Decisions decisions decisions !!

[reiverlad]

Within the next couple of months I am about to be the owner of a 2008 Adria twin – 6m.
I have seen it, it was used over xmas & new year so I know what I am getting into.
Since it had stood for over a year, has done 90k miles it will be getting a full service together with new belts & water pump.
I want to know that I should be safe without too many surprises on the driving front !

Now I come to my dilemma part.
I want to do all my updates when I get it, so that I can enjoy it on my travels thereafter.
I will be able to afford whatever choice I make – but I only want to spend once !!

First off
It has no solar yet so will be putting as much solar on the roof as I can get installed.
The leisure battery is a pitiful 70ah battery which needs replacing as a must.

Now comes the alternative choices I have
Do I stick with the current mix of lpg for heating, cooking, hot water and fridge.
On this choice I would install an underslung lpg tank
or
Do I go full tonto on a switch to full electric which means
Large lithium battery & inverter, change both the fridge & switch to an induction hob

Heating is another issue – do I change to a diesel heater, with or without hot water.

I can see advantages and disadvantages to both choices – and my head is hurting thinking about it all !!

Help me with your comments please

 

[trevskoda]

Lpg is good but takes a few years to payback, diesel night heater i think best, as for hot water i have a moster kettle for kitchen and a 12v electric hand wash unit in the loo, but many want a shower unit so your shout on that one, as much solar as possable along with either lead carbon or lipo4.

 

[saxonborg]

I suppose something to consider is that whatever major system you use you need something different as a backup should your primary system go faulty on you.

 

[1807truckman]

My PVC has diesel/electric for heating/hot water and LPG for cooking with underslung tank, went that route due to not being able to get the amount of solar on the roof I wanted.

 

[1 Cup]

All good kit comes at a price . But cheaper things normally / may need fitting twice. So if you a good fitter and have tools then that's half the battle.

Lpg is a bugger to get more and more nowadays. But it's all in the planning.

All my 12v victron stuff will be up for sale later this year, as all is forward planned from 2020 biuld start ( no air fryer ). As van will be increasing to 5k invertor @ 24v. 2025

12v is not future proofing. For all electric vans.

Bobil have upgraded there hot water system which I have 2020 model in my van. 2024 is all singing at half the price of the Germans. but I'm going 30/50 ltrs 240v emersion heater.

 

[wildebus]

Within the next couple of months I am about to be the owner of a 2008 Adria twin – 6m.
I have seen it, it was used over xmas & new year so I know what I am getting into.
Since it had stood for over a year, has done 90k miles it will be getting a full service together with new belts & water pump.
I want to know that I should be safe without too many surprises on the driving front !

Now I come to my dilemma part.
I want to do all my updates when I get it, so that I can enjoy it on my travels thereafter.
I will be able to afford whatever choice I make – but I only want to spend once !!

First off
It has no solar yet so will be putting as much solar on the roof as I can get installed.
The leisure battery is a pitiful 70ah battery which needs replacing as a must.

Now comes the alternative choices I have
Do I stick with the current mix of lpg for heating, cooking, hot water and fridge.
On this choice I would install an underslung lpg tank
or
Do I go full tonto on a switch to full electric which means
Large lithium battery & inverter, change both the fridge & switch to an induction hob

Heating is another issue – do I change to a diesel heater, with or without hot water.

I can see advantages and disadvantages to both choices – and my head is hurting thinking about it all !!

Help me with your comments please

Electric Heating as a primary system is not viable so you will need to stick with the LPG Heater (I assume you have currently) or get a Diesel Heater.
Electric Hot Water IS more feasible but is still power hungry - so again stick with what you have or get the Diesel Space/Water Heater.
A decent Diesel heater with water is not cheap, but it could mean you don't need the expense of getting the Underslung Tank?

Switching to an Electric Compressor Fridge is IMO a good idea. Cost will depend if you go 240V Compressor or 12V Compressor.
Cooking on Electric is very doable, but can be very power intensive. Using Induction Hob, Microwave and Airfryer are very efficient but still need a good sized battery bank.

Really does depend a fair degree on how much you want to spend. As an example, next month I am installing an electrics setup costing around £4k, but van will still have Gas Fridge, Gas Heating and Gas Cooking

 

[st3v3]

Chinese diesel heater. Compressor fridge. On demand gas water heater. Gas cooking. Refillable gas bottle (gaslow etc.)

IMO of course...

The fridge will still use up to 100Ah per day, depending on size/inverter/how many times you're in it.

Which means big lithium required if you're planning more than a couple of days with sketchy sun.

 

[campervanannie]

Mines an Adria twin 2009 I plumped for underslung lpg tank roof rack mounted solar panels and a lithium in what was the gas locker with the victron mounted on a shelf above the battery.

 

[trevskoda]

That bar holding the tank requires shotblasting and a repaint, get it sorted or i will wake you early every morning.

 

[campervanannie]

That bar holding the tank requires shotblasting and a repaint, get it sorted or i will wake you early every morning.

It is black when they finished mounting it it gets two coats of an anti chip stuff and I take back for an inspection every 12 months so all is fine but thanks for caring

 

[trevskoda]

It is black when they finished mounting it it gets two coats of an anti chip stuff and I take back for an inspection every 12 months so all is fine but thanks for caring

Have always to keep you right sweet hart.

 

[Norfolk NewBoy]

Presumably you have considered all of the figures?
Will adding all of these devices plus your expected travelling kit and personnel still be within the load requirements of the vehicle and also your driving licence?
Will the costs of all these modifications be worth it on an older vehicle which may have a limited life span?

My MH is 2002 and spare parts are becoming harder to source. I don't want to get rid of it (I haven't found anything I like at a price I can afford) BUT I will not be adding extra kit to it (all I've added in 18y of ownership is refillable gas bottles and they are becoming harder to refill: I'm now carrying a Calor bottle "just in case").

Then there is the question of how will you use it? This is a wildcamping forum so presumably you are considering time off grid BUT how you use that time is down to you. We considered solar, EFOY etc BUT discovered that our single 100Ah battery charges up sufficiently because we tend to move every couple of days, helped by the fact that we don't have a TV but we do have mainly led lamps. We've managed a month in each of Spain, Germany, Outer Hebrides whilst only using a maximum of 4 nights on a campsite.

Personally I would suggest saving your money until you know what would enhance your situation, rather than trying to guess what you will need, but it's your decision (decision, decision)

Gordon

 

[jagmanx]

Provided the Lounge area is not too big. AND you are going to spend Megabucks
I ould go for a diesel Cooker which also provides heat.
Then as you imply "loadsasolar" and Battery storage.and suitable fridge and inverter.
SO NO LPG
Maybe a 2nd diesel heater for warmth or a 500w leccy fan heater as a topup
Maybe just induction heater for cooking

 

[runnach]

Hi Pat, Norfolk Newboy has mirrored what I was going to say, get out, see how you get on with camper as is, then look at what changes will enhance you and the camper requirements.

Happy new camper when it arrives and enjoy

 

[Trotter]

Like Annie, I too have an Adria Twin. Tbh, I don’t think there’s a better panel Van conversation. The style is much the same as many others. So they must have got that right. Okay, the fixed bed, may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I was non negotiable for me.
Over the 6years of owning it, it’s had several different set ups. I reckon I’ve almost got it right. While I’m not full time, I reckon I’d spend more time in the van than I do at home.
I can run the van, given enough sunlight, 90% on electric. The 3way fridge and water heater are the exception when off grid. They both take far too much. There are alternatives, but far too much bother to change.
I’m a very happy bunny with my Twin.

 

[wildebus]

There is a very interesting book available from Victron that discusses Electrical Power in the context of a Yacht. But a Motorhome or Campervan is no different - a self-contained vessel with battery storage and methods of power generation. Maybe the devices in use on a boat are different for sure but identical principles.

Lots of theory and technical info that IS worth looking at, especially when embarking on changes and updates to a setup, but section 6 onwards I think is well worth a read, and there is even a real-world breakdown in Section 6.6 of how much electricity a 3 course meal for 4 used (Spag Bol I think was made?).

Free download - https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Book-Energy-Unlimited-EN.pdf

 

[iandsm]

Within the next couple of months I am about to be the owner of a 2008 Adria twin – 6m.
I have seen it, it was used over xmas & new year so I know what I am getting into.
Since it had stood for over a year, has done 90k miles it will be getting a full service together with new belts & water pump.
I want to know that I should be safe without too many surprises on the driving front !

Now I come to my dilemma part.
I want to do all my updates when I get it, so that I can enjoy it on my travels thereafter.
I will be able to afford whatever choice I make – but I only want to spend once !!

First off
It has no solar yet so will be putting as much solar on the roof as I can get installed.
The leisure battery is a pitiful 70ah battery which needs replacing as a must.

Now comes the alternative choices I have
Do I stick with the current mix of lpg for heating, cooking, hot water and fridge.
On this choice I would install an underslung lpg tank
or
Do I go full tonto on a switch to full electric which means
Large lithium battery & inverter, change both the fridge & switch to an induction hob

Heating is another issue – do I change to a diesel heater, with or without hot water.

I can see advantages and disadvantages to both choices – and my head is hurting thinking about it all !!

Help me with your comments please

I think you should add the potential of needing new tyres to your list as a priority if it's been stated for over a year

 

[Caz]

Each to their own but I managed perfectly well in my Adria for 5.5 years with the existing gas heating, hot water, fridge and cooking, a 110 aph lead acid battery & 200w solar - couldn't get more than that on due to the skylights, had to blank off one ventilation hole to get that on. It was the older slightly shorter model though. The hot water & fridge ran off 230v if I had EHU and I used a basic fan heater, leccy kettle & hotplate.
You can buy an awful lot of gas for what a fully 12v electric system with inverter would cost to be installed.

 

[trevskoda]

Each to their own but I managed perfectly well in my Adria for 5.5 years with the existing gas heating, hot water, fridge and cooking, a 110 aph lead acid battery & 200w solar - couldn't get more than that on due to the skylights, had to blank off one ventilation hole to get that on. It was the older slightly shorter model though. The hot water & fridge ran off 230v if I had EHU and I used a basic fan heater, leccy kettle & hotplate.
You can buy an awful lot of gas for what a fully 12v electric system with inverter would cost to be installed.

True but you cannot charge the batterys with gas LOL.

 

[Caz]

True but you cannot charge the batterys with gas LOL.

No, but you can charge them enough from 200w solar to do more than they need to if you use gas for heating, hot water, cooking & fridge.
Or you can bung the EHU lead in and charge both engine & leisure batteries off the mains when it's parked on your drive or you've paid for a cheap site for the night to get a decent shower, empty the loo and do your washing.