# motorhome,generator



## Weewull (Dec 26, 2016)

hi all
just bought a motorhome and wish to do wild camping as apposed to camping sites and want to purchase a mobile petrol generator,,,,,what output wattage genny will aye need to power the traumatic blow heating and a 240v telivision


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## trevskoda (Dec 26, 2016)

Hi change the tv to a 12 volt one ,does the heating not work of 12v,how many batterys do you have and any solar panels.
If you wish to stick to 230v we require the wattage total of you units,think a tv is about 80/100w.
Most folk dont use a genny for wilding and only stay a day/overnight etc so engine will recharge battery bank up when driving next day.


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## Weewull (Dec 26, 2016)

I have 2 leisure batteries which need renewed,and wish to keep the 240v tv,,,,,,so I was thinkin of a genny for doing the nc 500 sometime next year and will prob stay more than a couple of nights in the one place,ps I have no solar panels


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## The laird (Dec 26, 2016)

What model of camper do you have wullie?strongly recomend solar system it's the way to go.we done the nc this year never had to worry about our battery,led bulbs in all interior lights,12v/240 tv built in DVD.
Moved every two days or so and again never used the gennie.
If you do use a gennie make sure you don't annoy other folks as some power units are noisy,think I've used mine twice in the last two years or so but always out the way .


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## Weewull (Dec 26, 2016)

swift kontiki 660 ,,was going to opt for genny that is as quiet as poss.i have been looking at them but being new to m/h I don,t know how much power the heating uses


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## mikigough (Dec 26, 2016)

:welcome::have fun:


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## trevskoda (Dec 26, 2016)

Weewull said:


> swift kontiki 660 ,,was going to opt for genny that is as quiet as poss.i have been looking at them but being new to m/h I don,t know how much power the heating uses



If you must have a genny dont go mad buying a expensive one as you will find very rarely required,i have a 650w 230v & 12v output cosmo same as wolf ,there two stroke but strangly qt and will run 4hrs on 4ltrs ,never used it in anger,cost from about £50/75.
The wolf ones are 850w,think b&q did them at one stage but i got mine trade.


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## trevskoda (Dec 26, 2016)

By the way have you changed if not done all lights to led,big power saving.:wave:


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## Weewull (Dec 26, 2016)

just bought m/h ,I will have to check bulbs and see if they are led


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## yorkieowl (Dec 27, 2016)

As others have said, you'd prob be better investing in solar with 12v TV, (both pretty cheap nowadays), we bought a genny when we got our mh 9+ years ago and bet I haven't used it more than a couple of times, it was a complete waste of money for us.


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## molly 2 (Dec 27, 2016)

I have a truma 2400 blown air heater it uses 1/2 amp on low 1 amp on high ,100 amph battery should run for 100 hours on low ,that is without the thermostat turning it off .Less the amps that other consumers use .The IMPAX 800 pure signwave genny from screwfix under £200, 8klg would be deal .


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## The laird (Dec 27, 2016)

Will there's a comp on line bulbs foe u I think it is led bulbs cheap but eBay shops also very cheap as well


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## chrismilo (Dec 27, 2016)

I have a Honda EM 500 to get me out of trouble  used maybe once for battery  charging cost £90 on Fleabay 
It will run the 12volt TV and propex heater and lighting 1 gallon 6hrs
I've a Sterling battery to battery charger 60amp puts 5 or more times power into the batteries only having to drive a short distance 
300 watt solar panels for when that big  yellow ball shows it's self.
And 1500 watt inverter 220 amp battery


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## phillybarbour (Dec 27, 2016)

I'm a big gennie fan, but mainly for skiing. Like others have said only used it in the U.K. a few times in 8 years. I run a 2000w model but a 1000w model would be fine.


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## big tom (Dec 27, 2016)

yorkieowl said:


> As others have said, you'd prob be better investing in solar with 12v TV, (both pretty cheap nowadays), we bought a genny when we got our mh 9+ years ago and bet I haven't used it more than a couple of times, it was a complete waste of money for us.



Same here being I had a under slung gas tank  I fitted a 2.5 kw in the gas bottle cupboard it was there 10 + years and  used three times and only then because it was there we could have managed without, solar panels are the way to go. If you are wilding through winter it would be useful perhaps necessary.


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## Kontiki (Dec 27, 2016)

Not a fan of generators having been peacfully parked up when somebody sticks their genny on with the annoying drone, in my experience none are what I would call silent. In over 30+ years camping/motorthoming only one I got stuck with a flat battery once & was thankful to a French guy for lending me his genny to charge my battery, this was on a van less than a couple of months old, other than that like others said solar panels & a couple of good leisure batteries will be sufficient. If you want to stick to 240 volts then get an inverter, as an alternative to solar panels there are some battery to battery fast chargers made bt the likes of Sterling that will charge your batteries quickly. Are you considering using the genny for heating your van or heating with gas & the power is just for the fan? The fan will use very little but the heating on 12 volt electric isn't that efficient (unless you are on electric hook up then you can leave it on 24/7).


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## The laird (Dec 27, 2016)

***** said:


> Having had a geny and now not having one, I do firmly believe they can be very handy if off grid for long periods, and more so during the winter.
> I also believe, there is nothing wrong with a geny if used with consideration. It is not the geny at fault, but inconsiderate users. Use when neighbours have gone for walkabouts!
> A geny is not required to run TV's etc, get 12 V equipment and solar panels
> My own preference is Honda, but they are expensive, however do last and hold value!



I agree fully about improper useage ,sitting in a spot peacefull enjoy the quiet,joe comes along .table,chairs and awning out ,barbie on  then oot comes the Gennie:mad2::mad2::mad2:but you won't need your gennie cause he's parked that close you can use his lead for your van.
Ok get the ghetto blaster oot now,


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 27, 2016)

Hi Gang,
There has been a few Genny Threads recently that may be worth a tap in the search Bar for a read. I LOVE my Genny for my Fulltime Livaboard needs, I Like Solar but chose NOT to have an installation this time.
Do a Power Audit.
Add 30% on the Power Out Figures.
Subtract 30% from the Power In Figures.
Make your Choice taking into account Your Day to Day Lifestyle Disciplines, At what time of day is your Power actually required, Battery Power Storage Capacity.


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## yorkieowl (Dec 27, 2016)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Hi Gang,
> There has been a few Genny Threads recently that may be worth a tap in the search Bar for a read. I LOVE my Genny for my Fulltime Livaboard needs, I Like Solar but chose NOT to have an installation this time.
> Do a Power Audit.
> Add 30% on the Power Out Figures.
> ...



I agree with you there, if I was fulltiming then I would probably have one, but not just for wilding, sooner move on to charge the batteries than have the drone of a genny, we did have a Honda suitcase one at one time, (used for work), but still noisy.


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## barryd (Dec 27, 2016)

As has mostly been said if its Spring, summer and Autumn solar is the way to go.  If your going to do a lot of wilding get your van set up so everything is 12v.  Are you sure your TV isnt already 12v?  many small ones that appear to be 240v will actually run of 12v also.  Does it use just a standard power cable or does it have a box / adaptor in the lead?  Check the voltage requirements on the back.  A 12v one is less than a £100 these days though.

Solar in Spring and summer will allow you to stay in one place as long as you like really whereas a Gennie will not only be annoying it will use fuel and has a shelf life I guess.  Just about everyone who has one says they hardly ever use it or need it.  

Just get the van fitted out completely to be self sufficient.  Solar, decent MPPT controller for the solar, LED bulbs, low power usage TV and you will be all set.


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## FULL TIMER (Dec 27, 2016)

Seems yet another thread about gennies has turned into a for or against thread, the OP didn't ask for opinions on whether he should have one merely what size he would need for his intended use, personally I would go for the Hyundai 1000 si, should be capable of doing all that is needed it works for us.


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## Peisinoe (Dec 27, 2016)

Try cello tv. They are 12v you just need the lead which is extra or make your own. I got a 24in plus led lights with solar panel we had no problems for our 2 week in scotland. 
Cello TV & Home Entertainment on Direct TVs


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## colinm (Dec 27, 2016)

FULL TIMER said:


> Seems yet another thread about gennies has turned into a for or against thread, the OP didn't ask for opinions on whether he should have one merely what size he would need for his intended use, personally I would go for the Hyundai 1000 si, should be capable of doing all that is needed it works for us.



If this had been worded "I've used my MH for some time and found I need a gennnie" I would agree with you, but the OP appears to believe a gennie is needed without ever using a MH, it is only right that the pro's and con's are pointed out. So far on this thread the OP has only given a vague clue as to the usage and nobody has laid out all the pro's and con's in one post of different ways of getting what he needs. I'm never very good at doing this and anyway am about to go out, so hopefully someone might get it sorted.


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 27, 2016)

FULL TIMER said:


> Seems yet another thread about gennies has turned into a for or against thread, the OP didn't ask for opinions on whether he should have one merely what size he would need for his intended use, personally I would go for the Hyundai 1000 si, should be capable of doing all that is needed it works for us.



Well, in that case, & 'For his intended use' as you point out, Surly a 500w Genny would probably be adequate to just run a TV and some Trauma Fan  Heating, Which is the ONLY two things that they seem to require that it runs, So Why OVER DO it with 1000 si model ?. Most 500w Models would be possibley Smaller, Lighter & Cheaper ! 

& to be fair, I tried pointing the OP into Recognizing, & Assessing their Power Requirements by doing a bit of a Power Audit to establish exactly WHAT power THEY actually require at any given point, & Therefore WHAT power SOURCE would meet there requirements.
They can filter out the chaff from unhelpful posts for themselves.


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## Deleted member 5816 (Dec 27, 2016)

Why do you need to keep using Capital letters in most of your replies.  :scared:


QUOTE=Nesting Zombie;774624]& to be fair, I tried pointing the OP into assessing their Power Requirements by doing a bit of a Power Audit to establish exactly WHAT power THEY require at any given point, & Therefore WHAT power SOURCE would meet there requirements.
They can filter out the chaff from unhelpful posts for themselves.[/QUOTE]


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 27, 2016)

Alf said:


> Why do you need to keep using Capital letters in most of your replies.  :scared:
> 
> 
> QUOTE=Nesting Zombie;774624]& to be fair, I tried pointing the OP into assessing their Power Requirements by doing a bit of a Power Audit to establish exactly WHAT power THEY require at any given point, & Therefore WHAT power SOURCE would meet there requirements.
> They can filter out the chaff from unhelpful posts for themselves.


[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I've Noticed that,,,Annoying sometimes isn't it. But it's the Word my Spell Check Bar Thingymajig puts up as a Choice when I type on my Phone !. Well that & Me being UN Educated to any real level.


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## FULL TIMER (Dec 27, 2016)

I didn't say I don't agree with most of what has been posted however if the OP is going to be wilding all the time especially through winter I very much doubt solar is going to do the job on its own especially using his blown air heating , as full timers we have found that we can get away with it most of the time if we are careful with usage but we are not living like this to constantly worry about power usage which is why we keep a small genny as a back up, hardly ever need it in the summer months and most of the time we are on a CS site so have hook up, but the times we are away especially during autumn / winter months  and when using the diesel blown air heating it gets used to top up the batteries using the on board chargers ,normally only need a hour or so and recharge the laptops/tablets at the same time hence the HY1000si we could probably get away with a 500 watt model but it would be running flat out all the time,


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## The laird (Dec 27, 2016)

FULL TIMER said:


> Seems yet another thread about gennies has turned into a for or against thread, the OP didn't ask for opinions on whether he should have one merely what size he would need for his intended use, personally I would go for the Hyundai 1000 si, should be capable of doing all that is needed it works for us.



Understand your comment but we are trying to advise in he best and cost effective ways,I am a gennie owner but only pointing out the solutions
No need to fire in like this,


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## Fazerloz (Dec 27, 2016)

I am now running my genny . I am down the coast from John O groats  I have 200w of panels and the last week they have not been worth a toss. You might not need them often but you can guarentee electricity with a genny. Remember a 1kw genny will not run a hair drier if you need to but would run the articles you listed. I have a Honda eu20i which is 2kw and the hair drier has just been used.


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## Weewull (Dec 27, 2016)

thanx all for the ans,,,,I intend using m/h over the winter as well as summer use ,so opted for genny instead of solar panels


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## harrow (Dec 27, 2016)

What I would say is don't leave old petrol in the generator as it goes stale and causes problems. :idea-007:


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## Obanboy666 (Dec 27, 2016)

Weewull said:


> hi all
> just bought a motorhome and wish to do wild camping as apposed to camping sites and want to purchase a mobile petrol generator,,,,,what output wattage genny will aye need to power the traumatic blow heating and a 240v telivision



I use a Honda EU20i over the winter, reliable and easy starting.
Usually my Truma Combi 4E is on gas but recently I tried it on electric from the genny. The genny was more or less running flat out so I reckon the EU10i 1000 watt genny wouldn't run the Truma Combi, just something to consider.
I've recently fitted an additional 110amp leisure battery and heading off tomoss for a few days wilding. It will be interesting how my 220amps of batteries perform if I don't move for a few days as my 100 watt solar panel is next to useless this time of year.


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## Fazerloz (Dec 27, 2016)

Dont get me wrong, once spring is here the solar are worth every penny. But over winter are not worth a toss. Today has been a very nice bright day the panels didn't start doing anything untill after 10 this morning and then by 3 it's all over and done with. I've been looking periodically at the controller and the best I have seen today is 0.9 amp.  Yesterday was snow all day so they don't do much buried in snow.


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## Obanboy666 (Dec 27, 2016)

harrow said:


> What I would say is don't leave old petrol in the generator as it goes stale and causes problems. :idea-007:



Just use additive, I do. Fuel can be left in for 6 months without it "going off" for want of a better word.
Briggs & Stratton fuel additive (250ml)


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## trevskoda (Dec 27, 2016)

Obanboy666 said:


> Just use additive, I do. Fuel can be left in for 6 months without it "going off" for want of a better word.
> Briggs & Stratton fuel additive (250ml)



Fuel set in any marine store or wynns fuel conditioner motor store.


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## IanH (Dec 27, 2016)

Weewull said:


> swift kontiki 660 ,,was going to opt for genny that is as quiet as poss.i have been looking at them but being new to m/h I don,t know how much power the heating uses



Weewull

Fully understand your problem, but, I'm afraid a generator is NOT the answer, and here's why:-

1 There is NO silent petrol generator
2 It takes up space in your limited space
3 It also needs you to carry fuel to feed it, also taking up space
4 It is, unless you really do real wilderness, totally anti social
5 If it is to power any useable amount of electric heating you'll need 2Kw, Ok maybe 1Kw, either way a sizeable machine

Ok, so now for the good news!!:-


You must already have gas heating, of some sort, OK it'll need a fan to distribute it, that needs some electricity.
You surely have a gas fridge which doesn't
You surely must have a gas water heater, which also doesn't

So, the simple, silent, lightweight, and no maintenance solution can be on your roof!! Solar panels, 200 to 300w and a good leisure battery (poss 2) will do all you can need. If that isn't enough, then a B2B (google it) box will do more than generator, and you already own the generator, your alternator!

Hope this helps, hard hat now on to protect me from the antisocial generator fraternity!!!:sad:


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## IanH (Dec 27, 2016)

Weewull said:


> I have 2 leisure batteries which need renewed,and wish to keep the 240v tv,,,,,,so I was thinkin of a genny for doing the nc 500 sometime next year and will prob stay more than a couple of nights in the one place,ps I have no solar panels



If you really, really need the 240v tv, get an invertor!!


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## trevskoda (Dec 27, 2016)

Dont understand why folk require hair driers m/wave curling tongs etc,towel to dry hair if you still have any or like me cut it v/short,a towel can be dried over a hot engine.
M/wave why bother you have gas,curling tongs,well my tail is curly from birth.
Join the army and they will teach you how to live with out all these silly trappings.


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 27, 2016)

Yeah,,,We could do without a Vehicle as well !.


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## FULL TIMER (Dec 27, 2016)

IanH said:


> Weewull
> 
> Fully understand your problem, but, I'm afraid a generator is NOT the answer, and here's why:-
> 
> ...



strange that you are against using a generator but would run your vehicle engine to charge the battery, all very well if on the move but not very practical if staying in one spot especially with modern diesel engines, I certainly wouldn't be running my 3.9 diesel engine when I have a perfectly good small generator that is more than adequate


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## trevskoda (Dec 27, 2016)

FULL TIMER said:


> strange that you are against using a generator but would run your vehicle engine to charge the battery, all very well if on the move but not very practical if staying in one spot especially with modern diesel engines, I certainly wouldn't be running my 3.9 diesel engine when I have a perfectly good small generator that is more than adequate



True but most folk have 1.9/2.8 donky and i would say move on in morning to charge or have solar panels,how much power do folk require,lights tv toilet flush radio,we bit of heat.


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## FULL TIMER (Dec 27, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> True but most folk have 1.9/2.8 donky and i would say move on in morning to charge or have solar panels,how much power do folk require,lights tv toilet flush radio,we bit of heat.



Ah but moving on would do us no good as no split charge system although that is in hand just dropped onto an Antares  24volt - 12volt 30 amp charger, we already have a 150 watt panel but not much good this time of year especially when parked in woods, to be honest the only time we do use a genny is when at a rally or somewhere behind a pub  for a long weekend etc.


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## Johnnygm7lsi (Dec 28, 2016)

Hi Wull,
           Truma heaters and similar brands produce plenty heat on gas (which can fairly guzzle the gas when it`s sub zero outside), but on electric, the heat output is pretty dismal, I think it needs about 2KW to run it at max, but there is a lower setting of about 1.5KW, we have used this on 2KW on a campsite in mid winter at about -2 cent, and we had to run the gas at the same time to keep the temp comfortable, also you will need a bit extra for your 240v tv, satellite box if you have that, and any other devices you have like your onboard charger. I looked at gennys when I first bought my MH, but the thought of filling it up with fuel on a night of blowing a gale, pissing rain, or snow, and trying to keep the electrics dry kinda put me off, and I had a genny on a previous MH, so I know what that involves.  Solar panels are fine if it`s sunny, but even in bonny Scotland the sun is scarce, and solar panels are fine in mid winter if you sit and listen on a wynd up radio with one led light on, and get up on the roof to adjust and face to the brightest bit in the sky (not sun, just a bright bit) but it all depends on what comforts you require when wilding. In the end I went for a Sterling Battery to Battery charger which runs off of my van engine and charges 4X110ah batteries, which runs a 2KW inverter, which runs my microwave, toaster, sky box, tv, laptop, phone ect. a short drive of about 40 minutes, or just idling the engine, recharges my batteries, and a full charge runs the van for about 4 days, cost of that to install was about £1200, and if your driving every other day, there's no extra genny fuel costs, but you need room for extra batteries, looking at your van, if its the fixed bed model, under the bed is the only place you can add extra batteries. Everyone has different requirements and expectations, and mine is perfect for me as I use the van all year round and don`t rely on campsites except for cassette emptying and topping up water.

                                                                                                      Enjoy your new adventure, Johnny.


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## jagmanx (Dec 28, 2016)

*Genny*

Not for us.
We wild camp over 95% of the time  and we use (ie live in) our vehicle fo the full 6 months in the summer
We have  
1 x 120Watt Solar Panel
1 x 85 amp-hour Leisure battery

I have a cheapo voltmeter which enables me to monitor the battery.
( I appreciate this is not an accurate figure to show charge)

However my battery has never gone below 12.6.
We use the Truma gas heating
we do not watch the (12V) tv very much.

The space in particular, as well as all the other considerations, put me off generators.
So we more than make do..
The only time we use EHU is in late September
OK we are "lucky" in that we do not need to/ wish to use our vehicle in the winter.

If we did
I would simply

1 get a second LB or maybe a really good "new Lithium" one
2 check into a campsite every 2 or 3 or 4 days to use EHU to fully charge the battery.
This maybe not needed if you drive for say 1 hour and maybe do this late afternoon

My suggestion is to......try to do without a genny and see how you get on.
I appreciate that some people will want / need one if they "camp up in remote spots for (dare I say) 4 or more days.
However you probably need to move anyway for
1 Sewage
2 Grey water
3 Fresh water
4 Food


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## David Morison (Dec 28, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Dont understand why folk require hair driers m/wave curling tongs etc,towel to dry hair if you still have any or like me cut it v/short,a towel can be dried over a hot engine.
> M/wave why bother you have gas,curling tongs,well my tail is curly from birth.
> Join the army and they will teach you how to live with out all these silly trappings.



I still use my old service issued mess tins in the camper, compact (one fits inside the other) and has folding handles. We used to shave from them in the field as well as cook.


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## trevskoda (Dec 28, 2016)

David Morison said:


> I still use my old service issued mess tins in the camper, compact (one fits inside the other) and has folding handles. We used to shave from them in the field as well as cook.



Yep same here though i dont use my mbc and mask unless iv eaten beens,still dont understand why folk require toasters m/waves when they have gas to cook on and a grill.
Folk here in countryside in the not so far away past had no lecy and lived just fine,wifes second aunt had no lecy running water or c/heating and lived to almost 100.
Im not saying live like a hermit but why double up on stuff which adds extra weight to van for what purpose.


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## IanH (Dec 28, 2016)

FULL TIMER said:


> strange that you are against using a generator but would run your vehicle engine to charge the battery, all very well if on the move but not very practical if staying in one spot especially with modern diesel engines, I certainly wouldn't be running my 3.9 diesel engine when I have a perfectly good small generator that is more than adequate



Full Timer, you misunderstand me!

I would never consider starting my Mh engine just to charge a battery. The solar panel does that well enough. BUT, when going to the town for the day, or visiting some other place then it makes sense to use the otherwise redundant (more or less) alternator to do some work and further charge the batteries if needed. I also wouldn't want to be camped near someone running their engine, poss for some time, BTW!!!

IanH


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## Sky (Dec 28, 2016)

OK, never mind all these opinions of who likes what, we’re all different and have different needs.  Here are the simple facts:

*Solar Panels*

Pros

·         Great when the days are bright and long.
·         Once fitted, forget about them.
·         You can stay in one place and still get a charge.

Cons

·         Absolutely useless from October to March in the UK.
·         You’ll need a second leisure battery in most setups.
·         Slow to charge flat batteries.
·         Require installation and basic electrical knowledge.


*Battery To Battery Charger*

Pros

·         Fit and forget.
·         Once fitted, forget about them.
·         Charge your batteries very quickly.

Cons

·         Require installation and basic electrical knowledge.
·         Only works when your engine is running.


*Generator*

Pros

·         Power when you need it.
·         High current available if you want to use a hairdryer, microwave or similar.
·         No installation required – just plug in and go.


Cons

·         Take up space.
·         Need to carry fuel as well as additive to stop it going off.
·         Unless you’re lucky to have a garage or sealed area your van will stink of fuel.
·         Takes ages to charge your batteries (unless you fit a higher power charger).
·         Carrying fuel is an added fire-risk.
·         They are mostly unreliable unless you spend £1000.00 or more on a Honda.
·         They’re noisy and will upset anyone within earshot (including you).
·         People like to steal them.
·         Most are heavy.

I've probably missed a few points, but the answer is that only YOU can decide which system will work best for you based on your power demands.

I hope that helps . . .

Oh - I forgot.  

You'll only need a small genny to power your telly. Around 700w is the smallest around and will do a lot more as others have said.


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## Mick H (Dec 28, 2016)

Sky said:


> OK, never mind all these opinions of who likes what, we’re all different and have different needs.  Here are the simple facts:
> 
> *Solar Panels*
> 
> ...



This is probably the most balanced post, regarding the charging of motorhome batteries, in my opinion.

To those who advocate ANY particular method, just consider that, not so many years ago, we couldn't have solar, most of us didn't even have mains electric hook ups, and certainly didn't carry gennys.

Did we have a problem with flat batteries, or have to stop camping, because we required more battery power?

Of couse NOT!

No one actually needs solar, gennys, or battery to battery chargers. They may be desirable, but none are essential.


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## trevskoda (Dec 28, 2016)

Sky said:


> OK, never mind all these opinions of who likes what, we’re all different and have different needs.  Here are the simple facts:
> 
> *Solar Panels*
> 
> ...



Not sure why you think honda are good,i have one and its s--t plus would not recomend there outboard engines as there clap to,in fact so bad we dont even service them as salt eats through heads in short time.
As you say for charging batts through van charger a cheepo at around 700w will do fine but may be running half the day,you would be better going for a 30ml drive as alt will be 70ah or above .


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## FULL TIMER (Dec 28, 2016)

Mick H said:


> This is probably the most balanced post, regarding the charging of motorhome batteries, in my opinion.
> 
> To those who advocate ANY particular method, just consider that, not so many years ago, we couldn't have solar, most of us didn't even have mains electric hook ups, and certainly didn't carry gennys.
> 
> ...



Agree but when you are living in your van full time you really don't want to be making do when with a few extra's you can be very comfortable, we have solar with dual controller ,3 separate battery banks, one 24v vehicle , one for habitation yet another set aside for the diesel heater, two very good quality  on board battery chargers Sterling 24v 25 amp supplies vehicle battery, Xantrex  40 amp 12v supplies the two  habitation banks independently, soon to be fitted  totally automatic 24v dc to 12v 30 amp dc battery charger for when on the move, or could replace the Xantrex if on hookup /genny all of which works well, along with the tiny Hyundai genny I think we have all options covered.


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## Johnnygm7lsi (Dec 28, 2016)

LOL Wull, bet u wished you'd never asked.


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## colinm (Dec 29, 2016)

Sky said:


> OK, never mind all these opinions of who likes what, we’re all different and have different needs.  Here are the simple facts:
> 
> *Solar Panels*
> 
> ...



This pretty much sums it up, but I would add the following.
Reading the OP you appear to want to run the genny to power the heating and tv (unless I've misread that), This is not a good idea, it would mean you are reliant on the genny for tv, and to power the heating it would need to be a powerful genny and run for many hours. IMO much better to run the heating on gas setting with the batteries powering the fan which they should easily do, for the tv depending on how much power it uses and how much you watch it, then you may be able to power it throu an invertor or if it has a external PSU it may run direct on 12v, then if you move every day you should be only running on batteries, but in winter if you park up for several days you will only need to run the genny long enough to top up.


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## jagmanx (Dec 29, 2016)

*30 Miles = 70 amp-hours*



trevskoda said:


> Not sure why you think honda are good,i have one and its s--t plus would not recomend there outboard engines as there clap to,in fact so bad we dont even service them as salt eats through heads in short time.
> As you say for charging batts through van charger a cheepo at around 700w will do fine but may be running half the day,you would be better going for a 30ml drive as alt will be 70ah or above .



Thanks Trev.
Very useful info.

As you will have read
1 I do not want a genny
2 Only 1 LB @ 85 amp-hours
120Watt Solar

I Do not need anything more


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## andromeda (Dec 29, 2016)

*Totally confused*

Nearly 3 years ago I had a smallish van with 2 leisure batteries and a gas fire. Wall mounted combo water heater. Never ran out of power. Now a larger van with hot air heating with combie water heater. Was out one night in autumn battery dead. Children had tv on for couple of hours and had charged phones. Later had to have a new engine battery as was at less than 9% and kept going flat. Would that have affected leisure battery?
I have no technical skills and I am dependent on professionals to fit things like leisure batteries and solar panels this makes the costs of things pretty prohibitive at present. How on earth do I work out amps or voltages or whatever and is there a website or manual to explain stuff so that doing get ripped off by said professionals?
Invertors, split chargers etc are like a foreign language for the likes of me so any help on where to find info gratefully  received.


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## Kontiki (Dec 29, 2016)

A point I think people have missed is that he wanted a genny to power a 240volt TV is the convienence. Now I like to watch the TV when I want so being able to turn it on & off at any time. If you need to run a genny to watch TV you are going to have to at least go outside to turn it on & off (unless you go for one of the expensive systems that is fitted in the van). Just imagine it's cold/wet/snowing & you have to get out of a warm bed to turn the genny on to watch the telly or go outside after watching a nights TV to turn it off & put it away. Just my point of view, if you want to run a 240 volt TV then consider an inverter but you can get pretty decent 12 volt TV for under £80, one of the best ones we had was a 21" one from Aldi with a 3 year warranty (wish we had kept it when we sold the van as they don't seem to sell any small TV's now)


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## trevskoda (Dec 29, 2016)

andromeda said:


> Nearly 3 years ago I had a smallish van with 2 leisure batteries and a gas fire. Wall mounted combo water heater. Never ran out of power. Now a larger van with hot air heating with combie water heater. Was out one night in autumn battery dead. Children had tv on for couple of hours and had charged phones. Later had to have a new engine battery as was at less than 9% and kept going flat. Would that have affected leisure battery?
> I have no technical skills and I am dependent on professionals to fit things like leisure batteries and solar panels this makes the costs of things pretty prohibitive at present. How on earth do I work out amps or voltages or whatever and is there a website or manual to explain stuff so that doing get ripped off by said professionals?
> Invertors, split chargers etc are like a foreign language for the likes of me so any help on where to find info gratefully  received.



Hi there are simple books on lecy stuff or on line google,first amps & watts of power are basicly the same thing but volts is the shunt or driving force.
So a bulb at 100w driven by 230v simply divide 100 by 230 and o.43 will be answer which is less than half a amp draw of power.
So from here we can look at our van with a 12v battery at 100ah capacity,so if you had a tv running using 100w divide 12 into 100=8amps,now subtract 8 from 100 for every hour its running ie 5hrs tv 40ah which would leave battery almost half depleated.
If you have a volt meter fitted then watch as voltage drops to almost 12v from a full charge of about 12.8v its time to switch of or the battery will be damaged.
Next inverters are a electronic box of tricks which step voltage up from say 12v to 230v but in doing so loose some power by wastage,so 12v to 230 with a 100ah battery will give about a hour less run time on a 230v tv that if you had used a 12v tv and thats why folk as a rule buy 12v tv for van rather than use inverters unless your using camp sites plugged into ehu 24/7 where the battery will be getting charged as you use it,hope this helps a we bit other here may be better to explain than i.


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 29, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Hi there are simple books on lecy stuff or on line google,first amps & watts of power are basicly the same thing but volts is the shunt or driving force.
> So a bulb at 100w driven by 230v simply divide 100 by 230 and o.43 will be answer which is less than half a amp draw of power.
> So from here we can look at our van with a 12v battery at 100ah capacity,so if you had a tv running using 100w divide 12 into 100=8amps,now subtract 8 from 100 for every hour its running ie 5hrs tv 40ah which would leave battery almost half depleated.
> If you have a volt meter fitted then watch as voltage drops to almost 12v from a full charge of about 12.8v its time to switch of or the battery will be damaged.
> Next inverters are a electronic box of tricks which step voltage up from say 12v to 230v but in doing so loose some power by wastage,so 12v to 230 with a 100ah battery will give about a hour less run time on a 230v tv that if you had used a 12v tv and thats why folk as a rule buy 12v tv for van rather than use inverters unless your using camp sites plugged into ehu 24/7 where the battery will be getting charged as you use it,hope this helps a we bit other here may be better to explain than i.



Hi ya,
Yep ish !
the 1st hr Might be around the 8 from the 100 then
But the 2nd hour might be more like 8 from 92 then
the 3rd hour might be 8 from 84 then
4th hour prob 8 from 76 then
5th hour prob 8 from 68
& so on kinda thing, Roughly, Braudly speaking as a Guide ish.
But yep I agree that I agree with you. Same result, But your post is clearer than mine


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## trevskoda (Dec 29, 2016)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Hi ya,
> Yep ish !
> the 1st hr Might be around the 8 from the 100 then
> But the 2nd hour might be more like 8 from 92 then
> ...



Yep its a simplified  rule of thumb and folk forget about lights burning etc which all add up,one thing for sure you can never have to many batterys on board plus plenty of ways to charge the bu--ers.


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## molly 2 (Dec 29, 2016)

Forget inverters for TV, modern 12 V TV  run as low as 1 amph .


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## Johnnygm7lsi (Dec 29, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Hi there are simple books on lecy stuff or on line google,first amps & watts of power are basicly the same thing but volts is the shunt or driving force.
> So a bulb at 100w driven by 230v simply divide 100 by 230 and o.43 will be answer which is less than half a amp draw of power.
> So from here we can look at our van with a 12v battery at 100ah capacity,so if you had a tv running using 100w divide 12 into 100=8amps,now subtract 8 from 100 for every hour its running ie 5hrs tv 40ah which would leave battery almost half depleated.
> If you have a volt meter fitted then watch as voltage drops to almost 12v from a full charge of about 12.8v its time to switch of or the battery will be damaged.
> Next inverters are a electronic box of tricks which step voltage up from say 12v to 230v but in doing so loose some power by wastage,so 12v to 230 with a 100ah battery will give about a hour less run time on a 230v tv that if you had used a 12v tv and thats why folk as a rule buy 12v tv for van rather than use inverters unless your using camp sites plugged into ehu 24/7 where the battery will be getting charged as you use it,hope this helps a we bit other here may be better to explain than i.



You should start a thread explaining MH electrics and get done as a sticky


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 29, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Yep its a simplified  rule of thumb and folk forget about lights burning etc which all add up,one thing for sure you can never have to many batterys on board plus plenty of ways to charge the bu--ers.


Absolutly !
I use to have a 140a BALMAR low rpm Max output SMART alternator, A small but effective AMORPHOUS Solar installation of 120w, A Rutland Wind Generator & a 3Kva Hospital Generator Muffled wet exhaust on my Boat. Together with 3 x 250 A/Hr Life Line AGM Battery Bank  NEVER had any Power issues. & I had more Electrical eating Things on-board than was in many Houses including Dish washer !.

I do find that some people Genuinely haven't got a clue regarding what power they actually use, How its used over time aboard in every day use, & what time of day they actually use it, let alone on How to STORE & then Distribute the valuable Harvest, Thinking that chucking a 'Fit & Forget' solar panel on the roof will meet there needs. (Although I agree a Dirty, Flat Un Matched, Badly Placed or installed Solar Panel, whilst parked up for days on end in most Park ups from Guy falks to Easter time IS probably best Forgotten after Fitting).
My observations have been from some posts that some Forget about Water Pumps, Engine Monitoring or Battery Meters & Alarm in Sleep mode aux Gizmo's n lights, Toilet Flush Button, Habitation Lights, Background Radio, Phones Tablets Laptops or similar on Constant Daily Charge, all taking their nibble of power. Let alone the Biggies like Fridge, Fan on Heating, TVs, Sat or Freeview Box, Water Heating, Washing Machine and so on that are the more obvious Fatties. This together with the 'Possible' UNDER estimation of time some actually stay in one park up without Engine or Genny use all Takes its toll on the Power. SO Be Honest with Your Power Usage & Lifestyle Habits over say 3 days of average Wilding. Ive said a few times on here, Things like ' Power Audit' taken over say 3 days or so Then allowing a margin of emergency, & information then gained by doing this should be used to give an indication of a 'Well matched Solar installation or Genny size' required, But these phrases are often overlooked in my view to achieve an efficient power system. & so the cycle goes round n round.

OOO look a Donut !, Coffee time.


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## trevskoda (Dec 29, 2016)

Johnnygm7lsi said:


> You should start a thread explaining MH electrics and get done as a sticky



Not sure what a sticky is but my post is a simple version for folk as daft as me.


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## jagmanx (Dec 29, 2016)

*This thread*

Might run and run (like a genny !)


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 29, 2016)

jagmanx said:


> Might run and run (like a genny !)



Yeah, OR have sporadic usable dribbles of occasional input (Like a Solar Panel !).

But Both being useful at times.


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## trevskoda (Dec 29, 2016)

Another simple way do explain aa battery is think i as a water tank with say 100amps or ltrs of water in it,so if the outlet pipe is bigger than the fill pipe then it will be empty after a while,but if we either slow down the outlet tap or fill up faster ie big solar panel or charger it will take longer to empty.
The emptying is the stuff we use like lights fridges tv satalite charging of toys/laptops etc,all the power or eq water usage rate as if a w/tank draining is on the back of most so just add up and there you have it.
Now im eating my dinner as i type so going absent to chomp.:lol-053:


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## Weewull (Dec 29, 2016)

Johnnygm7lsi said:


> LOL Wull, bet u wished you'd never asked.



as I said,new to m/h so I had to ask,,,,knew there would be difference of opinion regarding gennys,,,,,but think I am going to see about b2b charger and invertor for tv,so glad I did ask


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## The laird (Dec 29, 2016)

Weewull said:


> as I said,new to m/h so I had to ask,,,,knew there would be difference of opinion regarding gennys,,,,,but think I am going to see about b2b charger and invertor for tv,so glad I did ask



Will glad you posted ,I've got solar,got gennie hardly used but your post got me thinkng and now getting advice on b2bs.


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## Weewull (Dec 29, 2016)

the pro,s n cons  seem to b in favour of b2b rather than genny or solar,so I am glad I asked the question and hope it helps other make the decision on which is best for them,,,,,,,,so thanx for all your answersand help to make my mind up


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## Johnnygm7lsi (Dec 29, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Not sure what a sticky is but my post is a simple version for folk as daft as me.



Well a stickys not what you put on the firey, a sticky is an informative thread that stays at the top and never move down.


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