Running on the battery

[LMH]

I know this has been covered before but I don't know where to search and I have a couple of questions:

If you are running off the battery and using gas, how does the hot water system work? Will the shower work? Will the water pump work?

Sorry to sound dim.

Lisa

 

[emmerson2]

Lisa, the water heater should run on gas or mains power. All the rest will run off the battery. Length of service depends on usage. Eg, if all three of you took lengthy showers every day, and used the tv, and had all the lights on all evening, then the battery (depending on size) would only last a few days. Herself and I however, by being careful, can make a 100 ah battery last two weeks.The fridge will also run on gas. Back when we bought our first Royale, it didn't have any mains power, so everything was gas and battery. For long holidays, we just took two batteries. Ah, those were the days!

 

[sparkes]

Lisa

The pump on your (and most other) van is 12v so all the water, including the shower will work. The water will need to be heated using tha gas setting, its quicker than electric so your shower will be fine. Just remember to take the cover off outside (see the manual for your water heater), because if you do not, it will take ages to find and will travel a lot further than you think when it blows off!

Steve

 

[Lol1]

Yes to all Lisa. The pump is run off the 12v system, so as long as you have a well charged battery, it will be fine. This means that your shower will work along with all your taps. Your water heater will work on gas too. There is a 12v supply to the water heater, one of the reasons for that supply, is to power the spark to ignite the gas. So again, as long as you have a leisure battery all should be fine. Apart from the obvious things such as your 240v sockets, everything works on 12v including most of your interior lights.

 

[Lol1]

That's a lot of quick answers there, Lisa. Do you have an entourage?

 

[LMH]

Thanks for the replies, I must make sure the handbook is in the caravan. It's just for if we stay on showgrounds. Must make a note to take some books too.

Lol - well you can come along if you wish. I need a dog walker.

Lisa.

 

[cris_408518]

Sorry to intrude, but if you plan to use the van on 12 volt for any length of time you may like to consider investing in a Solar panel to keep the battery topped up!

 

[emmerson2]

Good point cris, or even a wind charger.Bit more bulky though.

 

[cris_408518]

A good point Emmerson, though new solar panels are quite good at doing the job providing its light and not direct sun light. You can't alway guarantee a good breeze on site for a wind genny.

 

[LMH]

Thanks for the suggestion cris. If I did run the van on the battery, it would probably only be for one or two nights. It's just for when I have shows on showgrounds. I usually drive there on the day but I think this year I might take the van rather than get up at the crack of dawn and drive back after a long day.

I did have a solar panel for charging up a leisure battery. The one I had was excellent as a trickle charge but I did have to take the battery home each month for a full charge. (I used a leisure battery to power a unit to run several hundred feet of electric fencing).

Lisa

 

[Oldfogey]

I'm probably going to put a 12v system into the van for this year, and I had wondered about recharging it from the car.

The idea is that after a few days on site, you haul the battery out and put it in the boot, where you have a socket wired up to the appropriate 12S line. Connect the battery up, and go out for the day.

See a few sights, stock up on shopping etc., and by the time you get back the battery is nicely charged up again.

No expensive solar panels, no noisy generator, no cost apart from a bit of wiring.

Anybody know why it wouldn't work?

 

[emmerson2]

I'm probably going to put a 12v system into the van for this year, and I had wondered about recharging it from the car.

The idea is that after a few days on site, you haul the battery out and put it in the boot, where you have a socket wired up to the appropriate 12S line. Connect the battery up, and go out for the day.

See a few sights, stock up on shopping etc., and by the time you get back the battery is nicely charged up again.

No expensive solar panels, no noisy generator, no cost apart from a bit of wiring.

Anybody know why it wouldn't work?

It will work just fine, provided you have a split charge relay fitted. As I said in my earlier post, though, I find it just as easy to take a spare battery, and change it when flat. Lots of CL owners will charge a battery for you too.

 

[cris_408518]

Second what Emmerson says.

Make sure you get a proper storage box and that it secured ith proper restraints in you vehicle. I beleive it is illegal not to do that.

We used second battery in car when working with trailer and lighting for work.

Cost of leisure battery that may only last 5 yearsor so and then add charger, storage box, securing, reduction in space and the weight and hauling it around.

A lightweight solar panel that will outlast numerous batteries is not that expensive

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Oldfogey,

What you are suggesting will work but you must take some additional precautions;

Ideally contain the battery is a closed box, which has a vent pipe from the top to the outside. This is to allow the hydrogen gas that can be given off a chance to escape and not build up to present an explosion or fire hazard.

The connection cables should be fully insulated even over the battery clips, to minimise the possibility of accidentally shorting the battery or the car electrics. For added protection both the + & - wires should have 10 or 16A fuses in circuit, again to protect from faults of accidental short circuits.

The battery, and the box must be secured so that it does not move when cornering or breaking.

I use a similar system, but I make up a cable set into a 12S plug so that is only plugged in when I intend to charge the battery. This means there is no additional car wiring, other than the normal tow sockets.

Check that the boot seal is sufficiently compliant to allow both the 12V cable and the vent pipe to be held in place without damage when the boot/tailgate is closed.

 

[Oldfogey]

Moderately complicated, but not actually too expensive or difficult, so it could well be a viable option for many people camping "off-mains".

Much easier for me, as the old Range Rover has a spare space for a battery under the bonnet. A security clamp and some carefully designed wiring should do the business.

 

[BigAl1]

Moderately complicated, but not actually too expensive or difficult, so it could well be a viable option for many people camping "off-mains".

Much easier for me, as the old Range Rover has a spare space for a battery under the bonnet. A security clamp and some carefully designed wiring should do the business.

Go for it Oldfogey.

This system worked great in the days before caravans had their own chargers.

But I wonder how long / many miles it would take to recharge a leisuse battery in this way.

 

[jennifer_374227268]

hi lisa,

same as yourself we going away this year and for the first time we will have to depend on battery for all our needs. only staying 2 nights so should be fine but have never run the fridge on gas yet not to sure about that, i am one of these people who likes everything turned off at night or i cant sleep, (i drive hubby mad) please can some one reasure me that leaving the gas on all night is safe. I can hear you all now THATS WEMEN FOR YOU, but just like to be safe rather than sorry.

Also what appliances can you run off the battery got teenage daughter not leave house without hairdryer and straightners just incase there some good looking boys on site.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

jenny

 

[BeemerMal]

hi lisa,

same as yourself we going away this year and for the first time we will have to depend on battery for all our needs. only staying 2 nights so should be fine but have never run the fridge on gas yet not to sure about that, i am one of these people who likes everything turned off at night or i cant sleep, (i drive hubby mad) please can some one reasure me that leaving the gas on all night is safe. I can hear you all now THATS WEMEN FOR YOU, but just like to be safe rather than sorry.

Also what appliances can you run off the battery got teenage daughter not leave house without hairdryer and straightners just incase there some good looking boys on site.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

jenny

Oh Jennifer...the joys of teenagers!! Unfortunately hair dryers and straighteners only work on mains power.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Jenny,

The gas heater for the fridge is in a sealed box with the only access via the upper and lower external vents - so the exhaust fumes can never enter the caravan - so yes, it's safe.

Likewise the Truma room-heater, the fire is also sealed from the inside of the caravan.

But if you are concerned, fit a Carbon Monoxide alarm in the caravan.

Better safe than sorry - you need to balance the minimal (zero) risks of "gassing" - against the increased risk of food poisoning from bacterial growth on food in a fridge that is warming up. Like most things in life, changing one risk affects other risks

The caravan battery will run a limited number of appliances - like a TV or HiFi for a limited number of hours (less than 10), the lights in the caravan, but forget high power stuff like hair-dryers.

Robert

 

[JeremyClarksson]

rob jax

I have to disagree with your statement about a battery only lasting 10 hours on a battery.

We have run an LCD TV (30W =2.5A current draw) together with normal battery functions for a week on a 110 Ah battery, I would say that the TV was on for approximately 15-20 hours during that time.

One of the most useful tips I have for getting the most out of a battery is charging it fully off van to 14.4V (Elecsol) 14.8V for a normal battery, do not rely on the onboard charger as it is limited to 13.8V.

I always take out a fully charged battery and swap when required or at end of trip.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

"battery only lasting 10 hours on a battery"

should read

"TV only lasting 10 hours on a battery

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Garry,

I took an average value for a TV consuming 55W, and not the one you have in your caravan - and as such was meant as an indication - not what you would actually achieve with any particular TV

Robert

 

[JeremyClarksson]

Agreed - and as I said charging off van does make a big difference.

I have had a lot less if I have relied on a charge from a hookup on the previous stay.

 

[LMH]

Hi

Thanks for the replies, I've just bought an inverter as I don't fancy being without a tv (lcd). Now - how do you install it etc???????

Jennifer, like me you'll have to give your daughter the bad news that she can't use a hairdryer nor the straigthners!

Lisa

 

[Lol1]

You will have two cables coming out of the inverter, one red and one black. The black goes direct to the negative terminal, the red to the positive. Mount the inverter in a ventilated area where the fan can do it's job of keeping the unit cool. If the unit came with croc clips I would suggest changing these to something more permanent.

What rating in watts does the inverter have, Lisa?