Please excuse my ignorance but trying to understand the power supply. My motorhome has 1 standard 85amp/hr battery, I plan on fitting a second battery say a 110amp/hr and if the space allows under drivers seat will upgrade this one as well, would I also need to upgrade standard charger? When on hook up at sites can I expect to run a TV sat system heating and lights or will I be limited. Is solar panels best way to go when off hook up or get generator? Motorhome is swift royale ensign 590, which I suppose most of time will be in sites for security reasons, again what is needed to run heating considering it is the gas? Thanks for any advice. JBD :?:
scruffitto
Hello and welcome. You have asked a lot of questions, really too many to answer easily. However there are beginners guides at the top of the page. Go to Articles and click on Beginners Guides, there you will find the answers to most if not all your questions and a lot else besides, Alan.
Hi JBD,
In answer to a couple of your questions.
It is preferable to have a pair of leisure batteries with the same ah rating i.e. 110ah rather than 2 odd ones.
Your inbuilt charger should be adequate enough to charge all your batteries.
Solar panels are useful if you spend a lot of time wildcamping or on CL's, but if you are using a television or any other electrical appliance every night, I personally would carry a generator. In my opinion it is far more versatile and can charge a discharged battery much quicker than a solar panel can. The other advantage is that you can run your appliances from mains rather than from the battery.
The disadvantage of a generator is noise, and weight. The price of a good generator is similar to that of a good quality solar panel but as I have said it is heavy. The noise can be reduced by placing it in an appropriate ventilated container (an adapted cardboard box from a supermarket).
Most U.K. elec. hookups on club sites are normally 16 amps, but you must check with the wardens when you book your pitch. You will have to check your appliances to see what wattage they use. Every 1000 watts = 4 amps i.e a 3kw kettle (3000 watts) = 12 amps.
I hope this helps a little, it is only my opinion, no doubt someone elses opinion will differ.
Drew
In answer to a couple of your questions.
It is preferable to have a pair of leisure batteries with the same ah rating i.e. 110ah rather than 2 odd ones.
Your inbuilt charger should be adequate enough to charge all your batteries.
Solar panels are useful if you spend a lot of time wildcamping or on CL's, but if you are using a television or any other electrical appliance every night, I personally would carry a generator. In my opinion it is far more versatile and can charge a discharged battery much quicker than a solar panel can. The other advantage is that you can run your appliances from mains rather than from the battery.
The disadvantage of a generator is noise, and weight. The price of a good generator is similar to that of a good quality solar panel but as I have said it is heavy. The noise can be reduced by placing it in an appropriate ventilated container (an adapted cardboard box from a supermarket).
Most U.K. elec. hookups on club sites are normally 16 amps, but you must check with the wardens when you book your pitch. You will have to check your appliances to see what wattage they use. Every 1000 watts = 4 amps i.e a 3kw kettle (3000 watts) = 12 amps.
I hope this helps a little, it is only my opinion, no doubt someone elses opinion will differ.
Drew
Hi, When we first got our van nearly 4 years ago we had 1 85ah battery it lasted around 2 years but finally started to flatten very quickly, this was due to the fact we kept flattening it too often and this damages it apparently.
We were advised on here to replace with 2 batteries of equal age and strength otherwise you are wasting your time as it drains one faster than other (or something like that!)
We ended up with 2 90ah elcosol batteries under the same seat so not alot of cable between them (something else we were advised on) .
We then got an 85 solar panel fitted to roof and to be honest not looked back and not been anywhere near getting low on power even on 4 day rally in gloomy weather.
Have to add we don't have a TV but do have blown air heating that can drain it quite fast if used alot .
Hope this helps a bit more, stayed away from gennies as the noise of others drives me nuts on a quiet day in the country
Mandy
We were advised on here to replace with 2 batteries of equal age and strength otherwise you are wasting your time as it drains one faster than other (or something like that!)
We ended up with 2 90ah elcosol batteries under the same seat so not alot of cable between them (something else we were advised on) .
We then got an 85 solar panel fitted to roof and to be honest not looked back and not been anywhere near getting low on power even on 4 day rally in gloomy weather.
Have to add we don't have a TV but do have blown air heating that can drain it quite fast if used alot .
Hope this helps a bit more, stayed away from gennies as the noise of others drives me nuts on a quiet day in the country
Mandy
Hi
welcome to the forum. As already said consider replacing the current battery and buying another the same so they match.
The heating, it depends on what sort, does it have a fan that runs off power?
As to whether you go hookup or battery it really depends on what sort of camping you want to do. If you want to get to a site and switch on a TV for five hours a night your batteries are going to take a hammering and hook up is the likely route. If you are planning to stop a few nights and read etc then batteries will be sufficient
stew
welcome to the forum. As already said consider replacing the current battery and buying another the same so they match.
The heating, it depends on what sort, does it have a fan that runs off power?
As to whether you go hookup or battery it really depends on what sort of camping you want to do. If you want to get to a site and switch on a TV for five hours a night your batteries are going to take a hammering and hook up is the likely route. If you are planning to stop a few nights and read etc then batteries will be sufficient
stew
Hi and welcome
Personally I would replace the 85AH with a couple of 110ah leisure batteries. Fully charged these will last a weekend without futher charge running your tv sat and heating.
With a solar panel of 75W or more this will keep the batteries charged almost indefinately especially in the summer and through the winter too.
I have used the above set up for a numer of years and had no problems all all but in the depths of winter i do try to go on hook up if at all possible every other night or so just to keep things topped up.
the advantage of solars is that they charge all the time (when there is light of course) but obvioulsly the charge drops off in the evening and early in the morning but the high tech panels available today are very good hence their price. Also they need no setting up and the only maintainece is to keep them clean.
If your van is not new then you dont know the condition of your battery and so a couple of new batteries would give you peace of mind.
When adding batteries its always advisable to have 2 of the same Ah rating otheriwse the lower rated one tends to drag the higher one down.
Thats what i think anyway.
Thanks
Phill
Personally I would replace the 85AH with a couple of 110ah leisure batteries. Fully charged these will last a weekend without futher charge running your tv sat and heating.
With a solar panel of 75W or more this will keep the batteries charged almost indefinately especially in the summer and through the winter too.
I have used the above set up for a numer of years and had no problems all all but in the depths of winter i do try to go on hook up if at all possible every other night or so just to keep things topped up.
the advantage of solars is that they charge all the time (when there is light of course) but obvioulsly the charge drops off in the evening and early in the morning but the high tech panels available today are very good hence their price. Also they need no setting up and the only maintainece is to keep them clean.
If your van is not new then you dont know the condition of your battery and so a couple of new batteries would give you peace of mind.
When adding batteries its always advisable to have 2 of the same Ah rating otheriwse the lower rated one tends to drag the higher one down.
Thats what i think anyway.
Thanks
Phill
Do you mean in storage or when you camp you will be at a campsite?scruffitto said:
If you will only camp at sites, pretty much all (?) of which have electric hook up, then you don't need to change anything. You would be spending a large sum to obtain independence which you don't need? Hook up is often included in the pitch fee for a camper, and even if there is an option, that would still take a long time for the hook up fee to reach the cost of new batteries (which still need replacing in time), solar, genny etc.
If you mean you are aiming to camp away from sites then all the above comments of course are correct, the only thing I would add is solar is no use in northern Europe in winter, but around the Med in summer its all you need (with pair of new batteries). Do you have room to keep a small genny and a jerrycan of petrol?
Happy travels
Jason
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