Electric or Battery

[steve_5041630]

I wonder if someone can help.

We have been caravanning around 3 years now, my wife and 2 small children. We spend our weekend on CL sites, and always use sites with electric hook up. I realise there are some well located sites that do not have electric hook-ups. Therefore when using the battery only, my worry is the battery running out.

How long can a leisure battery last ?

Enough for a long-weekend ?

What are the pro's and con's of using battery only?

I assume I would need to remove after every trip and re-charge ?

Andy advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[rob_jax]

How long will a leisure battery last? The answer is "it depends".

What size (in Amp Hours) battery do you have? 60AH, 80Ah or 100AH - your answer to this question will make quite a difference - one will last almost twice as long as the smallest (and weigh twice as much too)

What appliances will you run on the battery?

Lights - figure 1AH for every light you have on for every hour of use)

CD/Radio - figure 3AH (or more) for every hour of use

Fridge - run this on gas

TV - figure 5AH for every hour of use

Water pump - figure 10AH for each hour of use - but check the AH rating on your pump

So if you have 4 lights on for 2 hours on each of the 2 nights - that's 4 x 2 x 2 x 1AH - or 16AH

If you watch TV for 2 hours on each of the 2 nights - that's 2 x 2 x 5AH - 20AH

So just using those appliances for 2 hours each night, that's removed 36AH from the battery.

If you need a lot of power, think about buying a solar panel (ask or search for advice) to silently recharge the battery for "free" during the day.

Robert

 

[Cockovan]

I agree with everything Rob-jax has said, but to give you an example we have a 110ah battery and NO tv. Just using lights pump etc. we can survive for at least a week on our battery. Yes you will need to re-charge your battery at the end of this time but if your next siteis on electrics your in-van charger should cope with that and running your usual equipment. IF you take a tv, depending on the type, it will dramatically shorten the time you can run on your battery.

 

[Scouser1]

It depends on what equipment you have in your van. My previous van was an ABI, and in summer I could get 10 days out of an 110 ah battery, with frugal use of TV and lights. However, my current van, a Fleetwood Volante has a boiler and electric flush toilet, and I only get just over a day- so I have a small genny to top it up now. In cold weather, any van will deaw the battery down, as the fan takes 12v power on a blown air system.

Norman

 

[emmitdb]

Greetings Steve,

If you want to go down the solar panel route Maplins have some 13w 'briefcase ones at the mo for

 

[steve_5041630]

Many thanks for your for your responses. Just one more question Del. The 13w Briefcase Solar Panels. Should this suffice if I don't overuse ny caravan battery.