After being c&cc and cc members for a while now, we are thinking of giving the temporary and certificateds sites a go.
What Id like to know is how do folks manage? We have a gas cooker, fridge and heating so thats ok, but what about the lights?
We have a leisure battery, but Im not sure how long it would last on a non electric site. We only have single electrics on the car so cant charge it up there.
Would we have to take 2 batteries if we wanted to stay say a week?
Thanks in advance Kim
------------- I was going to change the world...but then I was distracted by something shiny. 😊
I'm chasing the rainbow 😎
I only use CL's but they are not that much cheaper this this time of year. You need gas to heat the van and run the fridge with uses a full cylinder ever 5 days or less. Not for every one but if you need all knobs and wistles not for everyone.
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We rally quite a lot and often don't have hook-up. We run the fridge on gas, the cooker and hob are gas anyway,and the lights will last for a few days on the leisure battery. One thing that does help a bit is having a solar panel to charge the battery - the one we have is quite small and not really that good but you can get much bigger ones and quite a lot of people have them. We do sometimes take a spare fully charged battery with us too.
the most I have done so far is 5 days, still had juice in the battery when I got home, just used it for the radio and lights (and water pump) I dont have anything fancy that needs 12V and all my lights afre the flourecents so the draw is low.
We do a lot of rallying often for a week or more with no electrics.and have no problems but I do use a solar panel to keep things topped up. Many cls have now got electrics and you will pay for it if you use it or not.
If you intend to do a lot without elecs. make sure you have a good battery. preferably a 110 capacity. Get the grey plug wired upon the car. consider a solar panel. (at least 15 watts) and forget the television, unless its no bigger than a 10" flat screen.
Up to about 7 years ago, we rarely used sites with EHU as we mostly went on C & C C weekend meets and THSs. We went away for a two week holiday most years. I can't ever remember flattening a battery (85 aph) so much that the lights wouldn't work, although of course in mid summer you don't need lights on that much and the only other drain is from the water pump.
We used a gas lamp or Coleman unleaded lantern in the awning during the evenings.
P.S. Many CLs & CSs have EHUs anyway.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
We do 10 nights in summer every year with no mains - we have a 110amp battery and one of those brief-case type solar panels and have no problems with running out of 'juice', even with 3 of us having showers every couple of days (the water pump uses quite a bit of battery power!).
Get a gas or petrol lamp for use in the awning for evenings and you will use the lights in the main unit even less (don't even THINK about using the van's awning light for any length of time- those things devour battery power!). The go try out sites with no mains and set yourselves free!!
We have done a week on a 85ah battery by just using the lights when you have to etc... We have gas lamps / tilley lamp as above. We have taken a spare battery in the past just in case.
Lots of CS sites have EHU if you need it but can sometime restrict where you can pitch your unit.
We managed to find a hideaway site at Easter in The New Forest for £12 per night with EHU - cant wait!!!