<10amps/ NO EHU - Thoughts

[Smudger55]

I'm after a your thoughts regarding the title of this thread.........just so I can advise management accordingly.

In situations where EHU is <10amps or we have no EHU what sort of balance do you have regarding power etc.

We have no additional gadgets for extra power eg: power bank but have a good solar panel.

My thoughts are:

1. Use gas where necessary - fridge/ cooking and heating. Presume gas usage can be high and does heating use too much or do without
2. Not sure we need a proper power bank as we wont go without EHU for a long time but maybe a hand held for re-charging devices might be a consideration.
3. For <10amps we set the control unit to relevant ampage on site and this may cut things out in MHome but not trip the EHU point.

Welcome your thoughts as we are preparing trip to France/Spain and trying to do a mixture of sites/ aires with or without EHU.

Cheers Smudger55

 

[meanders]

I agree with your point 1. We have toured France several times and have not plugged in EHU at all for 5-6 weeks, albeit in the summer months. Use gas where you can, but having refillables helps. First time went we took two full 'Calor' cylinders but began to fret a little once we were on the second cylinder but got home with plenty left. For comparison we were away over Christmas and New Year one year with only a three way share of a 16A outlet, and even leaving the heating on low on gas overnight, we did not use two cylinders of gas. By the next time we went we had a GasIT refillable system installed with external filler point and the fretting disappeared.

2. We never took a power bank as we were living off the solar and charging while travelling as we were rarely on the same aire for more than 48hours. Never ran out of power but had no TV. 12v used for lighting, charging devices and water pump etc only. No need for 240V as hair towel dried and them naturally.

3. I have never seen a control panel that allows you to set the maximum current drawer from EHU certainly not on our 2008 Bessacarr or our current van. Indeed, I suspect technically it would be complex, but hey ho, it doesn't mean they do not exist. The limiting factor is always at the sending end. If it's 6A its going to trip at something a little over that, so you are responsible for managing what you are using to not draw more than that. Most aires do not have EHU. When they do, you are either paying by the hour, or sharing a service with a thousand French, German, Dutch and Italian vans with a spaghetti of power cables. (That's only a small exaggeration ). Certainly unlikely to do anything other than charging your battery. If you leave your van while it is plugged in, expect to return to find it unplugged! Clearly different if on a formal site, some of which have metered connections.

 

[TC205]

Our Swift has the facility to limit the current. If the current draw exceeds the value you have set then the heating power is automatically limited to avoid tripping the site breaker.