Solar v Generator
Sorry if this has been asked elsewhere but there are lost of questions to scroll through. We have just bought a 2019 Rollerteam Zefiro.
I was thinking of buying a small generator for when we are off-grid. It is however equipped with solar panels but being new to all this (having previously only hired RV's in Canada a few times) I am not sure if they are good enough to power everything for 24-48 hours.
Would belt & braces be the best approach?
Any assistance would be appreciated-and if a generator is a good idea any recommendations?
Many thanks.
Clive Galbraith
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Others know far more than I about solar and manage quite happily off grid with it. There are threads about it somewhere. Try the Caravanning cheaper section.
A generator will make you very unpopular with anyone within earshot and will cause noise nuisance to you as well. Very few people use them.
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Clive
Like most things you have to work out what the demand will be. How much time will you be spending off grid? If it's only the odd day or two here and there a roof mounted solar panel will probably keep leisure batteries topped up. (you always have the option of a second battery if you have room) Moving from place to place will also provide extra top up for the leisure batteries. All this assumes you are only running 12v appliances via the system. If you want to use 230v appliances through an inverter that will place much greater demands. Depending on what you already have on your motorhome roof you might be able to get and extra panel? As TW suggests have a look at the thread he mentions as there is a lot of information there.
A generator gives you more problems because you have to have somewhere to store it whilst on the road and also somewhere to safely store the fuel. I am sure there are ones that can be built in and share either the gas or diesel supply but they will be expensive.
David
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Good point. Not only space to store the genny and fuel but available payload capacity as well.
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Hi this is a long thread but has plenty of useful information
Make yourself a cuppa, or several 🤣 and I'm sure you'll be wiser and wealthier through not purchasing a generator.
It is a really useful thread but the only way I can find it is to go through an outside search engine!
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Generators are like jet skis at the beach, everyone onsite will come to hate you!
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I am much obliged to everybody for their responses.
Thank you.
Clive
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You should be able to last for several days with a reasonable solar panel set up, maybe more if you're careful. Ours is 100w and does a good job. Generators are noisy, as others have said, so is running the engine to top up the battery on site. If you investigate what you've got you'll probably find the solar system tops up both the habitation and vehicle batteries. Equip yourself with as much low energy equipment as you can find to avoid too much draw on the power and enjoy your first self powered trip!
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