# Electricity!



## Longboard (Nov 2, 2014)

Hi all.
Just bought a non running 2003 LWB Hi Roof Citroen Relay with rusty sills that i intend to convert to a stealth camper. Suspected to be hydraulically locked from HGF - turned out to be a burst hose and a seized alternator!
There's one big hole in my plans to live in it at least until I have the means and will to commit to rooting myself in rented accommodation again: electricity!
In short, I am stunned that in 2014 there seems no practical technology capable of maintaining the charge on a 12volt battery while employing one light bulb and a small TV/ computer for a few hours each evening . . .
Solar is expensive - and crap in winter, wind turbines are definitely unstealthy -as well as crap, heat powered woodburner thermo electrics still experimental, expensive and weak, and generators horribly expensive, thirsty, noisy and prone to theft and gassing their owners; as well as being ludicrously OTT for powering a laptop and a light bulb!
Wouldn't a tiny steam engine attached to the woodburner be fantastic for long winter evenings . . ?
so where are they, inventors?


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## outtolunch (Nov 2, 2014)

*heres an alternative*









Cougar pedal powered Power generator POWERplus | Shop online at Greenweez.co.uk


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## st3v3 (Nov 2, 2014)

Proper solar setup is what you need, with enough battery to support it.


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## Robmac (Nov 2, 2014)

outtolunch said:


> Cougar pedal powered Power generator POWERplus | Shop online at Greenweez.co.uk



Every prison cell should have one.


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## rugbyken (Nov 2, 2014)

You don't need that much solar for limited usage I've a 80w panel & 2x 110 batteries with an investor not an expensive set up and copes easily to be fair have renewed most of the light bulbs with LED but once set up its free ie standing charges etc for electric at home £60/80 set up costs would be recovered in about 18months


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## wineciccio (Nov 2, 2014)

totally agree, you can go OTT if you wish but you will find that most of us owners of campervans do not go OTT, we just acquire what  in my opinion makes our life a little easier on our travels without having to use campsites as often as others do, I think  you will find that a good wind powered generator would answer/meet your requirements in this country anyway and it would not break your bank account.:anyone::anyone::anyone::anyone::anyone::anyone::anyone:


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## Wooie1958 (Nov 2, 2014)

rugbyken said:


> You don't need that much solar for limited usage I've a 80w panel & 2x 110 batteries with *an investor* not an expensive set up and copes easily to be fair have renewed most of the light bulbs with LED but once set up its free ie standing charges etc for electric at home £60/80 set up costs would be recovered in about 18months




Wish i could have got someone to pay for mine as well :dance:


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## QFour (Nov 2, 2014)

At least it will keep you fit. Just need a pole with a can of Lager dangling from it ...

..


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## Polar Bear (Nov 2, 2014)

User1 said:


> View attachment 25910
> 
> At least it will keep you fit. Just need a pole with a can of Lager dangling from it ...
> 
> ..



I was going to say

[Can you use a Romanian instead? All the poles around here are busy fitting kitchens!] 

But then I thought someone would have a go at me for being un PC and not see the joke [My dad was Polish] so I'm only thinking of posting it! Shall I?


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## RogerV (Nov 2, 2014)

Polar Bear said:


> I was going to say
> 
> [Can you use a Romanian instead? All the poles around here are busy fitting kitchens!]
> 
> But then I thought someone would have a go at me for being un PC and not see the joke [My dad was Polish] so I'm only thinking of posting it! Shall I?



Go for it ! :have fun:


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## Longboard (Nov 2, 2014)

*Excellent! ( :*

Thanks everybody, I like this club already!
LOLled a lot too. Out loud! (;
Some of interesting thoughts - looks like solar may not be as impractical as I feared, and that could be very good news . . .
I'm definitely in the 'Stealth' bracket, so a turbine may be too much of a giveaway that the parked up white van (With a couple of high mounted slit windows) has someone sleeping in it. But solar? Hmmm.
Sorry to begin my membership with a rant, btw!
My van will be my surfing transport too. I'm planning to incorporate an internal locker for a 9 foot 6 surfboard (against the wall or maybe underfoot) with a gas bottle woodburner, and hi level bed with storage beneath.
Had a converted LDV 400 minibus before (Did a 9000 mile tour of Morocco in that) so hope to learn from all my mistakes - first of which is 'minibuses are too hard to insulate!'


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## rugbyken (Nov 3, 2014)

Wondered what wooie meant then realised predictive text had struck again invertor became investor it even turned his name into woodie , 
      Reference "longboards" board storage we stayed for three days in August at the aire near barcares  there were about fifty boarders from surf & wind to paragliding in a real mix of vans there were a couple of german conversions next to us one had his board in a bracket under his van and the other had a false floor with a couple of boards slid in,


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## Wooie1958 (Nov 3, 2014)

rugbyken said:


> Wondered what wooie meant then realised predictive text had struck again invertor became investor it even turned his name into woodie ,
> Reference "longboards" board storage we stayed for three days in August at the aire near barcares  there were about fifty boarders from surf & wind to paragliding in a real mix of vans there were a couple of german conversions next to us one had his board in a bracket under his van and the other had a false floor with a couple of boards slid in,




Sorry about that, couldn`t resist it  :wave: as for calling me woodie that`s fine, i`ve been called a lot worse  :lol-049:


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## Polar Bear (Nov 3, 2014)

Longboard said:


> Thanks everybody, I like this club already!
> LOLled a lot too. Out loud! (;
> Some of interesting thoughts - looks like solar may not be as impractical as I feared, and that could be very good news . . .
> I'm definitely in the 'Stealth' bracket, so a turbine may be too much of a giveaway that the parked up white van (With a couple of high mounted slit windows) has someone sleeping in it. But solar? Hmmm.
> ...



See recent post about gas bottle conversions before making one. 

You may end up a cell mate of Nigel's?


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## Longboard (Nov 4, 2014)

rugbyken said:


> Wondered what wooie meant then realised predictive text had struck again invertor became investor it even turned his name into woodie ,
> Reference "longboards" board storage we stayed for three days in August at the aire near barcares  there were about fifty boarders from surf & wind to paragliding in a real mix of vans there were a couple of german conversions next to us one had his board in a bracket under his van and the other had a false floor with a couple of boards slid in,



Yep, a partial raised floor is what I'm toying with - against the wall would be perfect - if it wasn't for the pesky wheel arch.


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