What do you do with your spare electric? (3 Viewers)

[irnbru]

In your situation I would look for 12v elements.

Can you explain this a bit more please, like where would you put a 12v element and how would it work? Any links on what to buy etc would be really helpful. Thx

 

[Raul]

That’s the one, plenty for two, we never run out of hot water.

 

[jumar]

Don't do it everyday like but ive cut the grass this morning gutted the motorhome, hoovered , polished even gave the merc a hoover out , had a long shower of the immersion heater all ran off the mh inverter ....and my battery bank is currently like this
View attachment 650415

Utterly impressed....I have 200w Solar panel and a single 90ah leisure battery...how can I possibly not be impressed and just to add....what we have is sufficient.....even for recharging two eBike batteries...... Thank you Spain for providing me with all the Solar energy I find necessary....

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[Raul]

Can you explain this a bit more please, like where would you put a 12v element and how would it work? Any links on what to buy etc would be really helpful. Thx

You have to modify or retro fit the element on your heater, heavy cables and relay to operate it.

 

[bobnick]

Is that on the home roof or motorhome

Sorry, home.

 

[Manic]

Two on Tour has a setup that uses excess solar to heat water.

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[PhilMary]

At this new , to us, house, I fitted a small solar panel to feed an old 12v car battery , as there is no power in the garage. The garage lights runs of 12v and all the batteries, mower, bike, hoover etc all get charged in the garage.
I fitted a cable link so I can use the motorhome 12v system or conversely the motorhome can feed the garage, but I've never needed to as the old car battery has done a good job.

 

[chaser]

This one looks interesting

Aqueous 12v Electric 6L Storage Water Heater - Caravan RV | eBay

The ruggedly constructed Aqueous systems eliminate delay because they position water heating right next to the point of use. The Aqueous is compliant to AS/NZS 60335.2.21 : 2002 A1-3. Approval number: NSW 22463.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Raul]

There’s a guy on YouTube, bought a AC heater, took it apart, fitted two 12v elements, re insulated it and it runs it in parallel with his gas heater. Well worth it and he doesn’t need a inverter on either.

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[Two on Tour]

We heat water with our spare solar.

I bought a cheaper 240v Chinese 8Ltr water heater, replaced the 240 element with a 300 watt 12v element wired via a digitally controlled thermostat and switch to the load output on our Victron MPPT solar controllers.
I plumbed in the new extra hot water tank via a 12v three-way motorised valve to switch between the existing and new hot water tanks.
If our lithium battery is topped up enough then we can heat the extra hot water from the battery if it's a dull day and not a lot of solar.

The 300 watt 12v element I used was made up of 2 x 150 watt elements connected in series. We have 2 x Victron MPPT controllers, so I disconnected the two elements from each other and power the 2 elements independently via each of our solar controllers.

We can also heat the water while driving via our B2B.

 

[Northernraider]

Utterly impressed....I have 200w Solar panel and a single 90ah leisure battery...how can I possibly not be impressed and just to add....what we have is sufficient.....even for recharging two eBike batteries...... Thank you Spain for providing me with all the Solar energy I find necessary....

First time ive had all this spare energy so im enjoying it. Hopefully its as good over winter but then ill also be in spain

 

[Bobby-gg]

Now you've all got me thinking about heating water, I wonder what the power rating of the 240v element is inside my existing Truma water boiler

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[aleclitchfiel]

Chaser, hot water it’s the easiest option to use surplus electricity. We turn on the water heater when on float. Sometimes we heat water in the evening to , as will be lots of power next day. If you don’t have a inverter, you can get 12v heating elements.

We use it for charging the ebikes via the inverter happy days.

 

[Two on Tour]

Now you've all got me thinking about heating water, I wonder what the power rating of the 240v element is inside my existing Truma water boiler

Most of them appear to be 850 watts.

 

[irnbru]

Certainly a lot of clever folk on here. Some good ideas for the DIYers

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[Bobby-gg]

Most of them appear to be 850 watts.

Thanks, I've got a mastervolt 2kw inverter stashed away so I know where this is going.....

 

[Two on Tour]

I think we got £43 for our surplus from the panels on the roof.

Your not even trying Bob.

This months payback for our surplus on the home solar.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I was going to run a cable from the van whilst its on my drive and run the TV or just a standard light with some 12 v led bulbs in rather than using the mains.

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[Kannon Fodda]

All these motorhomes sitting here in the sun at the 3fs meet. If only they'd run a power lead across the road from Drax they could stop burning the wood pellets

 

[drpeej]

Get a small EV as a tow car and charge it with the surplus

 

[Figaro]

I cut the grass or hoover or just run my immersion heater for an hour or two

But then ive 1100watts of solar and 700ah of batteries

You could probably let most of the street plug in and still be fully charged by teatime

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