The Shouse Tech (Part 1) This is the first in a series of articles that explain the technology that is used to automate and manage our shed-house (the Shouse). In this article I will provide an overview of what they systems do and how we interact with them. So what do the systems do for […]
In the last few months I have had a number of emails from people wanting to know if they can run this appliance or that appliance in their motorhome or caravan. Unfortunately, as is often the case, the answer is not just a simple “yes” or “no” – but a resounding “it depends”. You see […]
As we travel we often get asked “where is your favourite place in Australia” – while this is a hard question to answer, our thoughts normally turn to the most remote and isolated places we have travelled to. The vastness of the Australian outback is very difficult to describe to people who have not experienced […]
How to buy cheap solar panels without getting ripped off. For many years solar panels were very expensive to manufacture and were equally expensive to purchase. The price of panels was very stable at around the $10 per watt mark for a number of years. Manufacture of panels was limited to just a few well-known […]
If you have read any of my other articles you will know that we carry and use an ANT Mobile Satellite internet system. While this system works brilliantly and is the best way to stay connected to the internet almost anywhere in Australia and NZ, it is relatively costly to setup. What if you just […]
If you have read my article that discusses the function of a solar regulator, you will know that a standard solar regulator is a fairly simple device with a fairly simple job – to stop the batteries from being over charged. A new type of regulator called MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) is beginning to […]
VAST Satellite Television System for Travellers The VAST satellite TV system will replace the existing Aurora system used by many travellers. But we have been waiting on answers to questions like : When will VAST be available? When will Aurora stop? What equipment is needed for VAST? What channels will I be able to receive […]
Solar panels are expensive – not as expensive as they used to be, but you are still going to need to budget a few thousand dollars if you plan to power motorhome or caravan from the sun. Given the cost of purchasing the panels, I am always amazed by the number of people that then […]
Launching a satellite into space and receiving a television signal from it, is one of man’s great achievements of the 20th century. Sometimes getting a picture to appear on your television can seem almost as technical and challenging. If you are not receiving a picture from your satellite TV system, follow the steps below to […]
(Updated 6/01/2011) You might want to read the most recent article on VAST at http://hobohome.com/news/?p=593 V.A.S.T. (Viewer Access Satellite Television) is set replace the existing “Aurora” satellite television system used by many travellers. So what does this mean for those of us currently receiving our television from Aurora? Some background Aurora RABS (remote area broadcast […]
Installing Solar Panels Correctly on your Motorhome or Caravan So you have decided to install solar panels onto your caravan or motorhome – great! Here are some important tips that will help you to get the most out of your expensive solar panels. Wiring size Take care with the size of the wiring. Using cable […]
Getting Help When You Need It Most We love to take our motorhome to some of the remotest places in Australia, we like the solitude and the feeling of isolation. I realise that this type of exploration is not for everyone, but the reason most people travel in motorhomes and caravans is to explore Australia […]
Shade Tolerant Solar Panels? I have heard a number of travelers repeat the great “shade tolerant” sales pitch given them, when selecting solar panels for their motorhome or caravan. Much of this is just that – sales pitch. Firstly, nobody in their right mind is going to intentionally locate their expensive solar panel in the […]
Not sure if your expensive solar panels are doing their job? Here is some simple tests that you can do to determine how your solar panels are performing. A solar panels currency is current (measured in amps) – so you are going to need some method of measuring current. Some solar regulators have a display […]
No matter whether you are a “The glass is half full” kind of person or a “The glass is half empty” type, you will agree that one advantage of drinking from a glass is that you can see just how much of the liquid remains. Sadly our motorhome and caravan batteries are not like that […]
My brother-in-law recently purchased a pure sine wave inverter via eBay. In the supplied information the inverter looked like the perfect replacement for his modified sine wave “Xantrex” brand inverter (that has performed flawlessly for a number of years). The inverter purchased is currently selling (on ebay) for $579 plus $135 shipping When the inverter […]
Almost every motorhome and many caravans use an inverter. These clever electronic devices take the low voltage direct current (DC) power from our batteries and convert it to the same high voltage alternating current (AC) that our household sockets deliver. This allows us to have 240 volt mains power with us no matter how […]
Most people who have anything to do with solar power know that a solar regulator is necessary. Not too many of these people understand the exact function of a solar regulator or how it does what it does. For the purpose of this discussion and unless I state otherwise, I will be talking about the […]
For someone wanting to equip their motorhome or caravan with solar panels to collect free power from the sun, there is an almost endless list of technical terms rumours and myths to wade through. Terms like polycrystalline, amorphous and temperature co-efficient to name just a few. Sales pitch aside, how is the average person supposed to […]
Billions of dollars are now being spent annually on alternative energy research. Some of us have been living almost entirely on renewable energy for years. However, all this research is making our lives a little easier. New and improved products are emerging thick and fast, fuelled by the now much larger market created by the […]