Caravan battery - spare or solar charger?

[Bottletop 10]

We're due to go on holiday in the next month or so in our caravan, and will be on a site without any electric hookup for about 4-5 days. I have gas bottles and water is provided, and the caravan has a 75A leisure battery which is about a year old and is kept topped up trickle charged 2 hours a day in my garage.

I plan to use the battery for powering LED lights in the caravan, kettle, phone/ipad charging, radio, heating (as needed) and probably the fridge each night and part day (I have a fear of leaving gas on overnight or whilst we're away from the caravan in case anything goes wrong).

 

My question is this, should I buy a 2nd leisure battery in the likely event the current one runs out during the holiday? - Or buy a solar charging panel to keep the current battery trickle charging through the day?

Looking into this, solar charging will cost quite a bit more than a 2nd battery if I want to buy big enough panels to provide large charging. i.e 50A.

[Obelix 11]

That's a big load to have running - I'd expect the fridge to flatten the battery very quicky. (I presume its an electric fridge and not a gas absorption one). The kettle will use immense amounts as well - get one to go on the gas stove.

 

Panel wise - you'd need some serious panels to charge it sufficiently each day and take up day load - TBH I would be thinking about reducing load by getting a gas fridge and moveing as much off electric as possible - leaving just the lighting and evening entertainment things on it.

[Bottletop 10]

The fridge can run on gas or electric, I guess I'll have to use the gas and hope nothing goes wrong with it! Least I'll get the caravan serviced before using it anyway... Just don't like the thought of having the gas on for 4-5 days solid.

 

Good point about the kettle, but I still think I'd need a spare battery or solar charging to keep it all going?

[Obelix 11]

That depends on the load - I presume the heating is gas and you just need the electric to control it?

 

Otherwise it looks just about possible perhaps but I'd be looking at a 60W panel and charge regulator myself to keep it all topped up.

[geared 303]

Why not run the Fridge on gas during the day then switch to electric overnight, that way if there is a leak it'd be during the day when you're more likely to notice it.

[Allen 38]

Assuming you haven't been messing around with the wiring of the 12 volt wiring in the caravan....the fridge won't run from the leisure battery.

A 3 way fridge (240volt/12volt/gas) has the option of 12 volts from the car battery whilst towing, 240volts when on site via electric hook up, or gas.

The 12 volt option whilst towing is also governed by a relay to turn off the supply if the car engine is turned off....without this relay the fridge would completely flatten the battery within an hour.

 

Use gas to power the fridge.

Gas for the kettle. Gas for heating.

12 volts from the leisure battery for lighting, charging of phones etc, water pump, and use the TV sparingly.

 

I can easily do three weekends of three nights each without charging the leisure battery although I don't use a TV.

[Bottletop 10]

Ah, I never realised that about the 12V on the fridge only working whilst being towed!

But then again, I've hardly ever camped without a hook up before.

 

we don't have a TV in the caravan, so from what you say I'll get the gas topped up and should be okay without a spare battery or any solar charging for the few days - fingers crossed!