Off grid power for my water heater. (1 Viewer)

I want to go off grid,but new to this.had 2 120a batteries fitted,but my water heater seems to only

  • Generator

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Alternator

    Votes: 2 100.0%

  • Total voters
    2

Gary Molloy

Free Member
Aug 23, 2018
87
17
Funster No
55,805
Can anyone help me.i want advice what I can use to power my water heater off grid.thanks.
 
Nov 24, 2008
852
2,107
Anywhere that takes our fancy
Funster No
5,008
MH
C Class
Exp
Since july 2009 And Still Going Strong
Best option will be gas water heater. You can get 12v immersion heaters but they are pretty power hungry from the leisure batteries and would take a while to heat a small tank. Think when I looked you could get 600/1000watt ones.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

icantremember

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 2, 2010
8,262
17,184
Near to Watton in Norfolk
Funster No
13,512
MH
Hymer T-SL668
Exp
since 2005
Gas is the only way .. running water heater off 12v will kill your batteries.

You would require a good generator, if you have Alde heating with a heat exchanger it will heat water from the engine while you are traveling.
 
OP
OP
G

Gary Molloy

Free Member
Aug 23, 2018
87
17
Funster No
55,805
Thought about a generator and my heater is not duel,so gas is not an option.
 

Kannon Fodda

LIFE MEMBER
Feb 26, 2019
2,419
7,316
Seek and Ye May Find
Funster No
58,768
MH
Autotrail V-line 540
Exp
I Make Schoolboy Errors!
Perhaps we should try, as they do in some boats, a calorifier served from a long hose circulating from the engine radiator. If you want hot water you can also be recharging your batteries as the engine turns over :)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
31,953
63,527
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
If the water heater is used for just washing up etc then boil a kettle, if for a wash down then just get a strip wash (kettle for water again), if you must use it for a shower then realistically you're looking a only when you have EHU as the prating around getting the genny out and putting it away again for a 5 minute shower seems a bit OTT unless you need the genny for other things, alternatively you could use a solar camping shower but they're a bit naff, or get a 12v pumped one so you can then put warm water in a bucket (kettle again! (y)) and use that.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

wasp

Free Member
Dec 21, 2008
1,724
18,180
Warsop
Funster No
5,206
MH
None gone caravannin
Exp
15
In my rv I had an Atwood gas heater it was really good . In the mo ho I had a 10 litre Truma water heater which was 240 volt/gas
 

wasp

Free Member
Dec 21, 2008
1,724
18,180
Warsop
Funster No
5,206
MH
None gone caravannin
Exp
15
is it a self build???

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Sep 17, 2017
4,946
8,750
Birmingham, UK
Funster No
50,575
MH
A-Class
Exp
2017
A 100Ah battery can only boil about 5 litres of water before you'd need to re-charge it. Or about 15 litres to 'hand hot'.
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
42,964
47,034
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
What make is the water heater?

I've never heard of a 12v only one.

Even on gas or mains it takes a good 20 minutes to heat 6 liters... 12v is going to take a couple of hours to 40°

OR. .. are you referring to using the batteries and an inverter to produce 230v?
Even with 220amps that's not a good idea... How are you going to replace the large amount of amps the heater will consume?
Heater on for 1/2 hour will deplete your batteries.
 
Last edited:

Jaws

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 26, 2008
23,763
74,792
Thetford Norfolk
Funster No
4,189
MH
C class, Chieftain
Exp
since 2006 ( I think ! )
Can anyone help me.i want advice what I can use to power my water heater off grid.thanks.
The cost of a genny will be more than swapping your existing leccy only one to a second had gas and leddy one.
It is nit a hard job usually ( but can be fiddly )
Lots of folk can do the job if you are unsure or not up to it like @dave newell lvs for instance :)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jul 5, 2013
11,512
13,336
Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
Funster No
26,797
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2013
I assume you are referring to a mains electricity water heater. You will need a pretty big gennie to be able to heat a useful quantity of water. And bigger means even noisier and more expensive. You will not be very popular with the other campers when you start it up. And you will probably find it cheaper to buy a gas heater.
 
OP
OP
G

Gary Molloy

Free Member
Aug 23, 2018
87
17
Funster No
55,805
Hi,reference gas heater,you mean getting a gas water heater fitted rather than try and go with what I have at present ?also is a generator the only other option I have?cheers peterc 10.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Doctor Dave

Free Member
May 18, 2015
463
1,111
Wiltshire
Funster No
36,413
MH
None
Exp
7 years followed by a break of 11 years and then 4+ years but given up now
If you are going for a new system then a diesel heater is an option. If installed correctly with appropriate silencer then they are not as noisy as some people claim.

Dave
 
OP
OP
G

Gary Molloy

Free Member
Aug 23, 2018
87
17
Funster No
55,805
Read all your replies and I have been having a wash down,but you can't beat a shower.being new to this malarkey I just assumed that charged batteries would power it.i have 2 120amp and an 80amp fitted.not all plain sailing I guess and I have abit to learn I guess.
 
OP
OP
G

Gary Molloy

Free Member
Aug 23, 2018
87
17
Funster No
55,805
I have a thurmastore is it,the switch etc it located behind the drivers seat next to the living room window and not sure what it does.i'll post a photo later and thanks for the advice guys.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 26, 2008
4,541
22,560
B&NES
Funster No
3,823
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
since 2007
If you are going for a new system then a diesel heater is an option. If installed correctly with appropriate silencer then they are not as noisy as some people claim.

Dave

The Truma Combi D is very quiet indeed, so much so you probably would not realise that it is diesel not gas fired. The Truma blown air fan is the noisiest part of the system anyway.

Eberspachers ... even with the silencer can sound like a small jet engine when starting from cold. Quiet and economical when up to temperature (I used to have one).
 

Puddleduck

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 15, 2014
12,219
42,788
Scottish Borders
Funster No
29,703
MH
SunLiving Lido M45SP
Exp
On and off for many years.
Is this thurmastore a water heater or air heater?cheers

Sorry but I've never heard of a Thurmastore. Truma is a well known brand of heater - Trumastore being a water heater, usually dual fuel (gas and electric). A photo of the controls would help :)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jul 5, 2013
11,512
13,336
Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
Funster No
26,797
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2013
Heating anything up takes a lot more energy than your three batteries can supply. For enough water for a shower you are going to need at least a 2KW heater, which is equivalent to taking at least 180 amps out of your batteries. They won't last long at that rate of discharge.

As others have said you need either gas or diesel heater for when you are off grid. You may well find that you have already got a gas water hester if it is a Trumastore.
 
OP
OP
G

Gary Molloy

Free Member
Aug 23, 2018
87
17
Funster No
55,805
You might be correct.going to post a photo of the controls now.wait out.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
G

Gary Molloy

Free Member
Aug 23, 2018
87
17
Funster No
55,805
Here.
20190418_144041.jpg
20190418_144041.jpg
 

funflair

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 11, 2013
18,902
29,047
Guisborough
Funster No
29,351
MH
MORELO palace
Exp
since 2012
Well I would say that was gas, “remove cover from cowl” is the clue, that means a cover over the glue outside.

Martin

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top