LIVING WITHOUT A HOOK-UP. Batteries 63 x 110AH batteries = 1 X 6kg gas More on batteries later.

LIVING WITHOUT A HOOK-UP

Batteries

63 x 110AH batteries = 1 X 6kg gasMore on batteries later

BEFORE YOU BUY

WHERE ARE YOU

TRAVELLING TO?

GAS IS NOT EVERYWHERE

FUEL STOP

DIESEL

ARE YOU PROPERLY EQUIPPED?

MAN

Folie: 6

SPACE HEATING TYPES & AMPS

DIESEL

GAS BLOWN AIR

GAS CONVECTOR

Eberspatcher, 20A / 0.7 – 2.5A Whale 1.7A gas. 2.2A Electric

Zero Amps

WATER HEATING TYPE & AMPS

DIESEL GLOW PLUGS

GAS

COOKING EQUIPMENT & AMPSDIESEL WEBASTO X100

GAS

PETROL

LECCY

All gas. Zero once lit

Diesel Webasto, Wallas 85DU

(Marine)20A start up then 1A

– 3A running

FRIDGE TYPE - AMPS

COMPRESSOR

ABSORBTIONAll fridges look the same at the front!

AbsorptionWhen running on gas 0.1A

or zeroCompressor 5A

WEBASTO PLUS COMPRESSOR PLUS INDICATOR?

If you leave the indicator switch set when parked it powers parking lights!

LIFESTYLELifestyle – Playstation all day?

Go to bed when its dark!Season - Are the nights long?

Location – is it sunny?

LIGHTING SYSTEMSHalogen downlighters

Flourescent striplights

LED LIGHTS

Gas lightsPetrol lightsPortable battery-powered lights

CHANGE YOUR HALOGEN LIGHTS FOR LEDS

Over worktop strip LEDS

DESIGNED IN FROM THE OUTSET LEDs CAN BE DRAMATIC!

ZOEMOThe largest motorhome

manufacturer in CHINA exhibit for the first time in Dusseldorf

August 2012.

IF YOU HAVE TWO 12-VOLT LEISURE BATTERIES CONNECT THEM IN

PARALLEL (WITH FUSES) SO THAT THEY SHARE THE LOAD. This means that they each have an easier life as the discharge current is half compared with using one

battery first then the second battery afterwards. THE TOTAL EFFECTIVE

CAPACITY WILL BE GREATER.

NOT ALL “LEISURE” BATTERIES ARE THE

SAME!Starter... Leisure...Traction... Deep cycle...AGM... Gel...WetHow do you know if your battery is suitable for your needs? More later...

DO YOU REALLY NEED MAINS?

INVERTERS

WHAT IS A SINE WAVE?

DO THE MATHS.(Microwave oven or hair dryer) 1,000WATTS PLUS

1 : 201 : 22

GENERATORSMains and 12-volt outputsTypes Technology InverterSizes12-volt output only (Gasperini)

REGULATORS & SOLAR PANELS

Types and sizesCostMounting placeUsefulnessSeason and location regulators – normal and MPPT

SERIOUS SOLAR SYSTEMS SUSTAIN ALL YEAR

ROUND. FACING THE SUN IS GOOD!

WIND GENERATORS

Rutland – Marlec Engineering.Storage Time to erectNoiseVibrationTheftWind

FAST CHARGING WHEN MOBILE

Split chargingB2B chargersSterlingCTEKLatest Sargent Electrical systems

3 models starting around £3,000 8.8Amps costs £4,945

Runs off methanol

FUEL CELLSEFOY COMFORT RANGE

HYDROMAX – GONE! have

15AmpsGuide price £3,200

Fuel expensive

Came and went in 2014

TRUMA VeGa - GONE20Amps

Runs off gas

40kg

€6,995

Plus fitting

1,000-hour service

€399at Truma main dealer

Born 2008. Died 2014

GAS SUPLIES

Exchange bottlesRefillable bottles - Gaslow, Alugas, etcBulk tanksGas half price or better

HOW TO CHOSE A SUITABLE LEISURE BATTERY.Batteries are made in their millions for starting

vehicles. Huge investment and competition.

Main requirement is

COLD CRANKING CURRENT

To be able to start engines.

Then quickly recharged by the vehicle

alternator.

STARTER BATTERIES HAVE THIN PLATES TO

PROVIDE MAXIMUM EXPOSURE TO THE ACID

TO MAXIMISE THE COLD CRANKING

CURRENT

Cheap starter battery with short thin plates sold as a leisure battery

If your holiday lifestyle is to go from one campsite with

hook-up to another campsite with hook-up, then a

moderate starter battery will probably satisfy your

needs.

..If you like to camp away from hook-up for days, then

you need a battery more suitable for this deep cycling.

Starter batteries do not like being deeply discharged

and re-charged regularly and will soon die.

What is better?

LONGER LASTING BATTERIES HAVE THICKER PLATES THAT ARE

FULL HEIGHT

At the top end of the durability

ratings are batteries designed for

powering electric vehicles like milk

floats and fork lift trucks

These TRACTION BATTERIES are designed to be

discharged to some 75% DEPTH OF DISCHARGE every

day and last for five years or more

Between STARTER and TRACTION we have a range of

other batteries labelled MARINE, LEISURE, SEMI-

TRACTION, DEEP CYCLE, ETC and these are aimed at us

with all sorts of enticing powerful names.

The Caravan Club recommends that leisure batteries are

not discharged below 50% of their rated capacity (50%

DOD). This is a good guideline as deep discharges rapidly

shorten a batteries working life.

A good measure of a leisure batteries long term durability

is how many times it can be discharged to 50% Depth Of

Discharge before it is unable to do so.

This is called the LIFE CYCLE TEST.

A good manufacturer will publish the LIFE CYCLE figures

for their leisure batteries so that one can be compared to

another – and your wallet.

Long lasting batteries cost more to produce.

Manufacturers make and sell both starter and leisure

batteries, so you cannot just assume that a particular

manufacturer’s name will mean it makes a good leisure

battery. You must look at the detail to determine if it is a

leisure or a starter battery AND WHAT THE LIFE CYCLE

FIGURES ARE.

For example, Platinum, Oldham, Tungstone, Crompton, and

Trojan offer nearly 800 different batteries, but only 156 of

them are designed for leisure applications with published

life cycles at 50%DOD ranging between 120 and 2,800

cycles.

A SMALL SAMPLE OF BATTERIES WITH

PUBLISHED LIFE CYCLE PERFORMANCE.

Battery technology in the main is lead acid

NEW TECHNOLOGY BATTERIES ARE A DIFFERENT SUBJECT!.

Lead acid come in various types:

WET – The electrolyte is in a liquid form.

AGM – The electrolyte is contained within an Absorbent

Glass Mat- fibreglass blotting paper.

GEL – The electrolyte is gelified so that it cannot spill.

AGM and GEL batteries tend to have better life cycle

performance as the paste cannot easily fall off the plates.

AGM and GEL batteries also benefit by different charging

algorithms.

Spirally wound batteries

CYLINDRICALLY CONSTRUCTED BATTERIES CAN WASTE SPACE

Always ensure that the data for an offered battery includes:

Ampere Hour Capacity @ 20hr rate.

Life cycles at 50% Depth Of Discharge.

Weight (a good cross-check for capacity).

Per 100Ah. 21kg lowest. 25kg average. 30Kg good.

Length of guarantee.

Name and address of vendor

If no life cycle data is formally supplies and published,

then treat with great caution

Caravan owners who have motor movers are advised

to have a minimum of a 100Ah battery with a life cycle

figure of at least 400. AGM perhaps?

Motorhome users with diesel heaters and compressor

fridges should be looking at 220Ah minimum to survive

a non sunny show weekend.

(And don't put too much warm beer in the fridge)

SUMMARYSelect your heating systems wisely.

If you have a choice, it’s a GAS FRIDGE and GAS HEATING.

Use LED Lighting.Flatscreen LED TV

1 Double the size of your leisure battery2 Fit maximum solar panel and regulator3 Fuel cell?4 Generator if you are alone!

QUESTIONS?

TYPICAL RESTED OFF LOAD VOLTAGE V STATE OF CHARGE @ 25 DEG. C