What do you do with your spare electric? (1 Viewer)

Feb 16, 2013
19,504
51,185
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
Well,had an 100 w solar for years, and two 100w hab batteries and another 100w starter battery.
The panel kept these up ok but with putting in a compressor fridge I thought I would up the solar to another 100w , but find by 10 o clock in a morning on sunny days we are all full up and the solar cuts out when the fridge stops, now from then till sundown I have about 7 amps of power not used, seems a waste to me, has anyone utilised this power for something else or have we all got loads of electric just going to waste?
 
Jun 13, 2021
175
817
Leeds, UK
Funster No
81,886
MH
Elddis 120 low-line
Exp
Autumn 2020
Sell it to the national grid??? We got lots going spare too :LOL::LOL:

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Oct 9, 2019
4,895
16,997
Todmorden
Funster No
65,104
MH
Van conversion
Exp
FUNSTER in a PVC
Well,had an 100 w solar for years, and two 100w hab batteries and another 100w starter battery.
The panel kept these up ok but with putting in a compressor fridge I thought I would up the solar to another 100w , but find by 10 o clock in a morning on sunny days we are all full up and the solar cuts out when the fridge stops, now from then till sundown I have about 7 amps of power not used, seems a waste to me, has anyone utilised this power for something else or have we all got loads of electric just going to waste?
Cant you feed into a battery block ?
 
OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,504
51,185
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
It's a pity we can't use it for water heating, but I can't find anything that would work.

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jumar

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 6, 2012
3,692
11,210
Spain
Funster No
23,578
MH
Hymer Tramp
Exp
Since 1994
Well,had an 100 w solar for years, and two 100w hab batteries and another 100w starter battery.
The panel kept these up ok but with putting in a compressor fridge I thought I would up the solar to another 100w , but find by 10 o clock in a morning on sunny days we are all full up and the solar cuts out when the fridge stops, now from then till sundown I have about 7 amps of power not used, seems a waste to me, has anyone utilised this power for something else or have we all got loads of electric just going to waste?
Put it in a bucket with a lid on... I'll be around later to collect it.... nobody can ever have too much free electric.....🤔👍😃
 
OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,504
51,185
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
You could waste it by turning yourself into a shock absorber
I thought it was a serious question really, look at all the motorhomes that are standing doing nothing all day, and the price of gas and mains going through the roof shame we can't find a way of getting it together.
 
Oct 25, 2016
5,586
31,580
Hartford Cheshire
Funster No
73,061
MH
Bailey Autograph 79-
Exp
Lots but slow learner.
I think we got £43 for our surplus from the panels on the roof.

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OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,504
51,185
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
I was looking at one of them jackory things but even that is just going to get full then we are back to square one.
 
Dec 2, 2019
3,554
7,697
Amersham
Funster No
67,145
MH
van conversion
Exp
Since 2019
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.

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Nov 3, 2013
3,165
9,290
Portugal
Funster No
28,868
MH
Fiat Ducato Auto Wildax
Exp
C/van since '73 .M/h.2009
You could waste it by turning yourself into a shock absorber
Hi.
He could then " Bounce " over to Portugal........ NO !! There are enough Tractors over here already,i am the only one over here without one, in a 2000 square MILES .......... SEND HIM BACK.....SEND HIM BACK....SEND HIM BACK !!!
Tea Bag....The Tractorless..... :ROFLMAO:
:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
Feb 22, 2011
9,634
19,802
Newcastle under Lyme
Funster No
15,397
MH
Hymer B544 A Class
Exp
Since 2015
I agree it does seem a shame not to harvest the surplus solar and put it to a good use, but I suppose it's too small to do that much useful with.
Maybe we could install 12 volt lighting circuits in our bricks and mortar housing ?
But then the real consumption and cost is from kettles, ovens, tumble driers, fan heaters etc and your surplus solar isn't going to power those without substantial investment in panels batteries and inverters.
 
OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,504
51,185
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
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.
What have you got mate, I have looked at quite a few but they all seem to take more than I have available.
 

Northernraider

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 30, 2017
27,131
173,705
On the sofa ....
Funster No
49,727
MH
Mobilvetta eurayacht
Exp
On and off since 95
That's more like the answer I was looking for. (y) (y)
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
20220808_132552.jpg
 
OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,504
51,185
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
That's brilliant, but most folks don't have that much, we are sort of in the middle, more than we need but not enough to go the whole hog.
 

twerly

Free Member
Nov 3, 2013
38
71
Warwickshire
Funster No
28,869
MH
Hymer MLT 570
Exp
2013
My wife uses the Van as her home office, we charge our laptops, mobile phones, tooth brushes, lawn mower batteries and elec bike battery - have 200A Lithium and 2000W invertor and good solar so saving some money on our home leccy cost!. Battery has not gone below 50% during the summer. Winter will be different though!!
 

Northernraider

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 30, 2017
27,131
173,705
On the sofa ....
Funster No
49,727
MH
Mobilvetta eurayacht
Exp
On and off since 95
Propex electric and gas heater, element is 780w. Multiplus inv, 800w solar, and 400ah Li. In your situation I would look for 12v elements.
Is this the heater you have? I eas6 looking at these for Vario build

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