Energy Saving Tips
Hi all,
I am writing a piece for the Caravan & Motorhome Club Magazine and would love to include some of our members' tips on how to save energy both on the road and on site.
Looking to hear from anyone who has installed/embraced solar energy or researches the best fuel prices to use en route. Any particular gadgets that have come in handy? Is it better to use a kettle or boil a pan for a cup of tea? Have you discovered a brilliant way of heating your caravan or motorhome?
Whatever your tips, I would love to hear from you. You can comment below of contact me at janemcgowan5@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Jane
Comments
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Another article for the club mag, Jane?
The fact that you posted asking this latest question tells me you’re not a regular reader of this forum as many of the posts in this very section will give you a good start.
Good luck in your quest.
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How? To someone in their caravan/MH either metered or not the cost of the electricity they use will be the same?
It might be one is more 'frugal' but one could do that either with or without metering? In any case I think the OP is asking for tips on saving money and if it's for the club magazine then the readers will be using club sites where metering is not an option or CL's where it could be.
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If I was still at work, I would say do your own homework but I'm not so I won't
Ok so:
Always buy fuel at supermarkets or use google to find the cheapest places and plan well ahead to avoid the more expensive petrol stations. I always fill up before towing and sometimes in the evening before the next day of towing.
Often hot air heating ducts go under and outside the caravan so if that is the case make sure they are lagged.
Best way to heat? I always use electricity, is heating by gas cheaper? Do some research, but gas is less efficient than electricity, from recall 30% of the heat produced by gas is lost through the flue while it's almost 100% from electric.
Also not sure why you think using a kettle is using less or more electricity than a pan (it will take (almost) the same. If you're comparing gas v electric again the same energy will be used though again differing costs,
Infra-red heaters are better than fan heaters, and certainly better in awnings
(You may want to leave that part about awning heaters off)
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while it's almost 100% from electric.
I meant almost 100% of the electrical energy is transferred to heat.
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Indeed, you must have missed my correction DD? The one before your post?
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I think the OP is looking at tips from members in their use of their outfits DD and not what the club could do.
...would love to include some of our members' tips on how to save energy both on the road and on site.
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You appear to have missed the fact I was talking about heating in this paragraph that this correction applies to as kettles don't have flues
And actually the electric element touching and perhaps covering the pan will transfer heat energy far better than gas, as gas will also be heating the air in the space between and around the flame and the pan. Open flames mean loss of efficiency, that's a fact. From recall from when doing some calculations I think it's about 17%less efficient?
Good try though DD in avoiding my correction.
Now I'll look forward to your own individual, not club related, suggestions and leave it there in respect to the OP.
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Thermal underwear and thick socks. If you have a decent solar set-up, lithium batteries and an inverter, boil your water when the sun is shining and store it in a thermos for use later in the day. Not so much saving energy but reducing overall costs, change to refillable gas cylinders @ about 80p/£1 per litre against Calor charging you about £3 per litre. Find off-grid sites at about £5-10 per night rather than paying £30 per night for a site with EHU.
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I like the Lithium + Solar option. I have just ordered a new 100ah LiFePo battery to replace our old lead acid. The lead acid was (I think) killed our slowly failing Bailey/Truma solar controller that seems to be putting out 15v. Annoying that a £15 item has killed a £200 battery that should have lasted years.
The new battery is a Kepworth unit from Amazon. £379 (on offer) its not cheap, but is significantly cheaper than its closest rival, and has had a very positive physical review from "DC guy" on youtube here. I opted for the bluetooth enabled version for phone based state of charge checking.
The nice side benefit is that at 11Kg, it will save 13kg of payload - a not insignificant chunk!
I will update when it arrives :-)
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You need to change the solar controller, too...to one that has a lithium charging profile.
like CY, we have plenty of solar and, 'on site' (wherever that may be) one of the simplest ways to reduce electricity usage is to turn off the mains battery charger and allow solar to keep batteries fully charged. Use usb charging cables for phones, tablets etc and for 12v to power TV, water pump etc rather than mains connected devices.
if you need mains for kettle, hairdryer etc its there but for simple charging tasks, use the sun.
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