How to thrive on a non 240v site!

Boff
Again, another red herring.......I am in the process of buying a power inverter having seen a mates in action. He demonstrated it using his vacuum cleaner (1200 watt) Kettle (700) hair dryer (1200). Microwave (700) Take a look at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262602118327.  Merve will provide more detailed information about this be area of "surviving" off grid.
I, too, have looked for reasons for not being able to make the change but every query has been answered satisfactory. 
What I find interesting is that caravaning has gone full circle in that for many years we survived on gas lighting, foot pumps for the water and made a battery last no more than a weekend. Then, through the years new innovations became apparent, TVs, fridges, LED lighting, showers, microwaves etc. All these luxuries required powering, hence EHU became the obvious choice to enable us to use these amenities. Since the arrival of solar panals every single one of these, now commonplace, "luxuries" can easily be powered by the free energy provided by our Sun. During our first full day without EHU I was sat in the van truly feeling smug knowing that what I'd done has giving me completely free power. The sense of satisfaction is truly wonderful.

The only problem is that free power costs a small fortune to install and maintain. 

, Hi B.B .Yes at the "Concorde" plant there is an area for parking up visitors M/homes.Also a service point for water/drain off/dump etc.

My vehicle does have a large LPG tank ,as well as a bottle for back up,with switch over facility.As regards the water temperature ,well ,we had temperature of 36-37 most of the week so the on board tank was quite a pleasant refreshing rinse !! .

"Again, another red herring.......I am in the process of buying a power inverter having seen a mates in action. He demonstrated it using his vacuum cleaner (1200 watt) Kettle (700) hair dryer (1200). Microwave (700)"

Kevlon,

I do hope you have considered where that power is going to come from?  (I assume you will be relying on PV solar panels).  Certainly not impossible with adequate PV capacity and battery storage, but you do need to make realistic calculations.

I can exist very comfortably and indefinitely on PV, but wouldn't entertain any of the appliances you mention.

"I guess the stumbling block for many wanting to go fully unbilical free is SWMBO's hair dryer."

This oft repeated 'issue' always intrigues me ...... my wife has had long (right down her back) straight hair for the 40 years we've been together. She resolutely refuses to use a hair dryer because she says it ruins it!

...of course, theres some truth in this....

however, at around £350 for a decent solar set up and £300 or less for a single 11kg gaslow system this doesnt seem a lot for the incresed flexibilty (especially abroad with non availability of calor gas and the wonderful aires system) and the £15 ish a night saving on a fully fledged club site.

id hardly call £640 a small fortune in the world of vanning, not would i say that either a solar set up nor refillable gas systems require any costly maintenance, they are maintenace free...

additionally, around 40 odd nights to break even seems a really quick payback, yet the savings (and flexibility) go on for years after that.

I reckon that BoleroBoy's costing isn't a million miles away. Actually in my case the price was a little less about £300 for a 150W system, this includes £110 for the controller.  The refillable safefill bottle cost be £105 nearly full I dropped lucky.  

But what are the maintainence costs you refer to as costing so much?

Attn Kevlon, hope you realised you preaching to the converted, hairdryers don't play a large part of our lives with our without ehu  

Boff, my costings referred back to when i had an 80w system fitted to our 2nd Bolero, back in about 2011....costs have come down since then.

on our last two Carthagos the SP has been part of the deal, as has the 2nd leisure battery, and the swapping of the Gaslow system.

a Gaslow system (even a single bottle one) will be more expensive than Safefil as it requires an externally fitted filler point which accounts for about £80 from memory.

either way, happy to have (and make use of) these items primarily for the flexibility it gives us with impromptu touring in Europe and our use of no-facs THS sites.

BB my costing weren't intended as a snipe at you.  They reflected roughly what it cost me.  But if I had to pay £700 would I do it. The answer is yes in a heartbeat, because it gives me the choice to go where I want not where has the best facilities.  

Ps I think it was Oscar Wilde who described a cynic as someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

 For me the value of my autonomy, far exceeds any cost.  The fact it saves me money is a nice bonus.  

Vicmallows

At the moment I have a single 110 amp battery which I intend adding too soon but during our first three days of non EHU I can say that our routine was the same as if we'd had electric, tv (up to 4 hours a day), 2 showers per day, phones/iPads charged, lighting and we also ran a 12v fridge throughout the day. Do you think a dual battery set-up is essential for powering the items mentioned? As a matter of interest do you not you an inverter?

Like you, I'm on a crusade to highlight the massive benefits of using solar energy. I am still learning along the way and am grateful for all the advice provided so far. I think that we "converts" should proactively encourage others to adopt the systems available as it has become obvious that "our" club is failing to highlight its merits.