Camping without hook-up

A hook up is the thing in the wardrobe to hang your coat up with..:)
 
ajs said:
i'm sure painmate will be along soon with a suitable reply...:eek::eek::eek::eek:

regards :rolleyes:
aj
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Now then -- Hook-ups!

As I am currently in between vans, I am forced to camp one night in East Lothian, using the driveaway awning off my last van. I have searched and searched but cannot find where you plug in the hook-up lead on the awning. What will I do about my morning cuppa?
 
We used to have 2 x 100Ahr elecsols but they both failed after 18 months - don't hold your breath on their 5 year warranty - been trying since April.

Currently in Calais on the last night of 32 days away. Used electric hook-up once on an aire (free at Ange on the Cher). We have a 100Ahr Exide which cost £60, a 5 watt solar panel to keep things topped up in storage, and a Honda Eu 10 genny which has used £10 of petrol in the month. The genny will charge the battery, give 230v for Sky etc and heat the water of the immersion (its 1kV but it just takes a bit longer) Because we rarely stay by other vans the genny is not a problem but it can annoy people on a cramped aire. It cost £300 off ebay, £600 new, but I think the honda is worth the extra for size, noise and reliability.
I was thinking of a adding a bigger panel but after such a successful trip, electrically speaking, I am keeping things as they are.
Andy
 
Aire_on_a_shoestring said:
We used to have 2 x 100Ahr elecsols but they both failed after 18 months - don't hold your breath on their 5 year warranty - been trying since April.

Currently in Calais on the last night of 32 days away. Used electric hook-up once on an aire (free at Ange on the Cher). We have a 100Ahr Exide which cost £60, a 5 watt solar panel to keep things topped up in storage, and a Honda Eu 10 genny which has used £10 of petrol in the month. The genny will charge the battery, give 230v for Sky etc and heat the water of the immersion (its 1kV but it just takes a bit longer) Because we rarely stay by other vans the genny is not a problem but it can annoy people on a cramped aire. It cost £300 off ebay, £600 new, but I think the honda is worth the extra for size, noise and reliability.
I was thinking of a adding a bigger panel but after such a successful trip, electrically speaking, I am keeping things as they are.
Andy
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Have you just stayed in one spot then if you need a genny and solar panel? For a short stay of 32 days if your moving around do you need solar or a genny? If you stayed in one spot (I presume wilding) then £10 for keeping power for a month is not bad.
 
peteincambridge said:
I have bought two 100 amp Elecsol batteries (it's easy to swop over when one is tired) ... but I haven't really got space to link them together. I have nice stand alone CTEK charger (if there is an electric supply nearby) and my Lunar Pinnacle Van charges when the engine runs. I am a bit of a Sky Sports freak so I use my inverter quite a bit to run my box ... which I know is very naughty but that's not going to change. What I'd like is a bit of help as to how good my engine will be a charging my battery. How fast does an engine charge a leisure battery? If I choose to stay onsite and just run the engine will my leisure battery get fully charged? Do I need a very small (silent!!) generator or can I cope with what I have.
I'd really welcome some help on this.

By the way ... this is my first post.

pete
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Just make sure your generator is absolutely silent from OUTSIDE your van if other campers are in the viscinity - so only YOU suffer the tiresome interruption of peace
 
just been having a quick trawl through past posts and the only thing i can add is, after near 4 months in our van with 2 large lorry batteries plus a fully charged back up just in case that cost a tenner each (not expensive leasure ones ) we have never been short of power as of yet and we run a laptop a old 240v tv its only a 35 amp power consumption some are as high as 80 amps, a freeveiw box off a 800w invertor we also have to charge our mobiles and cameras ok we do a bit of running about to recharge batts
 
getting my amps and wattage mixed up oops:eek::D ps theese 3 mobile dongals are the biz only thing is my daughter has nicked mine at the moment
 
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