Few pics of my Iveco bus

Greggbear67 · Apr 26, 2021

trevskoda said:
I have 200w solar and feeding into 180ah batts, make sure you are using a MPPT regulator, votronic has a 1am bleed to starter battery which is handyView attachment 3780

Got 220ah of batteries presently, got a 40a epever mppt controller to fit. Only need an inverter now, then I can get it all installed. Only planning to have a small domestic fridge plus charger for my 18v power tools, so don't need a big inverter.

Sprinter 1 cup · Apr 27, 2021

Seat belts if fitted by dates there fine. Just lookup the old mots at gov.uk. if mini bus. Mpvs are capped at 8 clip ins .

The inverter thing with 100amps usable is low if engine not running?

trevskoda · Apr 29, 2021

Greggbear67 said:
Got 220ah of batteries presently, got a 40a epever mppt controller to fit. Only need an inverter now, then I can get it all installed. Only planning to have a small domestic fridge plus charger for my 18v power tools, so don't need a big inverter.

I used a small soft start smart inverter rated at 600w and a mini fridge, works 100%

Greggbear67 · Apr 29, 2021

I just ordered a 3000w constant/6000w peak inverter, then after paying I realized it was a modified sine wave, so I just emailed the seller to see if I can upgrade to their 2000/4000w pure sine wave unit instead. I only want to power a small fridge & charge my power tool batteries so I think the smaller wattage unit will still be big enough, plus pure sine wave should be smoother than modified I think....

wildebus · Apr 29, 2021

"don't need a big inverter" and getting first a 300W one and then a 2000W one? what would you call a BIG inverter exactly?

Something to be aware of .... all inverters have an overhead when in use, and that overhead does get larger as the inverter gets larger. So if you are say running a fridge that takes 50W when running, a 2000W inverter feeding it will be more wasteful than a 1000W inverter. If you want something big enough for power tool recharging and to run a fridge, a 2000W really is overkill and with just 220Ah of batteries you might need to do some power conservation (a Compressor Fridge is efficient but it uses a fair amount of power).

Greggbear67 · Apr 29, 2021

wildebus said:
"don't need a big inverter" and getting first a 300W one and then a 2000W one? what would you call a BIG inverter exactly?

Something to be aware of .... all inverters have an overhead when in use, and that overhead does get larger as the inverter gets larger. So if you are say running a fridge that takes 50W when running, a 2000W inverter feeding it will be more wasteful than a 1000W inverter. If you want something big enough for power tool recharging and to run a fridge, a 2000W really is overkill and with just 220Ah of batteries you might need to do some power conservation (a Compressor Fridge is efficient but it uses a fair amount of power).

Future plans are maybe another battery or 2 plus 2 more solar panels if needed. Weight is not an issue, plenty spare payload to go at....

Sprinter 1 cup · Apr 30, 2021

We just keep spending ,lol

Greggbear67 · Apr 30, 2021

Update, got a refund on the 3000w modified sine wave inverter I bought, thinking now I could probably get away with a 1500/3000w pure sine wave inverter that's available for £119.99
Any advice appreciated....

Sprinter 1 cup · May 2, 2021

Go big always go big.
If not you will. But remember with invertors the amp drawn when Idle. Can be over 10 amps throughout the night.! More in winter

St3v3 said tonight.

wildebus · May 2, 2021

Sprinter 1 cup said:
Go big always go big.
If not you will. But remember with invertors the amp drawn when Idle. Can be over 10 amps throughout the night.! More in winter

St3v3 said tonight.

Set it up right and bigger inverters on idle are very similar to smaller ones. But IN USE, the bigger ones can waste power when just providing smaller needs compared to smaller ones that can provide the needed power.

So no. DON'T always go big. Go RIGHT.

Greggbear67 · May 2, 2021

So the 1500w pure sine wave will be the better choice?....

wildebus · May 2, 2021

Greggbear67 said:
So the 1500w pure sine wave will be the better choice?....

It really is easy to get sucked into the "I can get twice the size for the same money" type of thinking with any product. I doubt if there is a single one of us who hasn't done that on multiple occasions.
I have a 2400W PSW inverter in my Camper and I do use it at its full capacity for the water heater and hob. When I was deciding what to get for the Motorhome I nearly just got the same again as was happy with it - but checked myself and worked out what I really needed in THAT vehicle - and ended up with a 1350W PSW Inverter.

Nabsim · May 2, 2021

This van lark gets a bit mental at times. I see inverter threads and think I will get one to run my 1Kw 240v immersion heater. I then think if I am doing that then I should get one that will run the microwave.
Then after a few hours of firstly looking at modified sine wave then pure sine wave inverters I think that I have only used the microwave twice in three years and that was Mrs warming butter.
Hot water hasn’t been something I great.y miss, I can boil a kettle or when I really want a shower I can run the engine for half an hour. I could even get my finger out and figure where I need to put 12v on the Hydronic unit so I don’t have to start the engine lol
Do you think it is a sickness, is there a vaccine?

wildebus · May 2, 2021

Nabsim said:
This van lark gets a bit mental at times. I see inverter threads and think I will get one to run my 1Kw 240v immersion heater. I then think if I am doing that then I should get one that will run the microwave.
Then after a few hours of firstly looking at modified sine wave then pure sine wave inverters I think that I have only used the microwave twice in three years and that was Mrs warming butter.
Hot water hasn’t been something I great.y miss, I can boil a kettle or when I really want a shower I can run the engine for half an hour. I could even get my finger out and figure where I need to put 12v on the Hydronic unit so I don’t have to start the engine lol
Do you think it is a sickness, is there a vaccine?

There is only one reply to that .....