installation
Van is a N&B Arto island bed model

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[klaatu]

Robert, you need to get your phone connected to your mobile power station ASAP before it runs out of charge.

 

[dpsuk999]

Hi @Robert Clark i was just wondering what size cable did you run to connect your Sterling B2B to the bank of batteries in your garage? And was that run of cable from front to back of van? Did you connect your Sterling B2B between your motorhome leisure battery and inverter battery bank?

I did the same and have 2 x Victron 220ah gel batteries connected to my Victron Multiplus Compact in the garage which is completely separate to the motorhome leisure batteries and would like to fit a B2B.

Thanks Dave.

 

[gus-lopez]

Don't know how to say this without sounding envious which I assure you I'm not, but @Robert Clark you have spent the best part of a £100000 on a van but you have now spent more than our van is worth on addons

But you can also look at it another way that @Robert Clark has only spent 13% , so far, of the amount he saved by not buying it in the UK ?

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[TinaLes]

Well done Robert, Great Install on a great Van. I am envious of your vast payload to allow all these additions.
Hope you get your van registered very shortly so you can get out there very soon.
Best wishes
Les & TinaL

 

[PORKSTER]

Nice work and set up

 

[Stretto Boy]

Just a thought for your next power upgrade:

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[jumar]

It goes to waste sadly

Next time you come to Totana camperstop, you can allow us to use your surplus Solar energy.....LIKE POWER UP THE OTHER 30 vans on site,

 

[Robert Clark]

Hi @Robert Clark i was just wondering what size cable did you run to connect your Sterling B2B to the bank of batteries in your garage? And was that run of cable from front to back of van? Did you connect your Sterling B2B between your motorhome leisure battery and inverter battery bank?

I did the same and have 2 x Victron 220ah gel batteries connected to my Victron Multiplus Compact in the garage which is completely separate to the motorhome leisure batteries and would like to fit a B2B.

Thanks Dave.

Hi Dave
I connected the B2B directly from the engine battery to the garage. Sterling recommend different size cables depending on the cable length. For runs upto 8m they suggest 16mm.
You can download the installation manual from their website

Hope this helps

 

[Don Quixote]

Robert, firstly very nice job looks great, secondly whilst others may think your spending loads..... I believe in an old saying I heard years ago "there are no pockets in a shroud", so spend it, enjoy it and lastly who gives a shit what others think............... ENJOY.

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