Off Grid

[Brutus Maximus]

Hi, we currently only have 1 x 3pin (low wattage) and 1 x 12V socket powered when off grid, while all other sockets only via hook up. With a 200W solar, we are considering the pros and cons of changing this to powering all sockets from leisure when off grid. Any advice welcome

 

[Deaky]

You can have as many sockets you want. It all depends on what you plug into them.

 

[Brutus Maximus]

You can have as many sockets you want. It all depends on what you plug into them.

what do we need to do to be able to do this? currently we cannot use our kettle unless we hook up yet our leisure battery is always full (solar powered).

 

[Deaky]

A kettle will empty your battery in no time.

 

[CAB]

Anything to do with heating takes a lot of energy, kettle, cooking, hot water, heating.

Gas or diesel for these unless you invest in a serious lithium setup.

 

[Deaky]

Say your kettle is 2000w. That’s going to pull 160amps most leisure batteries are 110ah. Lead acid you can only use half the capacity before potentially damaging the battery. So you’ve got 60ah to use. You probably won’t get it to boil.

Get a gas kettle.

 

[Brutus Maximus]

Say your kettle is 2000w. That’s going to pull 160amps most leisure batteries are 110ah. Lead acid you can only use half the capacity before potentially damaging the battery. So you’ve got 60ah to use. You probably won’t get it to boil.

Get a gas kettle.

Got it, thanks for the advice

 

[Brutus Maximus]

Anything to do with heating takes a lot of energy, kettle, cooking, hot water, heating.

Gas or diesel for these unless you invest in a serious lithium setup.

thanks for the advice

 

[Linoleum Bonypart]

I actually use a jet boil just for water boiling super fast cup of tea when needed

 

[Martinf]

@Brutus Maximus we have a 1500W pure sine wave inverter running from a 100Ah lithium. We have nominal 210W Solar input. We use the inverter set up to run our Nespresso coffee machine but sometimes we boil our travel kettle (1kW, 0.85l capacity). The kettle needs to be a lower current and would be smaller than a normal kitchen kettle. Even the small kettle with just enough water for two cups takes perhaps 5% of the battery (I haven’t checked by calculation).

So it’s definitely possible to run a kettle if you are aware of the other battery demands and the battery charging available from Solar or travelling. However we only use it if we are sure we have enough power available. Otherwise we stick with the gas.

 

[Salty Spuds]

We have a low wattage (1400W) kettle in the van & only use it when we have EHU. Keeping it sub 6A gets us under the 6A limit of many campsite EHUs. We also have a 1600W inverter & Lithium LB, but hardly use the inverter. We use the gas kettle when not on EHU.

 

[BoroBoy]

@Dellmassive. Can you help, Lee?

 

[Shaun Witts]

Similar to @Martinf, I have a 1500W pure sine wave inverter that runs my Nespresso machine, but we also get away with boiling a travel kettle (for my wife’s Tea) and a toaster. Separately I might add, never tried two or more together as I think that would be too much for the Inverter. With a 160W solar panel to recharge during the day that has always been enough to keep the fridge going as well.

 

[Dellmassive]

@Dellmassive. Can you help, Lee?

As above....

You can do it.. but it's a costly excercise in parts and power.

You will need a 1500w + inverter and 100ah + lithium battery. Plus a decent dc-DC converter to recharge...... then the cable and fuse set to run it all.

Gas is most efficient for heating water.

But if you have the means, then why not.