One down two to go

[mikejkay]

My three comprise:

1. A refillable gas bottle

2. A solar power system

3. High current 12v DC circuit for running a microwave.

 

Not having much luck. The good news is that gas bottle system is completed. I bought a Stako 21l bottle from autogas

 

http://www.autogasshop.co.uk/motorhome--refillable-210-ltr-steel-gas-bottle-new-2014-specification-904-p.asp

 

£221.05 with external fitting kit and delivery. +£9 because I should have bought the calor connector and got the wrong fitting. Easy to fit, I have put the filler in the locker dorr but the filler pipe is long enough tp dloop around the bottle without kinking. First fill yesterday and I was surprised to find that the bottle took 22.20 litres before the pump cut off, is this normal After filling there was a terrible stink of gas which took quite a while to dissipate. I could feel on my hand the evaporating LPG in the filler pipe pushing past the filler cap. Garage manager came out to check up on me, and my installation, and showed me how to use the nozzle (BP garage).

 

Less luck with the solar panel. City Link delivered the panel to the wrong name, the wrong house number and the wrong street. Pretty impressive! When I finally found out where it had gone I discovered that the occupants had just gone away for a two week holiday. A replacement is supposedly on its way. I've had to return the regulator because it was supplied without the remote temperature sensor that I read fron the description to be included.

 

I conducted some experiments with my DAK 1500w (2250w peak) inverter, measuring battery voltage, inverter input voltage and current as well as keeping an eye on the temperature of the connecting wires.. No problem with a 250w floodlight, no problem with the floodlight and another 150w bulb so I decided to go for broke. I tried a 900w toaster. The inverter rolled over and died after about 10 seconds. No external fuse(s) so I opened it up and, phew, there was an internal fuse that had blown. Unfortunately the fuse was hard wired on to the circuit board and therefore cannot be directly replaced! On further examination it would appear that the fuse was rated at 40 amps. Shurely shome mistak. 40x12v=480watts? .............and this is sold as a 1500w continuous inverter! Be warned.