Florence Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 We are thinking of ordering a motorhome without an oven as the extra drawer space would be of much greater use to us.We have, however, been advised by the supplier, that it is nigh on impossible to sell a motorhome , at a later date, in the UK without one. We have never had a motorhome before so would be grateful for opinions of experienced motorhomers. We are going to have an extra battery and 150 watt solar panel installed to make us as independent of hook ups as possible. Will these add ons be sufficient to use the internal lights and general elctrical needs when not hooked up.We don't watch TV so that will not be a drain on the batteries.I am assuming (maybe wrongly) that we can run the 142 litre fridge/freezer on electricity if we have the extra battery and solar panel. We are experienced caravanners and have always viewed the oven to be of limited use to us. Just a little concerned that by not having one it will be difficult to sell should we need to. It will be a RHD model. Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Hi Florence, we absolutely wouldn't be without an oven. I'm certain there's folk out there who get by/manage/etc but for us it's an essential. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 You could just use the oven for storage. What type of fridge is it? If absorption it will struggle on batteries and solar, much easier to run it on gas. If compressor fridge then it may well be ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Hello florence i too liked to use my gas oven especially when off grid . Can i also ask what made you change from caravans to motorhome ? I think i might be going the other way lol:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 colin - 2015-05-11 8:06 PM You could just use the oven for storage. What type of fridge is it? If absorption it will struggle on batteries and solar, much easier to run it on gas. If compressor fridge then it may well be ok. p.s. for us an oven is a waste of space, we have two rings and a grill, can cook all we want on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I understand your point about the oven. We have one but it doesn't get used that often, more often than not we use the barbecue outside, the microwave or the George Foreman grill. I don't think we would go along with no oven though. Your new motorhome will have LED lighting throughout so a very light load and easily within your solar panel and battery capacity. As for using the fridge/freezer it will only operate on 12 volt DC supply when the engine is running, so you will have to use gas when you are 'off grid' and the same goes for the water heating. You could install, if you haven't already got one, an invertor and couple this to your leisure battery / solar panel system but it won't give you much power operating at 240 volt AC for a long period. Remember at best you are only going to put back 150 watts of energy from the solar panel when it is operating at its optimum efficiency for a limited amount of time each day. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Hi Florence. We find that we don't use the oven very much, but we'd miss it if it wasn't there. Eg, we've been out all day and just want to heat up a pizza or something. (Or, my OH decides it's my turn to cook, I can turn to my secret supply of M&S ready meals.) Also, if you're planning to be off grid, there won't be a microwave to turn to. I agree with the dealer who said selling it on without one would be more difficult. But, in a van whose original spec included an oven, it wouldn't be that hard/expensive to have one retro fitted if you found you needed one, or in the event you are selling the van. I personally would not try running any fridge from the battery, regardless of size of battery or solar panel, but I don't think the fridge goes through a huge amount of gas. Enjoy the new van. One more thought about ovens, even completely empty they seem to be bloody noisy on the road. :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Most Continental vans do not have an oven as standard doesn't appear to effect resale, they are easy to retro fit. Solar panels only give maximum output in full sun a couple of hours either side of midday, slightest cloud or shadow will reduce the output considerably. A 150watt panel will probably give you all the power you need May to September, but nowhere near enough to run a fridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Another vote FOR an oven being fitted, we wouldn't look at a van without one. All UK made vans are fitted with one, at least apart from small campavans. As it's going to be a RHD, you would probably want to re-sell it in the UK ? if so, then I would have the oven, even if you personally will not use it much or at all. The fridge will have to be run on gas, a fridge nowadays will usually choose it's own Source of power, (AES= automatic energy source) and when the engine is NOT running and with NO EHU, that source will be gas. Compressor fridges, DO however run on 12volts, but can be heavy on battery useage.I think the dealer was being realistic about an oven. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Yes another thumbs up for an oven from us, especially as we rarely go on a hook so stuff like halogen ovens, microwaves and george forman grills that other people cart around would just eat into our payload, and don't get me started on barbecues, and of course with a gas oven you needn't bother with all the other stuff anyway :D but each to his own I guess, as for resale, well my take on it is the more there is in the way of standard fittings and goodies in a van I'm looking at, and all other things being equal, I'm going to go for the one that's got the most gear every time. P.S our current van is a "continental" van, a Rapido, as is a pal of mines who has a later model Rapido, both our vans were fitted from new with gas ovens, the added convenience of many pre prepared dishes that require heating via a conventional oven cuts down on the tedium of preperation, and gives extra options rather than trying to cobble something together just on a hob, gave that up back in tenting days. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugga Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Hi Florence, when we were looking to change our motorhome having an oven was a deal breaker for me as I use it a lot (we camp all year round, not just the summer). We did see a lot of motorhomes when looking that didn't have one. Don't know how well they sold mind. I think I would be inclined to have one fitted and use it for storage. Take out the shelves and put in a plastic box and fill it up with your stuff. There should be a separate on/off switch somewhere to make sure you never get gas to the oven so it will never be turned on accidentally. Good luck with your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanedwin Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I agree with Colin, we used to use the oven for storage with the added advantage that it stops the oven shelves vibrating in transit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Yep, must have an oven, otherwise as someone has already pointed out you need a load of other stuff to make up for it. Certainly make it hard to sell in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Worth adding for Florence, the 142 litre fridge/freezer will almost certainly run on gas, and is at it's most efficient in doing so. and handy to keep all those frozen ready meals for your gas oven. ;-) :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Don't bother, not necessary, especially if its a Hymer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florence Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Many thanks to all the members that replied to our question, it is so appreciated. Lots of mistakes to make for first time motorhomers so trying to give it as much thought as we can and make as few mistakes as possible. Pampam, in reply to your question there were several reasons for us to make the change. One was that my husband does all the towing and we had a long pick up truck and a wide, long caravan. Fortunately , although 68 years old he is in great health , but after a 4 month long trip last winter we gave thought to how we would manage if ,for example, he was ill or broke his leg. I have a chronic illness that results in me being unable to hitch up or drive our manual pickup for long periods but I can use my hands to drive a motorhome home with automatic gears. It has been a difficult decision as we know we will miss the flexibility of having a car to visit places so we will assume a different strategy and use city camping when necessary and then public transport and plan our visits to other places very carefully.i.e see a place and park as near as possible to it and then move on as opposed to parking the van for a much longer period and drive back and forth to places of interest. Hope this is of help to you and that our thinking is not flawed! Only time will tell. Kind regards to all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Florence, you open up the wider question of motorhome usage versus car and caravan, the former being much more problematical if your touring is going to be confined to the UK. If you've been happy being a tugger have you not thought of staying as you are and simply taking out a comprehensive breakdown cover that includes illness cover if your husband was incapacitated, to get you and your outfit back home ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 starvin marvin - 2015-05-11 10:57 PM Don't bother, not necessary, especially if its a Hymer. Do Hymers do the cooking for you, blimey did not know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 rupert123 - 2015-05-12 12:03 PM starvin marvin - 2015-05-11 10:57 PM Don't bother, not necessary, especially if its a Hymer. Do Hymers do the cooking for you, blimey did not know that. Nah they put a tent up outside and do the cooking in that ;-) ........... When not in use as an oven, we've started keeping our veg in it as it appears to help them stay fresher for longer :D ........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 We are very much in the NO OVEN category. The only time we had one was in our Compass motorhome which came with one. It rattled all the time, rusted and was useless at cooking anything. OK, I accept they may have developed a bit since the 80's but since then we have usually had a EU van and then of course there is no oven. The extra storage space is extremely useful. That does not mean to say we do not go without one, but have a small portable one which either sits outside, or on the hob top if we need to heat a pie or anything like that. 3 Course roast dinners are not on our menu. As for resale, I would doubt it would make that much of a difference. As mentioned it can easily be fitted if required. I also note that when a EU maker fits one for the UK market they have a habit of putting it up high where it is easy to have hot food or dishes falling on you. If you see a van you want, and plan to keep it a good few years, then get what YOU want, not what somebody else may want later on. If you never use it then it will always be an irritation. As others have mentioned your fridge will be a 3 way type so primarily will run on 230 volts or gas with 12 volt being used when the engine is running. Again it may, or may not be automatic switching between the 3 depending whether it is a basic or deluxe model. I am inclined to get the basic type if possible as we have seen a number of instances where if the power fails for any reason, the frdige 'brain' cannot reset itself and my neighbour has just had his automatic fridge fail in his brand new Autosleeper leaving him with no fridge at all. The dealer is 'waiting on parts'. I suggested he could just run it on gas etc, but as he tells me the fridge will nto allow him to do anything at all, so he is a bit p.....d off to say the least. I at least had the option when the 230 volt element failed to just switch to gas and carry on my merry way, until it was replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 rupert123 - 2015-05-12 12:03 PM starvin marvin - 2015-05-11 10:57 PM Don't bother, not necessary, especially if its a Hymer. Do Hymers do the cooking for you, blimey did not know that. Not quite old boy, the krauts are not that clever. Hymeroids like us eat out. Must go my cravat needs ironing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney123 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Come on then "Why have an Oven". What cannot you cook/toast/heat up in a skillet. We have an oven and its never used, the skillet can do all our needs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 We have always had a van with an oven generally because they have always been there when we bought it and had there ever been a choice between with or without we would have only opted for without if there had been a significant cost saving. We use the oven from time to time to cook simple meals and when not in use it is our bread, cakes and biscuits cupboard which it does brilliantly and the oven has almost as much storage space in and below it as a cupboard in it's place would have. We don't bother with cooking devices other than a frying pan and a nest of two saucepans as they all have to be stored somewhere and this arrangement has served us well for nigh on half a century! Some swear by skillets etc and that is fine for those that like them, but for us we cannot see the need of extra gizmos? We all have different ideas of the ideal I guess! If you mean a compressor fridge then you may have alternative than to use solar and batteries but if you mean a three way absorption fridge they work best on mains or gas as they consume too much power at 12 volts and are less efficient than on gas or mains to be viable off hook up. You might consider a refillable gas bottle or two or even an underslung gas tank if you want to create more storage in what was the gas bottle locker. Personally we never use electric hook up and the fridge and heating all work perfectly on gas and 12 volts and it all depends how long you stay put without running the engine as to whether one or two batteries are needed. Two batteries with a solar panel if more than two or three days or two batteries without a solar panel if just for a day or two or just one battery if just overnight? You tell us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Barney123 - 2015-05-12 5:04 PM Come on then "Why have an Oven". What cannot you cook/toast/heat up in a skillet. We have an oven and its never used, the skillet can do all our needs We have both, and although we use the skillet a lot, when it comes to a proper roast dinner then an oven is essential for us ;-) .............besides where do you keep the roast tatties warm whilst you make the gravy in the roasting pan? :-S .......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Dave225 - 2015-05-12 4:54 PM We are very much in the NO OVEN category......//...... ......The extra storage space is extremely useful. That does not mean to say we do not go without one, but have a small portable one which either sits outside, or on the hob top if we need to heat a pie or anything like that. But, as others have said, there seems little point in using a, "..not having an oven frees up valuable storage.." reasoning, if people then have to carry/store and clutter up "valuable" worktop space, with a "standalone" appliance to substitute it?!... :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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