Cancelled Holiday: Emergency Weekender Power-options

[Spencer54]

So here's the situation I find myself in with the T6

I was planning to go away to France in the T6 and stay at a friends house - this has now been scuppered by the delay on passports and the fact their house is in the French Red zone.
Holiday was booked and I have to take the time off so we decided to find somewhere in the UK.
Most campsites are now booked to the hilt with EHU long gone.

So what I need is a way of powering the 12v socket coolbox for three days realistically without draining the one starter battery in the Shuttle.
I don't have time(or funds currently) for a full solar/splitcharge/wiring set up that I'd like.

Whats the best option here, Id quite like the idea of a Leisure battery fitted under the twin seat using some form of temporary solar panel on the dash.
All this needs to do is power the single 12v outlet in the tail run the coolbox and lights for Slidepod.
Or something I can sit in the back with the Slidepod and power the lot from there.

I'd like something I can reuse when I go full solar at a later date if possible.

So cheap and dirty temp solutions/ideas if you have any would be great!

Thanks

 

[Deaky]

If it is a coolbox and not a compressor fridge then you have no chance at all I'm afraid. You'd be pushing it with a compressor fridge TBH unless you turned it off over night.

 

[SENTINEL]

So here's the situation I find myself in with the T6

I was planning to go away to France in the T6 and stay at a friends house - this has now been scuppered by the delay on passports and the fact their house is in the French Red zone.
Holiday was booked and I have to take the time off so we decided to find somewhere in the UK.
Most campsites are now booked to the hilt with EHU long gone.

So what I need is a way of powering the 12v socket coolbox for three days realistically without draining the one starter battery in the Shuttle.
I don't have time(or funds currently) for a full solar/splitcharge/wiring set up that I'd like.

Whats the best option here, Id quite like the idea of a Leisure battery fitted under the twin seat using some form of temporary solar panel on the dash.
All this needs to do is power the single 12v outlet in the tail run the coolbox and lights for Slidepod.
Or something I can sit in the back with the Slidepod and power the lot from there.

I'd like something I can reuse when I go full solar at a later date if possible.

So cheap and dirty temp solutions/ideas if you have any would be great!

Thanks

We don't have a powered coolbox at all, still rely on a traditional passive one but for three days you might just manage, we do, just! Suggest that you freeze some of the milk (plastic bottle with space left at top for expansion), freeze anything that you can and pack frozen. Pack the box as full as you can with food etc & lots of ice packs/bags. Some sites may still offer an ice-pack freeze service but not sure about that. We also have some Ice Packs that are crystallised stuff that freezes when you scrunch the bag which you can activate and pop in the box. Put a layer of insulated foil on top of the various layers within the box as that reduces cold loss when you open the box up. Put a wet tea towel/towel over the coolbox as that can help keep the temperature down as well. Cans of beer etc can be stored outside in cold water in a bucket or box which helps a bit.

 

[Spencer54]

It needs to be rechargeable for sure - just how...

 

[DXX]

I spent the first 14 years of my life in a house without a fridge; water and tea towels does a pretty good job.

 

[SENTINEL]

I spent the first 14 years of my life in a house without a fridge; water and tea towels does a pretty good job.

Yes!

 

[SENTINEL]

We don't have a powered coolbox at all, still rely on a traditional passive one but for three days you might just manage, we do, just! Suggest that you freeze some of the milk (plastic bottle with space left at top for expansion), freeze anything that you can and pack frozen. Pack the box as full as you can with food etc & lots of ice packs/bags. Some sites may still offer an ice-pack freeze service but not sure about that. We also have some Ice Packs that are crystallised stuff that freezes when you scrunch the bag which you can activate and pop in the box. Put a layer of insulated foil on top of the various layers within the box as that reduces cold loss when you open the box up. Put a wet tea towel/towel over the coolbox as that can help keep the temperature down as well. Cans of beer etc can be stored outside in cold water in a bucket or box which helps a bit.

Also, take as much tinned or packet foodstuff as you can rather than lots of fresh. That helps a great deal and can be just as good nutritionally.

 

[Bargy62]

we used to do a week away with just a cool box no EHU no freezer blocks Day 1 meal just take from home keep in cool box plus 3 frozen meals then go on dry meals risotto if you can be bothered veggie curry and rice etc milk in cool box until too warm then in bucket of water in shade try and squeeze the air out of milk then it sinks in the water rather than floating instead of butter take a spread they dont seem to melt as bad
From what we have done in the past 3 nights is easily doable without a 12v cool box
plus above there was lots of good advise

 

[Loz]

Wayfarer meals don't need cold storage, see our Ready Meals thread.

Heat To Eat Ready Meal Reviews

ParsleyBox This company does mail-order, ready-to eat, hermetically-sealed meals that can be kept almost indefinitely at room temperature. They recently did an introductory discount offer in the CCC magazine, so I gave them a try. They're ideal for keeping in reserve in the camper van, with no...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Spencer54]

Some interesting tips - I know full well I can live without a cool box, but I have one and would quite like cold drinks.
I've loaded one up before by freezing bottles of water and taking those, so I know the drill.

What I'm after is a power solution, maybe run a 12v TV for an hour or the coolbox etc.

I've just looked at the AllPower solution - but after the explosion that's off the list.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Get a 3 way fridge & run it on gas.

 

[Pete C]

Get a 3 way fridge & run it on gas.

Good call - that’s what we did for years. I have a spare one you can borrow, but I’m miles from you.

Pete