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Subject Topic: Off grid options Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonAllymaguire
via mobile 30/4/2022 at 9:23am
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I’ve just secured a pitch on a site that I love but it is quite remote and off grid. There are communal facilities and cold water but no electric hook up. Our van heating fridge and hob will run off gas but looking for the best option for the battery. Will only need this for lighting and charging phones and laptops, and maybe a TV. I’ve starting looking into swapping out the standard battery that will come with the van (Elddis Xplore 568 2015) with a lithium ion. The van will be permanently left on-site April-Oct. Most of the others on-site have solar panels so this would be the plan. Lots of (too much!) info online obviously and feeling confused! I assume the solar won’t be able to fully charge the battery and we will need to remove it and take it home between visits? (Site is Scottish west coast) Is removing and refitting your battery every time you visit feasible? Will probably have portable rather than fixed panels so not left charging when we’re not there. That said it looks like others do leave there’s out all the time so possibly a very safe site with trusting people! Any advice much appreciated for a newbie trying to make sensible decisions.


PersonAndy Higham
30/4/2022 at 9:59am
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Lithium batteries are sometimes quoted in W/hr rather than A/hr so be careful.
The equivalent of a 12v 100A/hr lead acid would be 1,200 W/hr or 1.2Kw/hr

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo) batteries are kinder to the environment and easier to recycle than Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries


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PersonAllymaguire
via mobile 30/4/2022 at 10:42am
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Thank you that is important


Persontrog100
30/4/2022 at 1:27pm
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panels on the roof would remove the need to take your battery home to recharge it.. whatever batteries you use would be fully charged whenever you arrive..

this dosnt stop you using extra portable panels as well while in occupation..

trog


Personnavver
30/4/2022 at 6:47pm
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April to October is the period when solar PV really works well and that coincides nicely with when you will be using the van.

The PV will be charging all the time and you will be starting with a fully charged battery for each visit.

Outside that time solar PV will keep the battery charged very effectively especially if you get a proper smart controller. We have a Truma controller and that works a treat.

Roof mounted will be best as it will be out of the way and working all the time.


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PersonAllymaguire
via mobile 30/4/2022 at 8:34pm
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Thanks for advice. Can I check if we have no other way of charging the battery than solar is it realistic to expect it to last a full week when we are there? Roof panels would be great if we find someone who’ll travel into the wilds to fit for us! The van will be used like a static and we won’t be able to move it again this season.


PersonJTQU
01/5/2022 at 7:27am
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Unless you are going to be using space heating to any real extent, it will be the use of a TV that most probably will be the biggest "drain" on your battery's stored energy.

I countered this for years carrying a smallish [ 60 Ah] portable battery which could be configured to exclusively power our Tv and audio system.

That offered several topping up options, well that was the plan but in reality, we did not use all of them. These were recharging at home, recharging from our solar system* and the one not used other than for a test, recharging in the car boot whilst out driving about.

* The solar controller I fitted was a so called "Dual" unit, one that could put any extra solar power that the caravan's battery was too full to accept, into a second battery. This together with recharging at home became the way we operated.

Now with the availability of Lithium technology batteries these could increase the attraction of this solution; the battery would be so much lighter so portable. Then at home you could use a recharger optimised specifically for Lithium rather than compromising with a lead acid recharger.

It was a solution that worked well for us, till out use of TV dropped to trivial levels, simply too much junk, and more modern audio systems became far less power hungary than back then.


Personkevin-t
01/5/2022 at 8:00am
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Would a generator be allowed? small suit case size Honda eu220i or the likes.
Place it far enough away so not to be a nuisance to anyone.

Just a thought......


PersonJTQU
01/5/2022 at 8:43am
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Quote: Originally posted by kevin-t on 01/5/2022

Place it far enough away so not to be a nuisance to anyone.



Therein will be a massive and varying challenge.

It was described as a pitch on a site with communal facilities so one needs to assume some time there could be others on site, and other peoples' generators are about as annoying as things can get. People probably go to most remote sites predominately for the peace and quiet they bring?

Way too costly solution that so easily could be rendered unusable, and at best never known if needed to be relied on any visit, it would be tolerated.

Ours for the last two decades only sees use backing up our fragile utility supply at home.


Persontrog100
01/5/2022 at 10:22am
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off grid solar can be as good as the amount of money you are prepared to spend on it..

100 ah lifepo4 lithium batteries can be had for around £400 quid each.. 150 watt solar panels for for around £120 each.. a 3000 watt inverter for around £300..

it really does come down to how much you are prepared to spend on it..

my suggestion would be 2 x 150 watt panels on the roof.. 2 x 100 ah lithium batteries plus a 2000 watt inverter.. you could add more portable panels while in occupation..

spread the cost over a few years and its not that much for the convenience it gives..

trog



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PersonJTQU
01/5/2022 at 12:04pm
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Quote: Originally posted by trog100 on 01/5/2022
off grid solar can be as good as the amount of money you are prepared to spend on it..

100 ah lifepo4 lithium batteries can be had for around £400 quid each.. 150 watt solar panels for for around £120 each.. a 3000 watt inverter for around £300..

it really does come down to how much you are prepared to spend on it..

my suggestion would be 2 x 150 watt panels on the roof.. 2 x 100 ah lithium batteries plus a 2000 watt inverter.. you could add more portable panels while in occupation..

spread the cost over a few years and its not that much for the convenience it gives..

trog




Are we not getting carried away with what the wonders of technology, and big budgets could yield, where the stated needs were for a full week and "Will only need this for lighting and charging phones and laptops, and maybe a TV."?

Not really demanding a 2KW 240 VAC set up, IMO and years of experience caravanning off grid.


Persontrog100
01/5/2022 at 2:59pm
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Quote: Originally posted by JTQU on 01/5/2022
Quote: Originally posted by trog100 on 01/5/2022
off grid solar can be as good as the amount of money you are prepared to spend on it..

100 ah lifepo4 lithium batteries can be had for around £400 quid each.. 150 watt solar panels for for around £120 each.. a 3000 watt inverter for around £300..

it really does come down to how much you are prepared to spend on it..

my suggestion would be 2 x 150 watt panels on the roof.. 2 x 100 ah lithium batteries plus a 2000 watt inverter.. you could add more portable panels while in occupation..

spread the cost over a few years and its not that much for the convenience it gives..

trog




Are we not getting carried away with what the wonders of technology, and big budgets could yield, where the stated needs were for a full week and "Will only need this for lighting and charging phones and laptops, and maybe a TV."?

Not really demanding a 2KW 240 VAC set up, IMO and years of experience caravanning off grid.


maybe.. i personally dont think so but the opinions of other would be interesting to here.. ??

trog


PersonAllymaguire
via mobile 01/5/2022 at 4:41pm
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Having looked now at how to fit our own solar kit I’m feeling confident we could achieve this and will give us a way keeping the battery topped up between visits. A few visits and we should know whether upgrading the battery to lithium will be worth the cost. Is swapping the batteries straightforward? One in one out? Or does the whole battery monitoring system then need changed? Haven’t got the manual in my hands yet so probably some of these questions will be answered then!


PersonJTQU
01/5/2022 at 5:18pm
 Location: Hampshire
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Ideally both the caravan's and solar chargers need to be designed for Lithium.
That is not to say it is essential as typically these batteries come with provision to "cope" with the algorithms lead acid battery chargers feature. At best, a tolerable compromise.

Modern motorhomes where the option for lithium technology batteries is often available, are fitted with the special chargers to suit lithium. Maybe such kit is being offered with the latest caravans?
Many better solar chargers include lithium charging as a switchable feature.

Lithium has distinct issues with charging under very cold conditions, which either must then be avoided, or requires inclusion of internal heating provisions.


Persontrog100
01/5/2022 at 6:55pm
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if the main charging is done by solar the controller can be set for lithium or lead acid.. lead acid charging is more complicated than lithium..

drop in lithium batteries have a built in battery management system..

contrary to popular belief they are basically a drop in replacement..

my old caravan has 2 x 100 ah lithium batteries.. 2 x 150 watt flexible panels on the roof.. plus a 1000 watt inverter..

it helps to have a decent battery monitor.. this shows what is going in and what is going out.. but mainly it shows the actual battery capacity.. these monitors can be bought for about £50 quid.. they are an added expense but well worth it..

my lithium batteries if needed will charge from the normal van lead acid charger.. my intention is not to have to use it though..

i also have 20 amp DC to DC charger.. this can act like a portable generator.. plug it into the car run the engine and it puts a controlled 20 amps into the batteries.. this would be just for emergency use..

trog



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