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 project has got so far. Maybe one day. Needs to display watts used so everyone can understand the available power, start to flash the display when near a set limit maybe. Finally the device needs to be able to beep and chop the power to the water heater or heating as it sees fit via a relay if needed. All good fun. The front end electronics needed is pretty easy, but caravan projects like this end up in a long queue here!
A company I worked for looked at trying to do this, and whilst it might seem simple, deciding which appliances to shut down , and when is not as easy as you might think. What mix of appliances might be right for one person is wrong for others.
One of our favourite sites only has a 6A supply to the pitches with the best view - we find it only a mild inconvenience - heating set to 1kw and then switched off while using the microwave or the kettle.
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 in a commercial product. I can see it getting quite involved. For DIY one off use maybe simpler though
I'd venture to suggest if your on a 6A site, it would be prudent to use gas for space and water heating, including a hob top kettle rather than an electric one. whats left in most caravans would probably be less than 6A.
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 that tend to cause us accidental trips. A small electric kettle is a great plus, but the Achilles heel if using mains for anything else much,
Nope not at all. When on 6amp sites in Spain we had the air con running and fridge on gas. Hot water heating turned off during the day. If boiling kettle, air con turned off. You learn to manage.
Microwaves are misleading - 800w is the output rating, the input/consumption will be 1200-1600w
It's largely the case, but many microwave, especially the cheaper ones modulate the heat input into the oven by continually turning the magnetron on and off, so the power surge can occur many times during the cooking cycle.
Thanks. The caravan has the cheap Daewoo fitted so makes sense however we hardly ever use the MW.
The link takes me to load shedding schedules in South Africa. Am I missing something?
Now you know one of the reasons why daughter's family left SA. Difficult to teach in the dark and even worse if you are an IT systems technician. LOL!
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