Help with wild camping for longer.

[Belledog]

How can we make ourselves more self sufficient so that we can wild camp for more than a couple of nights. We have 2 agm 95amp batteries and a 120 watt solar panel. We have 2 TVs, iPads and phones and led lights. There’s just the 2 of us. We we’re considering an extra solar panel but not sure if we would be better changing the batteries to lithium and a b2b charger. I’m not techie so please, layman’s terms only
karen.

 

[rick brind]

Well I am sorry but as far as I know Solara solar systems still make the panel I have fitted in their factory in Wismar which was in Germany last time I looked .

Must be very old, no panels have been made in Germany for years.

 

[Jim]

Well I am sorry but as far as I know Solara solar systems still make the panel I have fitted in their factory in Wismar which was in Germany last time I looked .

Yes one of the few solar companies who are older than their guarantee.

 

[Lenny HB]

Well I am sorry but as far as I know Solara solar systems still make the panel I have fitted in their factory in Wismar which was in Germany last time I looked .

They just join together the Chinese bits, no Solar cells have been made in Europe for years.

 

[Ian Bosman]

What’s an aqua roll and yes I’m getting an extra toilette cassette

Go on any foreign site and the caravans with the aquarolls are the Brits almost 100%. Get strange looks from some who have not seen them before. For a cara-vanner (spell checker insists on caravanned!) it is the must have above all else as it saves a lot of trips to the water taps as they hold 40 litres. They roll along very nicely and a brilliant invention. Many Europeans trudge at least three times daily to the taps to fill the kettle, but they do tend to do the washing up in the campsite communal washing up area. My last caravan, a Burstner, had an on-board water tank on wheels so you could fill it up each day as it was quite small unlike my beast at 150litres so don't travel with it full because of the weight, up to 50 litres is recommended in the handbook for travelling.

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[tonyidle]

I use a Aquaroll when trapped on site with tugger friends. I carry mine on an adapted cycle carrier. One of those cheapo scissor things that clamps on the tow ball.

 

[Bill and Tracey]

We do the potters fortnight (last week of June, first week of July) completely wild camping, a total of 16 nights. We only use sites if the kids n grandkids are with us. And sometimes not even then. How? Simple. All those bits of plastic that people can't seem to do without (phones, computers, the telly/idiot box) all stay at home. No drain on the batteries. Every public toilet we drive past is marked on the map and we have a radar key. Drinking water is used sparingly and water for washing is usually acquired from the supply found at most beach huts. Dead easy.

 

[George Thomas]

Hi Belledog we have gone the lithium route (2x100amph with b to battery - 2000w inverter charger along with 270 worth of solar. A bit of a learning curve but as with anything when get familiar with your system it’s brilliant. We use both 12 & 240 volts all the time. 12v for tele, lighting, charging iPads, phones, water pump, alarm, radio - 240v for charging computer, 2 ele bikes, many kettles of boiling water (love our tea), lots of cooking on our induction hobs & much more. In fairness you have to learn & balance your electric & gas usage when cooking if not on hookup but we use our lithiums so much & it is like being on hook with limitations.
Most vans have led lighting if not fit them. We have a second toilet cassette which is very handy. Wet wipes are a godsend & we travel with quite a lot of water.
All of this & we can’t go camp anywhere - want to buy a motorhome - only joking she’s not for sale.
Have a word with VanBitz about lithium’s - they are a mind of information & great to deal with.

 

[Wellington]

It might be slightly off topic, but I’d be interested to hear about your learning curve and what you find your limitations are now. I’m hoping to get lithium + inverter fitted at some stage, and think it will be worth it for us, but it’s always great to hear how other people are getting on.