Whats it cost to get EHU free?
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If you go for Merve's bumper use of electricity it might cost that but I didn't shell out nearly so much. A slightly piece of string question but for my modest set up of 80w panel, inverter 600w and Safefill cylinder less than £250 I would say.
I started with a 13 watt briefcase panel which did well around £40 on eBay, then I ran it over ( but it still works with cracked screen!) Then I won the bigger one on UK Campstes for writing a review! Inverter was on offer at Maplins no more than £70. I think my Safefill was £110 when I bought it.
Merve uses toaster and microwave plus vacuum and much more and he has two batteries I haven't felt the need for a second one. The only thing I haven't yet tried is the hair dryer which would probably push it too far but unless it's freezing cold I can do without a hair dryer. Or if push came to shove find an EHU for a night or so? My hand blender works well enough. If my vacuum won't charge I have a good broom! It just so depends on what you need to run of your set up? Rolls Royce or build up to it?
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I expect it depends on whether you want to do a few days or few weeks. We have a solar panel, wattage unknown, it was on our motorhome when we bought it 10 years ago so not ultra modern. We've just done 5 days without EHU, OH very apprehensive before but happy to do again. It was dull for 3 days, wet for 1 and sun/cloud for the other 1 day. Used an 150w invertor to charge phones and a couple of hours TV a day. Battery never less than 3/4 full. Usual calor gas supply. But will seriously think further about investing. So will be interested in replies. We don't use nov-feb usually.
Edit bought invertor on eBay about £20.
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I think it may depend on if you are a caravan or MH and what you want to do or are able to do yuorself. Most jobs are DIYable but not everyone (inc me) are comfortable drilling holes in vans...
We have a 130w SP and from memory it cost around £400 fitted with mmpt controller, Gaslow was free but it is around £200-£300 depending if you have a 1 or 2 bottle system, I believe a large safefill is around £170. If you then want an inverter I am currently pricing these up and for a decent known make they seem to be around 350-400 for a 1500 or 2000w system.
So I guess getting it all fitted around 1k but I am sure there are cheaper alternatives available and if you can do the work yourself obviously that can save some cash..
Good thing about gaslow there are generally no restrictions on filling unlike safefill.....
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I have been wondering about my induction hotplate and I am sure that would be out at full blast. Anyway I have a very good camping stove with grill and 2 burners currently used for cooking outside at home and using up a very old 13 kg calor.
Merve definitely uses a microwave so top end inverter required David for hot plate too. If you can't do without those that is.
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Hi gang. Sorry, I wasn't on the ball- just got back from a bimble up Little Mell Fell- wonderful views of Ullswater- Pippah is right- how long is a bit of string??
Well, it's 4 years since I fitted the kit and prices have plummeted since then but I will try to help here. First the SP. I would go for at least 120w if off grid was a permanent desire. 150w would be better but only if a second battery is present, that's why I had a second- what's the point of all that lovely free power and nowhere to store it.? - I am told that SPs are about a pound per watt now and checking the current price that's about right- Incredible! A 160w monocrystalline panel kit is £174.99 from Photonic Universe that includes a 10amp advanced controller and cable etc. Monocrystalline is the most efficient. Add to that a decent battery and the word here is 'decent' . A Banner Bull fits the bill- let's not even talk about Li Ion!! So that would be about £140. The inverter was £349- but you could do without it- a 12v vacuum, use your microwave as a bread bin, toast under the grill and the blender.... well, use elbow grease I guess. Now, non EHU demands more gas so it's a Safefill and it's the best investment you'll ever make. Mine have paid for themselves at least once. The 20lt one is £160 I believe or there abouts. Then you have the fitting charges unless you do it yourself - of course if you have a suitcase type SP that's not applicable. So I reckon, and assuming you already have a decent battery, I reckon you could be offgrid for between £340- £400. If you want to add an inverter to that then it all depends what inverter you choose. I chose a powerful 2k PSW because I didn't want it working at full pelt and I wanted to be sure that all sensitive equipment would run on it but you don't need one as big as that if you don't want to use the things I do. I wanted my microwave, I wanted my toaster etc etc and of course, if I want a coffee machine or any number of other electrical gadgets, I can. (Keeping an eye on the weight of course) My installation was about £900 ( in those days) but as I say, prices have come way down now, but if you ask me 'would I do it again- damn right I would! Actually it hasn't cost me £900 because I've saved so much on site fees to the point where I'm probably a grand+ up on the deal and had a wonderful feeling of freedom - and you can't put a price on that one! Let's say you were going to do it as cheaply as possible so using the £340 a £400 figure, you could be back in pocket in 30nights or so- it's a no brainer.
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The point is DD that you use your inverter for short periods like I do (although 1000w is high and the most I have asked is 730 I believe) - 3 mins for toast, 2 mins to heat a drink, 5 mins vacuum and the blender- 1 minute! They are not on long enough to even lower the batteries to a point where any serious discharge is done - by that I mean discharge not physical. I have plenty of capacity in the batteries- easily enough to cope with what I ask of them and without them hardly knowing about it.
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To address Davids OP re weight and this is important. An extra battery allow 25 kg, Inverter, 3 kg Solar Panel- How long is a piece of string? Flexible or frame type? Mine is 14kg so I have 42kgs of kit. My allowance is 156kg so plenty of margin and most of our kit goes in the towcar anyway so no problem.
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It depends totally on what equipment you want to power and what time of year. When we started caravanning with an Abbey it had no battery, no transformer and no EHU. This was quite usual. We connected the van to the car with an extension lead and managed perfectly well for a few days but made sure to take the car for a run periodically. We supplemented lighting with a camping gas light and used gas for cooking, heating and fridge.
The man power consumers that have been added since those days are a TV (for those that need one) and a fan or pump for heat distribution.
Out of habit and because of ACSI membership where power is included in the pitch fee we always use EHU when travelling overseas but the Motorhome has a solar panel and there is absolutely no need for hook-up, except for one item - a powerful mains electric fan for the hot climate. It has become a habit, not a necessity.
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Hi bakers, what are you using an inverter to charge phones for? - or to watch television for that matter? Charge them from the 12v socket using an adapter and run your TV on 12v- if you have a 240v set- bin it and get something that runs off 12v. An inverter is very useful when needed to run 240v gear but the vast majority of operations aboard can be done with 12v. An inverter uses amps whilst on so make sure you switch it off when not using it. - the more you can use 12v DC the better. I'm really pleased the OH is beginning to. Sleeve in offgrid though- a real leap forward! Yes, invest in a Safefill- you'll not regret it.
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We have a 15 year old motorhome and it doesn't have a 12v socket. Got a 'funny' 12v next to socket in TV cupboard seems to have 2 small slots, never seen anything that would be likely to go in it.
Small inverter is sufficient to charge the phone if it's not done from cigarette lighter when on the move. The cab as an 18v cigarette type socket but it's too big for cigarette lighter adapters. No idea what that's about. It's enough for the TV too.
OH wasn't at all sure but was impressed so baby steps at present 😉
Had devil's own job to post this reply 😤😤. Easier to persuade OH to go off grid 😲😲
Merve I did wonder about 'sleeve' 😂😂
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We have a 15 year old motorhome and it doesn't have a 12v socket. Got a 'funny' 12v next to socket in TV cupboard seems to have 2 small slots, never seen anything that would be likely to go in it.
Small inverter is sufficient to charge the phone if it's not done from cigarette lighter when on the move. The cab as an 18v cigarette type socket but it's too big for cigarette lighter adapters. No idea what that's about. It's enough for the TV too.
OH wasn't at all sure but was impressed so baby steps at present 😉
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Your 'funny' socket is just an older style socket like these There is an adapter like this
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Can someone report my post please? My second reply took 7 minutes more to show than my copying the post, logging out and back in again and pasting then adding to the post 😲 slow or what. I've also tried since spotting it within a minute or so to be able to post this request.
The refresh loads until almost complete and then hangs. If we say 2-3minutes to type this that's at least 10 minutes maybe more by the time this post is showing. Slow even by this site's standards.
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Bakers2 you will need something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Caravan-Camper-12v-10a-Two-Parallel-Pin-Plug-Black/1808754088?iid=171407185558
I have posted that my setup cost approximately £400 but for a short stay you need to spend nothing.
With my setup we cant use. The microwave or a hairdryer. As for a Netspresso machine no thank you under any circumstances. We have bought a Caravan low wattage kettle from Aldi, I think it cost £10, it is hard to imagine we will ever save £10 in gas.
I cant really comment on offgrid cooking because I have never cooked for more than 95 off grid so don't feel qualified
TBH my belief in life is some people do it whatever it is. And others make excuses not to. But personally I refuse to be dictated to where I stay by the lack of a Netspresso machine. Other opinions are available
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