Wild camping #001

Make sure you have warm pj's and the throw for when it gets chilly. Don't buy too much 'have to have' until you know what you need. Borrow from the house until you decide what you can live with out .main thing have fun
 
Download the Motorhome Ireland app, lots of info on camping locations
 
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OCD said:
Wind ??
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You get that from the Guinness! :)

Wind power for generating electricity is common on yachts but virtually unheard of on motorhomes. Noise is probably the main issue if the turbine was attached to the roof.

As suggested, see how you get on but solar panels, say 200W or more if there is room and an extra battery or 3 won't go amiss.

There are ways to improve Internet reception, if you need it, with a roof-mounted antenna but this may not be necessary if mobile signal coverage is good in the places you are going to visit.
 
As much solar as your roof space allows...batteries to complement what comes in, to what is going out....go 12v with as much as you can....for us it 100%
Don't try to live in a motorhome like you do at home....if you like microwaves etc, leave them at home...learn and enjoy cooking from a different angle...one or two pan hob cooking works.....have your roast when you get home or eating out....enjoy the freedom, the space and the beautiful surroundings you decide to overnight in....respect nature and neighbours...if you can have as many years as we have Motorhoming, then you are on to a winner....good luck with your purchase, if you don't get it right first time, you are not alone... we've all done it...
 
Welcome :smiley:

You are a day late - should have joined on St Patrick's Day, or were you incapable. :LOL:

As to kit for wildcamping, which we mostly do, I would go along with the second battery and solar recommendation.

I do not know your intentions for touring: latitude, seasons, frequency of driving/ stopping ratio.

If you are mainly in northern latitudes and also want to use the MH out of summer season and/or if you are like us, who only stop 1-3 days, then solar may not be enough, in which case I suggest you look at what is called a Battery-to-battery charger(B2B)

B2B is a bit of a misnomer as it is basically a way of ensuring the alternator on the move continues to put a high charge into the leisure batteries, when normally the vehicle regulator would drop the alternator output once it has sensed that the vehicle battery has been refilled from the start cycle.

We find that after a 1-2 night stop our batteries are recharged after about 30 mins. driving.

Two well-respected manufacturers are Sterling Power (make sure it is the UK company in Droitwich) and Victron. We fitted the Sterling, who are easy to talk to with advice, but Victron have a good following and maybe slightly more sophisticated, but I am not current as we fitted ours about 7 years ago. It just does the job for us any time of year/light conditions - can even be run stationary(not upsetting neighbours of course), but we have never had to do this.

If you do decide to buy one I suggest you wire it straight from the alternator to the batteries as a stand-alone system and do not try to integrate it through the control panel as some have difficulties and it works well as stand alone - you can check that is operating by just seeing the higher voltage.

If you fit one you may find that you do not need to visit campsites for the 25% you quote, unless for other reasons than recharging batteries.

With competence to follow a circuit diagram and the recommended cable sizes it is possible to install it oneself.

Geoff
 
We also like to park up away from campsites in about your proportion. Depends on countries you intend travelling in, and I have not toured Ireland, but I would then say do you really need your 6 berth space talked about in your intro thread. You have more options of harder to get at places in something a bit smaller.
 
nicholsong said:
Welcome :smiley:

You are a day late - should have joined on St Patrick's Day, or were you incapable. :LOL:

As to kit for wildcamping, which we mostly do, I would go along with the second battery and solar recommendation.

I do not know your intentions for touring: latitude, seasons, frequency of driving/ stopping ratio.

If you are mainly in northern latitudes and also want to use the MH out of summer season and/or if you are like us, who only stop 1-3 days, then solar may not be enough, in which case I suggest you look at what is called a Battery-to-battery charger(B2B)

B2B is a bit of a misnomer as it is basically a way of ensuring the alternator on the move continues to put a high charge into the leisure batteries, when normally the vehicle regulator would drop the alternator output once it has sensed that the vehicle battery has been refilled from the start cycle.

We find that after a 1-2 night stop our batteries are recharged after about 30 mins. driving.

Two well-respected manufacturers are Sterling Power (make sure it is the UK company in Droitwich) and Victron. We fitted the Sterling, who are easy to talk to with advice, but Victron have a good following and maybe slightly more sophisticated, but I am not current as we fitted ours about 7 years ago. It just does the job for us any time of year/light conditions - can even be run stationary(not upsetting neighbours of course), but we have never had to do this.

If you do decide to buy one I suggest you wire it straight from the alternator to the batteries as a stand-alone system and do not try to integrate it through the control panel as some have difficulties and it works well as stand alone - you can check that is operating by just seeing the higher voltage.

If you fit one you may find that you do not need to visit campsites for the 25% you quote, unless for other reasons than recharging batteries.

With competence to follow a circuit diagram and the recommended cable sizes it is possible to install it oneself.

Geoff
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Good advice..What sort of money to get one fitted. ??

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OCD said:
Does a solar charge the vehicle battery and the leisure one ?
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There are at least two ways to do it. If you add a Battery Master (proprietary bit of kit) it will trickle charge the cab battery. This is the usual way. Alternatively, some solar controllers can charge both at the same time.
 
mitzimad said:
id go with solar rather than a b2b b2b only works when driving
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As I said earlier it depends on touring style.: if one drives every 2-3 days B2B is good.

If one stays static in Autumn/winter for a week solar is not much use, but one could start the engine.
 
OCD said:
Wind ??
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If I were wild camping on the coast I would definitely consider wind.

Look at a reputable wind generator like Rutland. Others may be available as I haven't looked at them in a long while.

You woul mount if a scaffold pole which you could easily mount in the ground on a washing line holder....

Just a thought.

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Everyone talks solar but I'd make a b2b a priority.

You can always drive but the sun doesn't always shine.

Additionally, if you're wild camping in a manner in which you respect your surroundings and local people, you will be moving around a lot. And the b2b will be good here.

I have both a b2b and 340 watts of solar.
 
How much roughly is a second leisure battery fitted ...is there advantages to having a second one ....rookie questions !!
 
A second battery will double your standing time, if you are only going to be overnight in any place you might not get value out of it but if you are doing a few nights for sure it would be worthwhile as it would tide you over grey days with no solar gain, the battery really should match the original but a couple of hundred £ should cover it as long as there is room so that is something for your checklist.
 
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poppycamper said:
That is an even worse idea than Simon Meadwell above (Yes made in jest) about getting generator.
Starting a cold engine and allowing it to tick over for XXX ammount of time.. Good way to destroy engine..
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Who said tickover?

I would put a weight on the accelerator at 1200rpm, but I have never had to do it.
 
OCD said:
How much roughly is a second leisure battery fitted ...is there advantages to having a second one ....rookie questions !!
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£100 + £50 leads etc + fitting = £300.....???

Or DIY. £150.

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What's all this craic about lithium batteries ...are they the dogs diamonds 💎
 
funflair said:
A second battery will double your standing time, if you are only going to be overnight in any place you might not get value out of it but if you are doing a few nights for sure it would be worthwhile as it would tide you over grey days with no solar gain, the battery really should match the original but a couple of hundred £ should cover it as long as there is room so that is something for your checklist.
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And the engine alternator will charge both batteries at once ...when u are using the 2 leisure battery thing whath happens...does one battery get used up first then it moves onto the 2nd or both used at once ??
 
OCD said:
So just take twice as long to discharge...Good man 🦸‍♂️
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Just imagine it as 1 battery but twice as big, beware though the more you have the more you are tempted to use then the more you need to put back in, it's a bit of a self defeating circle really.

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