Generator Vs Solar Power

[Colin Leake]

It's worth bearing in mind even the best ones are heavy smelly devices especially if they have just been run. You also have to transport the fuel for them. Not so bad if you've got a garage to transport them in but not very desirable if you haven't.

 

I speak from experience as when the lads used to need transporting all over Europe to race their model cars we used to have to take one with us. Mind you the cars stank as well not to mention the high octane racing fuel we used to get from a pump at Silverstone!

[pepe63xnotuse]

I agree Colin..

 

Lugging a petrol powered piece of kit and a can of fuel, in the back of a works van can be bad enough, never mind in a "leisure vehicle" that you're going to relax, cook, eat and sleep in... :-S

[Tall_Mike]

Absolutely -

 

I took usability or "can I live with it" into account in my thoughts.

 

Even with in Garage which is under the bed a Petrol Generator is likely to smell, it's a heated area after all, there is a need to carry a can of petrol just for the thing in a diesel van, even the small generators weigh around 15Kg with perhaps another 2 or 3 Kg for the Petrol. Even though the risk is low, it's another combustible in an already potentially combustible zone.

 

That's one reason I looked particularly at the Gas generator options which seem a lot more friendly, most vans have LPG gas already but as seen these generators are significantly more expensive and at least new cost several hundred more than my forthcoming (Next Week !!!!) solar installation.

 

Learning that this is a massive subject, what fits for one may not fit for another, and there are no right answers, only compromises.

 

As my van goes in I am having a new leisure battery fitted, - I have doubts about our current, it is only 18 months old, but I suspect I have hit it harder than I thought by not re-charging it as I should, - also our van sat from about September 15 until early Jan 16, we had some problems elsewhere and I suspect it (van and battery) didn't feel the love it needed. - Reading aacaravans threads and the attached site - which have been an excellent source of advice to me, it seems vital to have a good battery, (both) since a) they wont charge and discharge correctly, b) if suspect it will put undue strain on the expensive electroblock and solar regulator which cost more than a replacement battery and then some.