GC off grid capabilities (or not!)

[Mr T]

love your windscreen cover! Is that the “champagne“ colour option?

Yes it is.

 

[soppelsa]

Hi All - I am going to view a used 2019 GC 680 tomorrow and if all is as described, I’ll probably purchase it. I’ve read a lot about its limited off grid capabilities due to its small leisure battery etc. and some of the alternative solutions running additional leisure batteries etc. I’ve also read that some use a power bank (jackery, ecoflow etc.). My question is to try and ensure up to 3 or 4 nights maximum off grid, can you plug a power banks (around 1600wh capacity I was considering) straight in to the external ehu to recharge the leisure battery for a few hours or would this damage the either the leisure battery or power bank or is the idea a non starter? I can barely change a light bulb, so I need something very very simple! The GC also has the solar fitted on the roof. Many thanks in advance for some words of wisdom!

 

[soppelsa]

6804m with an ecoflow delta max for backup

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

6804m with an ecoflow delta max for backup

View attachment 109910

WooHoo that’s the one! What size ecoflow delta max do you have? And do you find it plenty for a few days off grid? Many thanks!

 

[NoeleeHeary12]

Hi All - I am going to view a used 2019 GC 680 tomorrow and if all is as described, I’ll probably purchase it. I’ve read a lot about its limited off grid capabilities due to its small leisure battery etc. and some of the alternative solutions running additional leisure batteries etc. I’ve also read that some use a power bank (jackery, ecoflow etc.). My question is to try and ensure up to 3 or 4 nights maximum off grid, can you plug a power banks (around 1600wh capacity I was considering) straight in to the external ehu to recharge the leisure battery for a few hours or would this damage the either the leisure battery or power bank or is the idea a non starter? I can barely change a light bulb, so I need something very very simple! The GC also has the solar fitted on the roof. Many thanks in advance for some words of wisdom!

I have the solar and I’ve managed 3 days fridge this week without going below 70% overnight and then back to 100% every day during sunlight . Unless you have other large power items you will not need too much else

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

I have the solar and I’ve managed 3 days fridge this week without going below 70% overnight and then back to 100% every day during sunlight . Unless you have other large power items you will not need too much else

That’s good to hear and thanks for sharing, we will have solar also on ours. I’m thinking that a 1000w power bank (eco flow etc.) would be plenty and may not even be needed, but I’d rather know I’ve got it as back up than not. This past couple of weeks is the exception to the weather we get most of the year.

 

[soppelsa]

We have the Ecoflow 2016 wh probably around 180AH but you get to use all of it unlike the AGM which is about 50 AH usable.
There is a new version out lifepo4 £400 more expensive but 3000cycles
The old one is ,800 cycles then 80% of it's original capacity
If I get to 100 cycles the only way it would get used is strapped on the back of my mobility scooter having replaced my Grand California for a Shearings coach.

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

We have the Ecoflow 2016 wh probably around 180AH but you get to use all of it unlike the AGM which is about 50 AH usable.
There is a new version out lifepo4 £400 more expensive but 3000cycles
The old one is ,800 cycles then 80% of it's original capacity
If I get to 100 cycles the only way it would get used is strapped on the back of my mobility scooter having replaced my Grand California for a Shearings coach.

Haha! Do you also use it to plug in to you EHU to charge back up the cali’s AGM leisure battery?

 

[soppelsa]

Haha! Do you also use it to plug in to you EHU to charge back up the cali’s AGM leisure battery?

Yes the EHU
I charge when driving using the 20a DC outlet but I found the tip on the cigarette lighter point ran hot so I knocked the charging rate down from 8 a to 6amp on the APP.
Realistic in summer and with solar it's not called upon.
We've started booking sites with no EHU it saves a few quid and often a better pitch.
Also and keep it to yourself I plug into any 16a unused hook up at dusk to get a full charge in approximately 1hr or go to the laundry room and plug it in when doing your ironing.
Obviously I iron more in winter.

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

Hilarious!!! Thanks wink wink….

 

[soulstyledevon]

Just echoing other comments - on sunny days we’ve easily gone five days plus with the solar without any problems and when you’re travelling around, even less of a problem. Battery typically goes down to maybe 60% over night but then back to 100% in the day. More of a problem in winter but I think that would be the same even with more solar. We also use a standalone Jackery for phones, charging, rice cooker outside, small George Foreman grill . Just to add — the restriction for us being off grid is the toilet cassette - we always need to empty the cassette before we’ve run out of solar..

Valid point.
Our Hymer has a feeble 110A battery with no solar. It lasts about 48hrs when parked, longer if we drive and charge.
But the toilet cassette with 3 people is about 3 days before we need to empty.
I wonder if Lithium is overkill for most people..???

 

[soppelsa]

Valid point.
Our Hymer has a feeble 110A battery with no solar. It lasts about 48hrs when parked, longer if we drive and charge.
But the toilet cassette with 3 people is about 3 days before we need to empty.
I wonder if Lithium is overkill for most people..???

We thought of buying a spare cassette

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

We thought of buying a spare cassette

We had a spare cassette for the last 2 yrs in our Adria (just sold) A class Motorhome . Never used! we want to just be confident that we have enough power for a couple of sites we like that do not have EHU (but have Elsan dump points etc) and also if we want to wild camp for the odd couple of nights, we are good !

 

[dennfo]

We thought of buying a spare cassette

We're thinking about that too...

 

[soppelsa]

Our favourite haunt is the NT Langdale.site
If the weather is nice we can pop up just 1HR off,but if you have to rely on EHU you'd not get in,there invariably booked up.
Can't rely on solar much steep sided valley so hence the Ecoflow and a penchant for ironing.

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

Our favourite haunt is the NT Langdale.site
If the weather is nice we can pop up just 1HR off,but if you have to rely on EHU you'd not get in,there invariably booked up.
Can't rely on solar much steep sided valley so hence the Ecoflow and a penchant for ironing.

When you do go there…..could I send you some clothes to iron whilst your eco flow is charging……just trying to keep you occupied!

 

[NoeleeHeary12]

Sorry misinterpreted the Birmingham reference.
This is what the new tap and step look like. (The step has a black panel and not silver)
Check the rear cupboards above the bed for water damage as the third brake light can leak.

View attachment 109872

View attachment 109873

Yes it is.

View attachment 109908

Where can I buy this windscreen cover ? Is it an official VW part of other ?

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

I’ve just ordered one from Rainbowscreens

Motorhome & Campervan Thermal Screen Covers | Rainbow Screens

We make windscreen covers & pop top covers for VW, Citroen, Fiat, Ford, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Toyota, Vauxhall

rainbowscreens.co.uk

 

[Mr T]

Where can I buy this windscreen cover ? Is it an official VW part of other ?

As now mentioned in the previous post these are from rainbowscreens. I believe the club shop also do some screen covers for the crafter too.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Hi All - I am going to view a used 2019 GC 680 tomorrow and if all is as described, I’ll probably purchase it. I’ve read a lot about its limited off grid capabilities due to its small leisure battery etc. and some of the alternative solutions running additional leisure batteries etc. I’ve also read that some use a power bank (jackery, ecoflow etc.). My question is to try and ensure up to 3 or 4 nights maximum off grid, can you plug a power banks (around 1600wh capacity I was considering) straight in to the external ehu to recharge the leisure battery for a few hours or would this damage the either the leisure battery or power bank or is the idea a non starter? I can barely change a light bulb, so I need something very very simple! The GC also has the solar fitted on the roof. Many thanks in advance for some words of wisdom!

We have extra 4kwh battery in regular cali that enough for 4 days, but we cook boil with it with 12v appliances and almost don't use inverter. Building such battery is not hard today and 4kw cost me ~600pounds to build. We did not hardwire it as well, it is removable and works as plugin with onboard agm. Charges 30-40amps from alternator.

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

We have extra 4kwh battery in regular cali that enough for 4 days, but we cook boil with it with 12v appliances and almost don't use inverter. Building such battery is not hard today and 4kw cost me ~600pounds to build. We did not hardwire it as well, it is removable and works as plugin with onboard agm. Charges 30-40amps from alternator.

Thanks, I ended up getting an EcoFlow 2000wh power station, that should do us for a long weekend etc, if we need to give the leisure battery a boost.