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 […]
The most common phrase I repeat when talking to motorhome and caravan owners about their electrical system is “Battery voltage is NOT a good indicator of the battery charge state”. The idea that there is a direct correlation between the voltage across the terminals of the battery and the amount of energy stored inside is […]
Motorhome and Caravan Battery Life – how to select and manage motorhome and caravan batteries How to get the most out of your expensive deep cycle batteries. No question, good quality deep cycle batteries are very expensive – and I’m guessing that they are not going to get any cheaper any time soon. So how […]
Here is a list of what I consider the 10 most important rules when designing, building and using a motorhome or caravan electrical system 1.SYSTEM VOLTAGE – Keep the vehicle system voltage and the house system voltage the same. If your vehicle is 12 volt – then make sure the house system is also 12 […]
If you are building a motorhome or even buying one, have you considered what voltage the house system will run? Most people automatically assume that 12 volts is best – because … well cars use 12 volts and it never causes issues for them. If you are building or buying a motorhome, I urge you […]
A shunt is often listed as an optional extra when you buy your solar regulator. Plasmatronics sell theirs in two parts – the shunt and something called the shunt adapter. In my experience very few people understand the function of this device and more importantly why it is an important part of your motorhome or […]
This is the second (and final) part of my introduction to basic electrical theory – for owners of motorhomes and caravans. In this section we will look at watts (and we all know that solar panels are rated in watts) and also the connection of batteries in both series and parallel. But before we launch […]
Presented here, in a very easy to understand format, is basic electrical theory. This is the stuff that I learned in my first year as an apprentice electrician (and that was just after they invented digital watches). This basic knowledge is an absolutely essential grounding if you are to have any hope of installing, repairing […]
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 […]
240v fridge or a low voltage fridge for your motorhome or caravan. Yesterday I was asked for my advice on the purchase of a refrigerator for a motorhome. Under consideration were a 240v 220ltr household fridge and a 12/24v 220ltr Danfoss compressor based unit (Waeco). I was asked to comment on the economics of each […]
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 […]
Every vehicle has an alternator, we know that it is responsible for keeping the starting battery from going flat. But can we use the alternator to charger our motorhome house batteries too? What is the best way to do this? Before we look at the options, let’s look at the issues: Crank batteries differ […]
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 […]
As we travel, we often meet people who are in caravans and mobile homes. It always surprises me how many people continue to have issues with the electrical systems. In most cases the conversation starts with “why does my fridge cut-out during the night” or perhaps “my caravan lights go very dim by about 10pm”. […]