Solar Power or Not

Depends on your motivation for doing it. If you primarily intend to use sites with EHU probably not worth it. If you intend to spend plenty of time ‘off-grid’ then solar panels will make that easier, but they’re not going to run your fridge, heating and hot water. You’ll need gas to do that. Alternatively invest in a generator but be prepared for many folks not enjoying the noise you’ll be making!

Another way of looking at it,is a THS run by the CCC I paid £12.50 a night in Dorset, last year compare that with a future booking at Rowntree Park at nearly £40.00.

Being prepared for off grid does give you another choice to camp.

Unless you have plans to widen the way you camp solar offers little advantage, if you do, it opens a whole new world of opportunities. It's pretty pointless if modest cost EHU is available everywhere you go, as presently using gas for your high energy demands is at least as expensive as the electricity, generally quite a bit dearer. Plus, gas it is not "on tap", you have to have it with you and you have to replenish it as and when needed.

I don't buy your idea it involves a complete change to the charging system, nothing actually changes just a tiny little solar controller gets added, along of course with the solar array itself.

The battery does not change, unless you presently have a sick one, as with solar the battery needs to function, and there is no need to go multiple batteries. That is the territory of those asking the solar to replicate much of the EHU, most who go solar use gas, only asking the solar to take over the normal 12 vDC role.

As Fozzie points out it opens the world of camping off grid, with rallies, holiday meets and a fair percentage of 5 van sites not offering a hook up. To us the very essence of our version of this hobby, but we realise not for all.

If that's never going to be something that appeals and you want even more facilities than just the EHU as well, then at best solar extends battery life, but little more.

DIY along with prudent purchasing a decent quality kit 100 Watt solar installation will cost about £200, and along with using gas make you independent of an EHU through all but the winter. If also needing to replace the battery, the lead acid technology best used, so still suiting the inbuilt charger, means an additional £130 odd spend. 

£12.50 per night you were robbed       We paid £9 and £10 p/n at Cricieth and Fountains Abbey ths”s  respectively last summer.   Goes to show what outstanding value (sic) this  “clubs” pop up campsites are.   

What!! We paid £7 (Inc £1 for the dog) last year for a non EHU Devon CL. Very nice it was too. We have our trusty solar panel to thank for these opportunities. 

Our caravan came with a solar panel, but we usually use sites with electric hook up. When the caravan is parked at home, the panel keeps the battery topped up nicely, so we don't need to connect to mains. However, if the panel wasnt already fitted I would not bother investing in the cost of a panel and controller, and would not want to waste the payload.

If you want to be independent of high price sites, you need a decent solar setup, preferably with a lithium battery and a refillable gas system. The world is your mollusc.

Really good post from Ocsid, but the one thing missing is that alongside the solar install for 12v items (which can be done as described) a good supply of gas will be needed for the rest of your services.

many EHU campers are using (6kg) Calor bottles or similar which will not last too long with larger fridge freezers to power, alongside hot water and gas rings for cooking. These small bottle are also very expensive per kg...

this is where the switch to pumped LPG really comes into its own but a Safefill or Gaslow type system will add to the cost.

however, given the low prices mentioned above for off grid sites (say £10) this gives over £100 saving on a weeks camping over a typical £25 a night site.

it's easy to see how solar/gas upgrades can be funded if this sort of camping appeals...

and once installed, the savings go on....and on....

At that rate, a twin Gaslow system could pay for itself in about 6 weeks touring.

My thoughts are that we'll probably be more reliant on electricty in the future. Our motorhome solar is useful because it tops up the vehicle and leisure battery and allows us to go off grid at present. We don't have to power up a huge fridge with gas so save on that score. But gas prices are rising along with electricity so we'll have to see how this all works out for leisure purposes.