Campsite costs
139 replies
replied on 18/06/2022 11:43
Tinwheeler replied on 18/06/2022 13:52
Posted on 18/06/2022 10:22 by Rocky 2 bucketsHave you ever worked out what it would cost an owner to go from mains power dependent to totally off grid & how many nights away would be needed to actually recoup the initial outlay CY, genuine question as I struggle to find any proof-‘Off grid is one way to keep your costs down’🤔
Posted on 18/06/2022 13:52
I’m sure we all remember the saga of one member's quest for off grid savings, Rocky. Solar panels and controller and a lithium battery don’t come cheap.
Then there’s the old adage of the more gizmos you have, the more there is to go wrong.😟
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peedee replied on 18/06/2022 14:14
Posted on 18/06/2022 10:22 by Rocky 2 bucketsHave you ever worked out what it would cost an owner to go from mains power dependent to totally off grid & how many nights away would be needed to actually recoup the initial outlay CY, genuine question as I struggle to find any proof-‘Off grid is one way to keep your costs down’🤔
Posted on 18/06/2022 14:14
It must all depend on how well equipped your van was when you first bought it? Mine was all 12volt and came with an inverter and 200APH battery. All I had to add was a DIY solar panel kit comprising a 140w panel with MPPT controller at a cost of £240. At zero to £10 per night for an off grid pitch you don't need too many nights to recoup that. Over the years I have had mine it has given me more flexibility over where I can stay and has certainly paid for itself.
peedee
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Tinwheeler replied on 18/06/2022 14:20
Posted on 18/06/2022 14:14 by peedeeIt must all depend on how well equipped your van was when you first bought it? Mine was all 12volt and came with an inverter and 200APH battery. All I had to add was a DIY solar panel kit comprising a 140w with MPPT controller at a cost of £240. At zero to £10 per night for an off grid pitch you don't need too many nights to recoup that. Over the years I have had mine it has given me more flexibility over where I can stay and has certainly paid for itself.
peedee
peedee replied on 18/06/2022 14:34
Posted on 18/06/2022 14:20 by TinwheelerBut, PD, you didn’t get the rest of your gear as a free gift. You paid for it as part of the van's total cost.
Tinwheeler replied on 18/06/2022 14:52
Posted on 18/06/2022 14:34 by peedeeIt is true that I bought the van to be largely independant of site facilities in the first place. Most vans of decent size come pretty much the same.
peedee
Takethedogalong replied on 18/06/2022 15:14
Posted on 18/06/2022 15:14
I suspect many of us started off “camping on the cheap” without too many bits of additional kit bought for our outfits. We find it isn’t about what bits of kit you have added, it’s what you need/ desire as extra bits of comfort, like a TV, a toaster, a coffee maker, heating on all the time, hot water on demand. These and running sophisticated/ computerised operating systems. Our van is getting on in years, and we don’t need the gadgets, so the solar panel it came with, and utilising our easily charged iPads for entertainment/music/ information etc, and our iPhones and we have all we need to have quite extensive periods off grid. Small fridge as well of course, but easily enough room for three days worth of meals.
Electric toothbrush is our luxury. And a damn nuisance to recharge, but it does last over a week for the two of us using it properly. There’s probably a usb chargeable version out there, but I bet it costs a small fortune.
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Rocky 2 buckets replied on 18/06/2022 15:56
Posted on 18/06/2022 13:52 by TinwheelerI’m sure we all remember the saga of one member's quest for off grid savings, Rocky. Solar panels and controller and a lithium battery don’t come cheap.
Then there’s the old adage of the more gizmos you have, the more there is to go wrong.😟
Cornersteady replied on 18/06/2022 16:07
Posted on 18/06/2022 14:14 by peedeeIt must all depend on how well equipped your van was when you first bought it? Mine was all 12volt and came with an inverter and 200APH battery. All I had to add was a DIY solar panel kit comprising a 140w panel with MPPT controller at a cost of £240. At zero to £10 per night for an off grid pitch you don't need too many nights to recoup that. Over the years I have had mine it has given me more flexibility over where I can stay and has certainly paid for itself.
peedee
Posted on 18/06/2022 16:07
So you're saying your well equipped van was the same cost as one without all that extra.
To do the sum correctly you would have to find the difference between the 'basic' van and all your extras and then find out how many nights that would take to recoup that.
Cornersteady replied on 18/06/2022 16:10
Posted on 18/06/2022 14:34 by peedeeIt is true that I bought the van to be largely independant of site facilities in the first place. Most vans of decent size come pretty much the same.
peedee
tonker
Motorhomer