ALL ELECTRIC? - DEFINITELY NOT! (But at what cost? £££)

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Your past experiences are providing a great resource for what worked and what could be improved upon. Binge watching today to boost your session times.😉👍⚡️

[@notseamus]

Also having been a building inspector for over 30 years. I absolutely agree never dabble with gas and electric, unless you absolutely know what you’re doing, and the dodgy knees to prove it. I’ve seen some right horror shows in my time.

[@TheGapDecaders]

Cheers Paul, I bet you have 🙈😀 Looks like you guys are having a lovely summer ☺🌞👍🏻

[@notseamus]

We are. But it’s cranked up in recent weeks. Both heat and crowds

[@TheGapDecaders]

@@notseamus I can imagine, sounds like you need to head for the hills 😂 🏔

[@Dandy-Offroad]

With this setup, you will never have any lack of energy! Good concept! Our Bliss Mobil unit has 1000 Watt solar panels, 800 AH at 24 V (20 kWh) and all is electric, beside an additional diesel air heater. Also our water boiler is running on 220 V, on top microwave/grill/oven and induction for cooking. In summer totally sufficient, if there is no sun and no driving, the battery power is sufficient for three days. Our truck alternator supplies up to 170 A, typically we can charge the batteries with 100 A (average 2400 Watt), at 800 RPM with the truck diesel engine (in emergency situations), so no additional generator needed). Or during driving with 2000-3000 Watt, depending on engine speed and battery state of charge. (we have the same 5Kw Victron converter and two B2B charger boosters. What we totally love is our electric floor heating (!) which runs on 24 V. If it is outside between 0 and 10 degrees, the floor heating is absolutely sufficient to heat the whole until. It consumes 450 watt and it is has temperature regulator. It takes just a few minutes to heat the floor to the desired temperature, very nice when you get up, leave the shower or sit at the table. It is installed below the flooring, I would not miss it at. No diesel consumption, no noice, free energy, very comfortable. Anyway, I lave your build and big respect what you are doing. Just great!!!

[@TheGapDecaders]

Hi and thank you for sharing your spec, it's a very interesting read particularly the electric underfloor heating, our box (by default) is so heavily insulated I don't think it's going to take much to get it up to temperature/or cool and maintain... But yes, there will be noise. Sounds like you've got the balance just right, it's maybe overkill but I think we're pretty spot on for our needs. Thanks for talking the time to comment, Cheers P&I

[@Dandy-Offroad]

the reason to have the electric floor heating is because the box is so good isolated. In fact, standard 4 kw diesel heaters are too big if it is outside still above 0 degree Celsius. The floor heating is so comfortable and enough for a most time of the year. Problem of diesel heaters is that they should run long and on full power, but in a good isolated box it will run short and on low power which is not good and will require more often maintenance or heating at full power with open windows to blow out the carbon residues. Anyway, this is not a must, it is just nice to have and just an extra comfort.

[@lc10w]

Yes, redundancy is key. We have three options each for charging, heating and hot water, and two for cooking, and we have had to use every option along the way. We too have a Surecal ka-lor-i-fire (had to laugh at you getting your tongue around calorifier). We're currently in the Outer Hebrides (12deg in high summer!) and it's been so overcast that our two 340w half-cut panels have struggled to make over 150w sometimes. Enjoying watchIng your build process, it's bringing back memories. I reckon I spent half the build time on the web researching and scouring for kit and components.

[@TheGapDecaders]

I hate that word! Yeah, researching, ordering etc does take a lot of time - imagine doing it without the internet!

[@jockmcallister]

I’ve been running a Victron Lithium system for 3years, with induction. Rather modest 200Ah bank. Winter living was always a struggle so this summer, after the sterling hob went poop, I installed a gas hob, rather than upgrade the electrics…… gas lasted 3weeks and i went back to induction. Seems I much prefer it now…. Now doubled the bank to 400Ah, fitted a buckboost……very happy….. 😊

[@TheGapDecaders]

Yeah I can imagine winter living with 200Ah was a challenge, interesting read. In a way that's why we've opted for a mixed induction/gas hob so we've got options. I'm sure the additional 200Ah & Buckboost has made all the difference. Cheers P&I 🙏

[@jockmcallister]

@@TheGapDecaders well been tootally around norway with the 400ah and its great. Tottally agree with you thou, gas and electric gives you the flexibility if your proper fulltime. I would be tempted to go Deisel hob next time around.... i think i could live with the slowness! lol

[@mariogajewski6069]

Chinese heater well worth the money ran mine for three years no problem.

[@KevIsOffGrid]

Its a similar size to mine - which I don't think is overkill.

[@dunglass1]

We have a Cerbo-GX connected to the GX LTE. Just check whether there are still European and North American models. Ours stopped communicating the minute we got stateside. Luckily it was easily fixed by fitting a 4G/LTE mobile modem/router. Love your build guys.

[@TheGapDecaders]

Thank you, good suggestion. It's a little while before we're heading across the pond, but I'll definitely check, at least there's a pretty simple (and inexpensive) workaround. 👍🏻☺

[@pathfinder303]

Like you I prefer gas for cooking , easier to control and I believe you should always have a back up system perhaps a small single induction hob. When fitting out the sprinter I decided on the Truma 4e gas system as I was going to be cooking on gas. But I also have an small induction hob. Never had a problem with the Truma and there is no soot build up. Jeez that's quite a lot of money. Having said that it's 5 years since I built the sprinter.

[@TheGapDecaders]

Yeah, took us by surprise a little too! We haven't properly lived in the UK or over 6 years so have been shocked by hoe much stuff has gone up.

[@peterfinch3548]

TBH, £25k sounds reasonable for that setup. Again, you have really thought this through and having all the options you described is brilliant. I am so impressed. Can't wait for the next installment.

[@TheGapDecaders]

Hi Peter, thank you... I think we're getting there although I daren’t think about the hundreds of jobs yet to do 🙈😂 Appreciate your support P&I 🙏

[@andrewjohnson9896]

We have three power options, so worth while.

[@TheGapDecaders]

Yeah, agreed 👍🏻😀

[@Nicklas.A]

Nice to see you again. I really like that you talk about the numbers. I’m just in the startup or my own build and I really like that I can have u like a reference on my build budget. Keep up the good work.

[@TheGapDecaders]

thank you and apologies for my very late reply, appreciate your thoughts, good luck with the build 👍🏻😀

[@DaveH-t9s]

Thanks for the update and looks a fantastic system. Always good to have a plan B!

[@TheGapDecaders]

thank you 🙏 😊

[@timjones2789]

Very useful insight and certainly given me some things to think about for our build

[@TheGapDecaders]

thank you, appreciate the feedback 🙏

[@alanbell6999]

Sounds like you're Apollo mission coming along nicely 50 %there

[@TheGapDecaders]

Hi Alan, this made me laugh 😂, indeed 👍🏻

[@evatoews3774]

☺️ waiting to see the truck again!

[@TheGapDecaders]

soon, we promise!

[@GrandadBaz]

It's looking great Phil and Iz, but £25k is way out of my league. We have a puny 2 x 104amp agm batteries. One 150w solar panel, a 1500w inverter but then again we don't have any electric gizmos, no tv, microwave, air fryer or George forman, etc. At the end of the day we aren't doing what you are. I'm loving watching the build progress. Thanks for sharing and keep em coming.

[@TheGapDecaders]

haha no air fryer for us either!

[@craigpope308]

Enjoying watching your build series, could you please let me know the brand and model of those 405 watt solar panels, thank you and keep up the great content, cheers.

[@TheGapDecaders]

Hi Craig they are JA Solar 405w Mono Half Cell :)

[@DWvlogt1]

Hi guys, super video! I wrote everything down, for my own project. About the fridge: why such an expensive one? I think you can install a much cheaper domestic AAA-fridge with such amount of power on board?

[@TheGapDecaders]

We decided to go for a fridge specifically designed for an overland truck. Domestic fridges are not designed to be moved about and the compressor can become loose with vibrations. Also, compression fridges are more efficient especially in hot ambient temps :)

[@DWvlogt1]

Thanks for your quick reply! I also looked at Vitrifrigo, Isotherm, Thetford and Dometic and almost made a backflip when I saw the consumer prices 😅

[@IanSuttton]

Lots of fun following the build! Thanks for sharing. You mentioned heading to the Americas - I hadn't considered this for when my wife and I get around to doing something similar. Any idea how much it would cost to transport and register the vehicle for driving in USA/Canada? Sounds like a complicated endeavour

[@TheGapDecaders]

The costs are somewhere around 15k for shipping but its high right now because of the COVID?Suez stuff which unbelievably is still having an effect. We hope it will be less when we're ready lol

[@Rob.1340]

👍😎

[@alexcotterill5716]

Not just Izzy who can't pronounce calorifier! Emphasis on LOR, and fier like fryer.

[@TheGapDecaders]

😂😂 Thank you 👍🏻

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Your past experiences are providing a great resource for what worked and what could be improved upon. Binge watching today to boost your session times.😉👍⚡️