Off grid

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  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #32

    Wouldn't say I seek out off grid sites but I do seek out sites in areas where we wish to be. Firstly those with EHU and other facilities but if there are none of these then I will consider others. If the site or place to stop is in exactly the right place for our walking, nature rambles, beach, near friends, sporting event whatever the reason for the 'holiday' that is where you will find us. We have the capability to be off grid if necessary so why not!

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited February 2018 #33

    Mot sure that there was much difference between the good old days and present in some ways. 

    The main differences were that for hot water boil a kettle. If no site facilities a strip down wash was fine. foot pump for water. Heating courtesy of 3 gas mantles. smile

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,152 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #34

    Ooh, BB, you’re teaching granny to suck eggs. 

    Been there and done that before you even discovered vanning. wink

  • Unknown
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    edited February 2018 #35
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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #36

    Yes, I remember them well and you'd never catch me in one.....laughing

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,152 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #37

    Who knows?

    It's irrelevant, David, as I was addressing another person.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited February 2018 #38

    Did the tent and trailer tents before 1969 when previos OH and I joined the "club" as it was thenwink

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited February 2018 #39
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  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,152 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #40

    Precisely, Brue, and that’s why I appreciate the luxuries of modern vanning. smile

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,152 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #41

    What does it matter? I neither know nor care when you started vanning, David, but for some reason you seem to want to get into a debate.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #42

    alan, I stop (within reason) where I like, like JayEss, the location is the most important factor.....if where I want to be doent have a hook up, so what...

    i don't let the site ehu or not dictate where I stay.

    but as you have a specific set of 'site requirements' then you, like some others, are restricted in where you can go....but please don't feel that others are equally self restricting, as they are not

    my post was to respond to the (IMHO) derisory comments like 'I don't do camping anymore'.....and the inference that being without a hook up is somehow beneath 'proper' caravanners......those with 'site requirements' perhaps...

    i can assure you that those in a caravan or MH who are not on a hook up arent 'back in the sixties', they are still caravanning or motorhoming, just like those who use a hook up.

    if the means to an end is that I don't have to think too hard about 'facilities' then that is a good end, isn't it?

    dont get me wrong, l love to stay long term at sites with lots of facilities, I have a set of requirements, too, when we 'arrive' wherever that is, but I  don't feel that these have to be at the forefront for every stop....

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #43

    Irrelevant to me, to TW.....undecided

    however, there's still the element of 'done that and moved on' which is an interesting view.....moved on to what?

    there's nothing to move on to, the vanning is the same, though some can't see this, even those who are good at sucking....wink

     

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #44

    ..but how does your luxurious van suddenly cease to be luxurious if it's sat on the same pitch, on the same site, but without an ehu cable?

    isnt your oven gas?

    isnt your TV 12v?

    doent your water pump work on 12v too?

    dont your lights come on when it's dark as they are 12v as well?

    doesnt you phone charge from the USB/12v socket exactly as it does when on hook up?

    of course, you might have to use the gas for a kettle, yet many do this even when on ehu.

    you may even need the gas to warm the van...

    ...but your van is equally luxurious with or without that orange cable, isn't it?

    ok, you might do one or two things slightly differently, but 'less luxurious'  it ain't.....undecided

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #45

    Nor I, you.....yet you decided to make a point of it, irrelevant as it is....

    certainly nothing to do with modern vanning, with or without EHU.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited February 2018 #46

    my post was to respond to the (IMHO) derisory comments like 'I don't do camping anymore'.....and the inference that being without a hook up is somehow beneath 'proper' caravanners......those with 'site requirements' perhaps...

    Not meant as a derisory comment at all BB. Some consider caravaning an end in itself enabling them to 'camp out' in comfort. To me that means that the location and immediate surroundings are more important as well as being in and around the caravan. That is opposed to myself using the caravan merely as a mobile base. I have done both in the past.

    My only requirement is a pitch in a general area with good access track, preferably hard stand outside the caravan door. That generally means EHU is provided and included in the price and therefore I use it. 

  • triky auto
    triky auto Forum Participant Posts: 8,690
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    edited February 2018 #47

    surprised IF if ,you are on a site which includes the cost of 240v EHU,and you are totally independent and are off hook-up ,,,does the site fee cost you less ??  !!undecided.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #48

    We've moved over the years from the tiniest of ridge tents to a frame tent then a tiny caravan which Mrs M's parents passed on to us when they decided to give up vanning and now to a more modern and spacious van, though still just a SA 2 berth. Never felt the need to splash out on anything bigger. It was some years into vanning before we started using EHU as basic sites or opting out of EHU made things more affordable. Now we are lucky enough to be able to afford to make full use of the facilities the van offers and use fuller facility sites and EHU so that's exactly what we do. Personal choice - nothing to do with not realising that we could cope off grid. Do we miss out on any of the countryside we love to visit? Not a bit - for every basic, non EHU site there are many sitest in the same areas offering us exactly whathe we prefer.

    On grid or off grid? It's all down to personal choice and to try to argue that one way is better than the other is rather foolish (IMHO!). smile

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited February 2018 #49

    True ET👍🏻, I think derisory is when someone constantly refers to anything very comfortable as-‘full fat’ or ‘attached to the umbilical chord’ sadly it’s all too obvious☹️

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited February 2018 #50

    I fish a lot in wild laces. North Scotland, Wild Wales etc. No problem with being off grid. The two Leisure batteries last easily 3 days and in the long summer months only the fridge is really using electricity. When using sites look for those with option of EHU or not, ie Glen Nevis in  Fort William. Never felt as being inferior because of the way I van.

  • Unknown
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    edited February 2018 #51
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  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited February 2018 #52

    4 or 6 amps not really enough for the fridge in warm weather so you would need to run that off gas with such low amperage.

  • Unknown
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    edited February 2018 #53
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  • KenofKent
    KenofKent Forum Participant Posts: 209
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    edited February 2018 #54

    MichaelT, fridges use generally less than 200w at 230v.

    Ken

  • Fozzie
    Fozzie Club Member Posts: 550
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    edited February 2018 #55

    4 amps will give you roughly 920 watts available assuming voltage is 230v.

    We have been on french sites with 4 amps and had no issues with the fridge.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #56

    I never drive around looking to see if sites are ehu or not, the main thing for me is location, then if site where we are is/isn’t off grid we can cope either way

  • Outdoor Lady
    Outdoor Lady Forum Participant Posts: 127
    edited February 2018 #57

    OH is keen to try this in remote areas of Scotland, not on cl's but more wild camping, near lochs so we can go kayaking  I will try most things once but might feel a little nervous as I like to have a window open at night. I'm looking forward to the challenge and hopefully I will love it as I love peace and solitude (think it's a bit of a mid life crisis tbh !!)

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited February 2018 #58

    Open  windows  at  night  in  remote  Scotland  embarassed  BEWARE  MIDGIE  BEASTIES  !!  or  you'll  have  a  very  different  sort  of  Crisis  wink

  • Outdoor Lady
    Outdoor Lady Forum Participant Posts: 127
    edited February 2018 #59

    Yes you're right ABM but we have the thin mesh to pull up when the window is open, hopefully that will keep me 'midgie safe' can't sleep with a window closed I get slightly claustrophobic.surprised