How to thrive on a non 240v site!

PS. I think it was ValDa who gave this link

http://www.camping-municipal.org

it was really annoying passing all these lovely looking closed sites!  But I was in central Brittny not truly tourist area and too early for holiday time!  

Thanks mate for that. I only joined the C&CC this last Feb at the show, So I haven't really got up to speed with them. Have sorted out a few CS's and that's all. Fancy the C&CC being more competitive than the CC? Who would have thought such a thing not that it will ever concern me as I don't use club sites unless on a voucher. 

Just completed 8 weeks away with our m/h, first trip with Gaslow system fitted. Refilled the bottle at a fuel station in Zeebrugge it took 5 litres @ 35 cents a litre, worked out a really expensive fill up 1.75€ 

TG, you gotta love it.....

as we were doing a five day trip 'sans le hookup' i thought i'd fill up with gas..less than £4

Merve, keep an eye out in the back of the CCC mag for the THS meets, might be right up your street.

Can't knock it can you, the same amount using Calor would have been £11.50,  only a £10 saving  Of course we were on sites so very little gas used, we will get there one day doing THS's and Aires might even get in a few wild camping nights up North.

Battery charging advice

I have noticed that my battery doesn't seem to charge was well as it did.  It is a 3 year old Numax 110.  We have a battery indicator on our caravan and it used to go between 14.5 and 11.5 on this.  However the last two weekends we have been off grid we have not really been able to got it above the 12 and a bit on the indicator indicator.  I'm trying to figure if it is the battery or an issue with the solar panel.

Confession time....I did run over half of our solar panels (stupid me) the time before last so our panel level has gone from either 160w to 80w or 140w to 70 (cannot remember which we had.  We now have only half the panel we had but it does charge as a the light shows on the controller.  However, on a sunny day the solar panel used to fully charge the battery within about 3 hours.  We were out all day yesterday so nothing was used, it was pretty sunny most of the day yet the battery couldn't get over 12.  

I think however, the issue is probably the battery.  Our caravan is in storage and for a variety of reasons, we have only been out 3 times since Xmas.  I am thinking that I have probably damaged the batters as it's charge has just ran down due to it not being used.  I have borrowed a battery charger from my neighbour and am charging it now.  (I know nothing about cars/batteries/electrics and haven't caravaned that long so didn't really think to take it out).

We go away for a week (non EHU) in two weeks time and I cannot decide whether to buy a new solar panel/a new battery or, if it charges to full off my neighbours battery charger, just buy a charger and charge it if it needs it. I wondered what advice you folks would give.  Also, what does it mean when a CL says battery charging facilities?

Sorry for the epic posts but you guys give great advice.

I'm no expert but I would guess it is your battery as well.   If it is not getting above 12v it might be a cell in the battery has failed.   I would of thought a 70w panel should cope this time of year.   Was the panel totally destroyed?   The first one I bought was delivered with the glass crazed. The supplier replaced it and told me to bin it   But I checked it and it did give an output so I kept it and used it occasionally with the good one. 

My steps would be take the battery out and take it somewhere who can test it.  I think most garages can do this, even Halfords.  Then I suspect you need to replace the battery, my experience is not at your local caravan dealer.  

Then replace the solar panel ( you know you want to)

Then buy a battery charger always comes in handy. See my post in the cTek vs Numax thread for why.  Aldi and Lidl sell battery chargers for less than £15.00 from time to time.  They are cheap and they work. 

Finally enjoy your holiday. 

Edit a CL with charging facilities ? Means very often nothing more than access to a plug to plug in your charger.  I had a battery fail and it went from fully charged to flat in about 30 minutes so it time to throw it out and buy a new one.  

Thank you Boff.  We have managed to charge the battery with a battery charger so will see how it goes but I expect to need to buy a new battery whilst we are away.

Our solar panel was the type that fold in half.  I literally ran straight over half of it (luckily no damage to car) but smashed glass and bent frame on panel.  We took it apart and the intact half appears to be working but we go off grid a lot so i'll probably invest in another soon.

As we keep our caravan in storage I was thinking about getting this and just leaving it at the front of the caravan whilst it was in storage. Do people thing this would work to keep the battery ticking over ? I'm thinking of something like this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5w-Solar-Panel-c-w-10A-Charger-Controller-3m-Cable-fuse-for-12v-Batttery-UK-/321392833748?epid=875642303&hash=item4ad48174d4:g:0u8AAOSwuTxV~E7x

I'm thinking the worst that could happen is it gets stolen (hopefully not) but if it does it's not that expensive.

Tracey a knackered battery will apparently charge it just won't hold any charge.

A folding panel is simply 2 panels hinged to together and wired together.  So there is absolutely no reason for the surviving half not to work

The panel you have linked is only 5w it is a bit chocolate teapot imho maybe it is time to bite,the bullet and consider having a fixed panel installed on the roof?