Lithium And aircon - bliss!

[BillandHelen]

Sitting at Bilbao docks waiting to board the ferry. It’s 36 degrees outside, just switched the aircon on to cool us down.

It’s cycling between 65amps and 10 amps, all working fine on 200 amp of lithium.

Solar working away in the sunshine. Very happy with this.

 

[Swifter]

Nice . What’s the temperature inside now ?

 

[BillandHelen]

It’s dropped a couple of degrees so far, but it’s the cold blast of air that’s wonderful!!

 

[Littlewheels]

I think the variation in ampage must be the performance of the Aircon unit but l doubt the system will keep it up for long pulling 64+ amps, A Lithium battery though giving good output needs such a pull replenishing quickly via EHU or the Alternator that would put 80/90 amps back in whilst driving.
Since you are at the Docks you might consider that once loaded your Lithium will not get any charge for some 30hours and will be dead when you get to the U.K.

l do hope this doesn’t happen,safe journey.

 

[BillandHelen]

Since you are at the Docks you might consider that once loaded your Lithium will not get any charge for some 30hours and will be dead when you get to the U.K.

l do hope this doesn’t happen,safe journey.

40 mins usage has used 26amps out of our 200, solar is popping in 5amps and we are just getting ready to drive to passport control, our 60amp b2b should give it a top up. Think we will be fine for the crossing, there is no load on the batteries during the trip.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Skez]

Not quite on topic, but why must your fresh tank be empty when travelling?
Just curious!

 

[pappajohn]

Nice . What’s the temperature inside now ?

According to the top picture it's 36°c indoors and 37°c outside

 

[DumfriesDik]

Nice!

 

[canopus]

Not quite on topic, but why must your fresh tank be empty when travelling?
Just curious!

Probably because it would consume a sizeable chunk of the payload.

 

[Just smiffy]

Probably because it would consume a sizeable chunk of the payload.

I wouldn’t buy a van if that was the case….

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Tombola]

How much solar is on the roof BillandHelen ?
and which air con unit do you have/recommned
thanks

 

[BillandHelen]

Not quite on topic, but why must your fresh tank be empty when travelling?
Just curious!

The Wildax Elara is sold as a 3500kg van mainly to couples trading down from larger vans and not wanting the health checks etc re licence. At that there is only 330kg of payload, so great card required to stay legal, and why Wildax advise not to travel with 120litres in the tank!
For those who need more payload they will upgrade to 3850 with no changes or 4050 with rear air which we have.

 

[BillandHelen]

How much solar is on the roof BillandHelen ?
and which air con unit do you have/recommned
thanks

We only have room for one 120 panel on the roof, so not ideal, in brilliant sunshine today we were getting 5/6 amps. We rely more on our b2b for quick recharging, we have 2x30amp Votronics.

Re the aircon, we like the freshlight as it still allows some light in the van, we have it replacing a roof light at the rear. It has soft startup, runs easily on sites with 6 amps, has a wide range of settings, we can run it off of our lithium for short periods but of course you then have to top it up again!

I know there are strong views for and against aircon, but we couldn’t have coped without it for the past 2 weeks, for us it’s essential.

 

[TCG]

We only have room for one 120 panel on the roof, so not ideal, in brilliant sunshine today we were getting 5/6 amps. We rely more on our b2b for quick recharging, we have 2x30amp Votronics.

Re the aircon, we like the freshlight as it still allows some light in the van, we have it replacing a roof light at the rear. It has soft startup, runs easily on sites with 6 amps, has a wide range of settings, we can run it off of our lithium for short periods but of course you then have to top it up again!

I know there are strong views for and against aircon, but we couldn’t have coped without it for the past 2 weeks, for us it’s essential.

Agreed...we also have the domectic freshlight with 200 ah lithium with 300 amp solar...I think the trick is to run the air con on low setting rather than max..that way much kinder on the batteries

 

[Tombola]

We only have room for one 120 panel on the roof, so not ideal, in brilliant sunshine today we were getting 5/6 amps. We rely more on our b2b for quick recharging, we have 2x30amp Votronics.

Re the aircon, we like the freshlight as it still allows some light in the van, we have it replacing a roof light at the rear. It has soft startup, runs easily on sites with 6 amps, has a wide range of settings, we can run it off of our lithium for short periods but of course you then have to top it up again!

I know there are strong views for and against aircon, but we couldn’t have coped without it for the past 2 weeks, for us it’s essential.

like you say, you can afford it, and its there when you need it

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Swifter]

Just a side question on the subject of air conditioning. We don’t have cab air con( 06 Fiat ) but wondered what it’s like for those that have it ? Does the hab area cool down a bit as well ? When we arrived and parked up yesterday, the temperature inside the hab area was 31c .

 

[Tombola]

Just a side question on the subject of air conditioning. We don’t have cab air con( 06 Fiat ) but wondered what it’s like for those that have it ? Does the hab area cool down a bit as well ? When we arrived and parked up yesterday, the temperature inside the hab area was 31c .

my van has a door that effectively closes it in half from the rear, and yes I leave the cab air con blowing full when on a run and find it does make that "half" of the van cooler

 

[funflair]

We only have room for one 120 panel on the roof, so not ideal, in brilliant sunshine today we were getting 5/6 amps. We rely more on our b2b for quick recharging, we have 2x30amp Votronics.

Re the aircon, we like the freshlight as it still allows some light in the van, we have it replacing a roof light at the rear. It has soft startup, runs easily on sites with 6 amps, has a wide range of settings, we can run it off of our lithium for short periods but of course you then have to top it up again!

I know there are strong views for and against aircon, but we couldn’t have coped without it for the past 2 weeks, for us it’s essential.

Is that 2200 or 3200 unit?

 

[Skez]

great card required to stay legal, and why Wildax advise not to travel with 120litres in the tank!

Aaaah. I did wonder. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[EuroTrotters]

We only have room for one 120 panel on the roof, so not ideal, in brilliant sunshine today we were getting 5/6 amps. We rely more on our b2b for quick recharging, we have 2x30amp Votronics.

Re the aircon, we like the freshlight as it still allows some light in the van, we have it replacing a roof light at the rear. It has soft startup, runs easily on sites with 6 amps, has a wide range of settings, we can run it off of our lithium for short periods but of course you then have to top it up again!

I know there are strong views for and against aircon, but we couldn’t have coped without it for the past 2 weeks, for us it’s essential.

I fitted ducted to ours, best thing I did.

Off topic


Same with our current villa renters.

Only two people staying in one bedroom.

Despite this, they have gone around the whole house and put every a/c on to 18c.

I have checked on the app this morning and all 5 a/c units running 24/7 @18c

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Landy Andy]

I fitted ducted to ours, best thing I did.

Off topic


Same with our current villa renters.

Only two people staying in one bedroom.

Despite this, they have gone around the whole house and put every a/c on to 18c.

I have checked on the app this morning and all 5 a/c units running 24/7 @18c

Not just motorhomers that think “I’ve paid for it, so I will use it” then.

 

[jongood]

I fitted ducted to ours, best thing I did.

Off topic


Same with our current villa renters.

Only two people staying in one bedroom.

Despite this, they have gone around the whole house and put every a/c on to 18c.

I have checked on the app this morning and all 5 a/c units running 24/7 @18c

Some people are such nobs, usually the first to complain when the prices go up.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

I fitted ducted to ours, best thing I did.

Off topic


Same with our current villa renters.

Only two people staying in one bedroom.

Despite this, they have gone around the whole house and put every a/c on to 18c.

I have checked on the app this morning and all 5 a/c units running 24/7 @18c

When I lived at my old house I had a 15acre caravan park next door with a lovely family that owned it.
Speaking to the owner when I was there one day and he said he had to put meters on the pitches as he had been past a few long term caravans and they had heaters going in the awnings and they were out to work during the day!!
Think his electric bill was something like £6k a month and this was 7-8 years ago

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Not just motorhomers that think “I’ve paid for it, so I will use it” then.

I have been on sites for 1 night with electric included and could not be bothered to connect up
Would be better if you just paid for what you use.

 

[Tombola]

I have a static on a site in Wales. I know the owner.
He added water meters 2 years ago, and now his water bill is almost a third of what it was.

People used to bring their weekly laundry/wash cars and and all sorts, tailed off now they have to pay.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Folkranger]

I wouldn’t buy a van if that was the case….

But sometimes you just are where you are and have to live with it.

 

[Folkranger]

Just a side question on the subject of air conditioning. We don’t have cab air con( 06 Fiat ) but wondered what it’s like for those that have it ? Does the hab area cool down a bit as well ? When we arrived and parked up yesterday, the temperature inside the hab area was 31c .

Couldn't manage without it. It's not so much that it cools all the van but it blows cold air on the bits of you that need it.

 

[Folkranger]

my van has a door that effectively closes it in half from the rear, and yes I leave the cab air con blowing full when on a run and find it does make that "half" of the van cooler

Takes about 10% (arguably) off your mpg to do that We use it sparingly and mainly use throughflow when moving.

 

[Folkranger]

Some people are such nobs, usually the first to complain when the prices go up.

When the electric charge is separate and you can see the amount of profit on it............

 

[jongood]

When the electric charge is separate and you can see the amount of profit on it............

Yes used to be but probably not so much now. but not helped by people in EuroTrotters post.

Our holiday cottages are visible to us and Its quite disappointing how often you can see the boiler is firing yet the windows are wide open

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}