Invertor and leisure battery advice for new motorhome

[JerryD]

I bought a motorhome recently, Rimor Superbrig 698 tc and am loving it! Only issue is that there is no invertor and only one 12 watt charging point.

I want to use the motorhome off grid for short trips of one to two nights max and to be able to use 240 volt appliances sparingly when I do. One of the things I would like to have the option of powering is the air conditioning unit which I believe has a very high wattage.

Thinking of getting 300 to 400ah lithium ion leisure battery (high cost, low weight, can fully depleted) and a 2000 watt inverter.

The motorhome has a small solar panel that came with it. I'd probably need to change the solar panel wiring to make it work with leisure battery etc.


Does this make sense as a plan? Has anyone done the same thing? Any advice appreciated

Cheers

 

[funflair]

AFAIK there is no such thing as a free lunch. The higher the load on the alternator, the lower the mpg.

Our solars have long since paid for themselvds

And it can take over 6 hours driving to charge our LiFePO4 bank if they have had a bit of a hammering, a massive difference between summer when they hardly ever drop below 70% and we can stay away indefinitely thanks to solar recharging and winter when we need to move after 6 nights and all the recharging comes off the B2B or EHU, OK we could modify our winter habits to use more gas but not needed to yet.

 

[SeanF1]

And it can take over 6 hours driving to charge our LiFePO4 bank if they have had a bit of a hammering, a massive difference between summer when they hardly ever drop below 70% and we can stay away indefinitely thanks to solar recharging and winter when we need to move after 6 nights and all the recharging comes off the B2B or EHU, OK we could modify our winter habits to use more gas but not needed to yet.

What size lifepo4 bank and solar do you have please. Thanks

 

[funflair]

What size lifepo4 bank and solar do you have please. Thanks

We have 640ah LiFePO4 and 520 watts solar and run a lot of 240v.

 

[MisterB]

potential air con alternative?

EnjoyCool outdoor portable air conditioner

LINK Coolstation(outdoor portable AC) is equipped with a customized high-efficiency Panasonic's compressor, which solves the problem of using portable air conditioning outdoors. It continues to maintain advantages in volume, weight and appearance

store.enjoycool.com

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[SeanF1]

We have 640ah LiFePO4 and 520 watts solar and run a lot of 240v.

Thank you

 

[funflair]

potential air con alternative?

EnjoyCool outdoor portable air conditioner

LINK Coolstation(outdoor portable AC) is equipped with a customized high-efficiency Panasonic's compressor, which solves the problem of using portable air conditioning outdoors. It continues to maintain advantages in volume, weight and appearance

store.enjoycool.com

I wouldn't be terribly confident in that working very well, might just stick with my proper air-con as it doesn't use any more power than a decent roof full of solar can support.

 

[wfdTamar]

Oooh I think that's a liberty - using EV charging points for a motorhome. If I were an EV user and turned up to charge and a 7m diesel behemoth was clogging up the charge point I'd be thoroughly p'd off. You'd want to be sure there were plenty of spare chargers.

In order of charging preference - solar, alternator (B2B charger), EHU, generator (boo, hiss). Maybe then an EV charge point. The first two should cover the vast majority of charging.

 

[Reallyretired]

potential air con alternative?

EnjoyCool outdoor portable air conditioner

LINK Coolstation(outdoor portable AC) is equipped with a customized high-efficiency Panasonic's compressor, which solves the problem of using portable air conditioning outdoors. It continues to maintain advantages in volume, weight and appearance

store.enjoycool.com

Looks like an evaporative cooler. Expensive at 669, many are only about 20 although that one has rechargeable batteries which must add to the cost,though not the effectiveness.

 

[Tombola]

Looks like an evaporative cooler. Expensive at 669, many are only about 20 although that one has rechargeable batteries which must add to the cost,though not the effectiveness.

dunno, it says 2380 BTU Cooling Capacity

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[wfdTamar]

No, proper air con (it has a compressor), but there's no sign of a hot air exhaust pipe (unless its just not shown in the video), so it'd be choofing out hot air from the back while its doing cool air from the front. None of the photo's on the site showed for me.

 

[Hoovie]

Oooh I think that's a liberty - using EV charging points for a motorhome. If I were an EV user and turned up to charge and a 7m diesel behemoth was clogging up the charge point I'd be thoroughly p'd off. You'd want to be sure there were plenty of spare chargers.

In order of charging preference - solar, alternator (B2B charger), EHU, generator (boo, hiss). Maybe then an EV charge point. The first two should cover the vast majority of charging.

what is the difference between it being a 7M behemoth or a Nissan Leaf at the charge point? except the 7M behemoth will actually have a much smaller battery bank to charge than a Nissan Leaf, or probably just about any electric car.
Both users will still be paying for the privilige of using the charge point as well - but the difference to you is the behemoth will probably be freeing up the space a lot sooner, so is an advantage to you.

 

[wfdTamar]

Because they're for EV's! Also the motorhome has other means to do it. I mean if you use that logic, you could have ICE cars charging their 12 volt batteries there. Or charging electric garden tools, mobile phones and laptops.

Of course there aren't going to be big numbers of motorhomes doing this and you would hope in a manner not to inconvenience any EV's, so it's not worth worrying about, but if enough did not in a selfish manner, it would be another thing to give motorhomes a bad name. (and when there are motorhome EV's, that's a different matter)

You might say its the same as people using petrol bowsers to fill up other devices, but that's acceptable as it's the only source of that fuel.

 

[Just smiffy]

Because they're for EV's! Also the motorhome has other means to do it. I mean if you use that logic, you could have ICE cars charging their 12 volt batteries there. Or charging electric garden tools, mobile phones and laptops.

Of course there aren't going to be big numbers of motorhomes doing this and you would hope in a manner not to inconvenience any EV's, so it's not worth worrying about, but if enough did not in a selfish manner, it would be another thing to give motorhomes a bad name. (and when there are motorhome EV's, that's a different matter)

You might say its the same as people using petrol bowsers to fill up other devices, but that's acceptable as it's the only source of that fuel.

Both vehicles are there to get electricity… no difference…

That’s like saying you can’t drive to a petrol pump in a ev and fill up a petrol can for your lawnmower ….

 

[Hoovie]

so actually nothing to do with being 7 metres long then

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[BillandHelen]

JerryD , we have 200amp of NDS lithium, a 2000w NDS inverter, 2x30 Votronic b2b and 100w of solar and do exactly what you are describing. It runs our nespresso machine, microwave, induction hob, hairdryer, straighteners, and our fresh light aircon, obviously one at a time and reasonably sparingly. All works an absolute treat whoever you need it. If constant use then like funflair you need much more of everything!!

 

[wfdTamar]

It's not the length, it's the way you use it (Oooh er, missus). The 7m behemoth is going to be more noticeable doing the wrong thing. Just like wild camping in the wrong spot - more noticeable if it's a big vehicle.

There is a difference - the EV is the vehicle it's designed and implemented for and has no alternative (away from home). The motorhome is not (and has alternatives).

The EV getting petrol at a petrol station (for a mower) is different as it's the only place you can get petrol.

A better example you might use is getting LPG in your motorhome refillable tanks (which I do).

 

[wfdTamar]

JerryD , we have 200amp of NDS lithium, a 2000w NDS inverter, 2x30 Votronic b2b and 100w of solar and do exactly what you are describing. It runs our nespresso machine, microwave, induction hob, hairdryer, straighteners, and our fresh light aircon, obviously one at a time and reasonably sparingly. All works an absolute treat whoever you need it. If constant use then like funflair you need much more of everything!!

Why so little solar?

I have about half all that (but far more solar). The regular leisure system with 200 watts solar and 100Ah battery. Then I have a separate system of 100Ah lithium, 300 watts solar, 30A B2B, 800VA inverter to run my fridge (but has heaps of excess capacity).

Longest camp I had was 6 nights and only had to move for food and water.

 

[BillandHelen]

Why so little solar?

I have about half all that (but far more solar). The regular leisure system with 200 watts solar and 100Ah battery. Then I have a separate system of 100Ah lithium, 300 watts solar, 30A B2B, 800VA inverter to run my fridge.

Longest camp I had was 6 nights and only had to move for food and water.

No more room on the roof of our Mercedes 7m panel van I’m afraid, slight typo it’s 120 panel. I guess if I replaced it we could fit a 180 maybe?

 

[Just smiffy]

It's not the length, it's the way you use it (Oooh er, missus). The 7m behemoth is going to be more noticeable doing the wrong thing. Just like wild camping in the wrong spot - more noticeable if it's a big vehicle.

There is a difference - the EV is the vehicle it's designed and implemented for and has no alternative (away from home). The motorhome is not (and has alternatives).

The EV getting petrol at a petrol station (for a mower) is different as it's the only place you can get petrol.

A better example you might use is getting LPG in your motorhome refillable tanks (which I do).

No petrol pumps on my drive either, whereas you can charge up on yours….

Horses for courses….

Anyway is it against the law or something to use a charging point for putting electricity into a vehicle…

Or are you just being the ev police…

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Tombola]

so actually nothing to do with being 7 metres long then

I have an ev...and to me.its no different than ice cars parking in dedicated EVs slots as they do ATM. At least the MH is there to get a charge

 

[ljflames]

No, proper air con (it has a compressor), but there's no sign of a hot air exhaust pipe (unless its just not shown in the video), so it'd be choofing out hot air from the back while its doing cool air from the front. None of the photo's on the site showed for me.

I think the hot air exhaust pipe is on the back. it would prolly be a good idea to have it on the outside from the area you want to cool down