Recent content by SteveW

”Don’t think” doesn’t really cut it here when talking about life and death 😔. I tend to look for certainty here. Whether you get killed by electricity depends on a lot of factors. Firstly is it AC or DC, DC can be worse. How is the body connected, is the current path through the heart? Two...

Agreed re 12V isolation. Mine has a battery isolator and a solar panel isolator both. Battery isolators cost little online, solar panel isolators are not that pricey either. Cost cutting in the caravan industry for me is practiced to a level beyond belief when such things get omitted. Steve

I was a bit surprised by a recent comment when having an annual service, including review of the electrical systems. My DIY solar install is 2x 175W panels, they are in series and commonly output about 40V. I used a double pole solar breaker in the cables near the roof, as per regs for a home...

A decently made LiFePO should have inside it a management board which prevents both overdischarge and overcharging, the issues that tend to cause problems. I am thinking the BMS in cheap scooter batteries is either absent or not up to the job, survival of the battery depends on that PCB at...

I think for caravanning it’s a brilliant destination. We are just hoping that the proposed revival of the Newcastle-Norway ferry route in ‘26 actually happens!

Great you got the money back! I'd want a service history and a ticked checklist involving all important items plus a written damp survey report before paying with that sort of money! Be very careful around used vans Steve

I got so fed up with remembering what breaker we were on and what else was in use I gave up on maximising heating economy. Gas is Safefill so is not a crazy price. Just use that to heat the van then we can do pretty much as we please to make the tea, Steve

I use a large extending double stepladder , type as pictured, very stable,provides good access onto roof or indeed just to use a cleaning brush. You don’t need to use the extending upper section at all if it’s this size, can be left off. Doesn’t need to touch caravan which is a bonus. You can...

I guess working on 10 amps you tend to juggle a bit? Steve

The problem for me is not so much 6A sites when you know that the power is really only good for TV and fridge mostly, it’s pretty straightforwards regarding the decision to use gas there. It’s the more common 10A feeds where the temptation is to try to use AC for water and kettle additionally...

I do see the challenges. Also a big difference if trying to make a saleable product and all that entails safety wise. I envisaged just cutting heating, water heater or both, keeping it simple and unlikely to cause problems. I guess the no volt power fail etc situation would have to be considered...

Looks like I might be trying to reinvent the wheel. Though auto control of the high power appliances might be a nice bonus Steve

We got driven slowly mad recently trying to use a 10A supply, it’s like juggling with a kettle, water heater and space heating. So easy to forget and trip the power! Put the heating on gas in the end. Anyway it inspired me to get a current transformer to homebuild a meter. That ‘s as far as the...

As you say you might expect to need VPN but maybe things are improving regarding European TV streaming? Our foreign use so far has been in Holland, Denmark , Norway and France and we had full BBC, Netflix and Amazon over 4G. Scandi 4G was unbelievable, fast broadband in the most unlikely places...

I will take a contrarian view here. I dumped the Status rooftop tv antenna, I actually filled the hole by mounting a DAB radio antenna on a piece of aluminium. Anyway TV…. We have a portable satellite dish we rarely use. We also have good mobile broadband. I have fitted a decent rooftop 4G...