You might consider a WAECO refrigerator, Ours runs on 240 120 and 12VDC and is the form factor of an ice chest. It rides in the back of our TV and can be taken down below freezing. There are also replacement RV absorption refrigerator units here in the states including one that converts the whole thing to 12V.
That is what I love about the NZMCA parks is the simple basics. Most of them are also out the way of towns which I also like. NZ power points are only rated at 10amps where a caravan inlet is rated at 16amps so a 10amp circuit breaker is required in the power lead to prevent any chance of overloading the power point you are plugging into. I would have thought the fridge should be able to run directly off the 12volt battery, but I know some fridges are not wired up for this. But hay running the fridge from the inverter is a brilliant idea. It seems to work well.
I'm glad to now have a temporary back up for the fridge! It should charge while I drive, but has never worked... should look into it. Yes, I like the parks for being a little 'back to basics' too and wouldn't want them to change.
Loved the NZMCA sites, secure, many have basic facilities (water, bins) some have dumpstations but there are so many public dumpstations that it was never a problem. Publics toilets in NZ are unbelievably good, clean and well looked after. Need to be self contained to use the NZMCA sites. We were able to join NZMCA as they have an affiliation with the Caravan and Motorhome club in the UK. £1.50 a night! Much preferred the NZ approach to the UK where sites are so expensive - even the basic CL sites are normally around £15 a night. Loved NZ.
Was that Hicks Bay around 10:12. Nice scenery. You wouldn't want to drive down there in a heavy swell. Just been looking on Google Maps. Has the wharf. Never been around East Cape. Must do it one day.
An option worth considering would be a portable generator. Then you can charge your battery even if there is no sun for solar. As a note to overseas visitors, NZMCA membership is only available to New Zealanders. However there is a reciprocal arrangement with some overseas caravan clubs that allow people from overseas to use NZMCA facilities. However there are commercial campgrounds available (at a cost) that anyone can use. Obviously these have far more facilities.
A glorious place. I loved those wild east cape beaches too but we didn't have 4WD so had to walk everywhere. Comment, nothing to do with you Karen: I think all camp grounds need fresh potable water taps and dump facilities, whether they are NZMCA or commercial. (You're dreaming Robin). Some towns are really we'll set up with public facilities that are hygienic and user friendly, but too many are not and sadly these are often the areas where we have a lot of freedom campers. One day we'll have to right but then the tide will have come in and all the campers will be up in the mountains.
I think there needs to at least be plenty of knowledge about where there is less access to these facilities. And I'll agree that areas with lots of freedom campers need to have all these facilities.
$3 a night and great scenery, I could go for that. Dump station not far away either - empty black tank first & rinse it out with the grey water I reckon.
Hi K, when you hit the beach always stop and engage 4WD, no fun if you get bogged i can tell you, also something else you may want to consider later, Is buying a Solar Blanket, most Vanners in Australia carry a fold up Solar Blanket, just for those days when you want a bit more power going into your batteries, also do you plug your car into the van when your driving, thats another way of keeping your batteries topped up, talk to a auto electrician, well worth thinking about and with winter coming your way you want as much power as you can get in your batteries to get you thru those long nights
Hi K, Good idea to run the fridge off the inverter. you do lose a bit of efficiency in the inverter, but at least the fridge won't draw power continuously like if you ran it off 12V! It will turn off when its cold. About the cable... the NZ plug it is fitted with is rated at 10A, the caravan socket at the other end is rated at 16A, so without the tripswitch in the cable you could draw more than the 10A plug is designed for, and also the 10A circuit in the house! It is the right thing to use to plug into the house, but your inverter will probably not give 10A anyway. I think the house sockets and plugs in UK are 16A? so there, there is no need for the tripswitch.
I like the idea of the tanks in the back of the ute then you can drive to fill & empty points and have larger tanks. You'd just need to run longer hoses to the back of the ute in case you can't park it close to where your pipe inlet/outlets are.
3:14 - won't find those in the UK as they're unnecessary - as 'all' our mains plugs have a fuse in them. So much more a tidier approach than that solution !
Here in NZ our houses all work on 10 amp circuits whilst the caravans work on 16 amp circuits - so the cutout circuit breaker basically acts as a limiter so you don't overload the house circuit which if the house circuit breaker fails would cause a house fire - not nice to do. It also protects the occupants [or anyone touching the outside of it] of the caravan from an earth short
@@donurquhart8756 I daresay NZ may have less need for larger capacity circuits but I find it hard to believe everything is on 10A. It's borderline for washing machines and dishwashers but not really adequate for electric cookers. Ours are on 30A supplies.
@@millomweb I don't know what machines you have but it is more than adequate for washers / dryers / microwaves, for our ovens and cookers -yes- they are on a dedicated higher amperage circuit with specific plugs [or hard wired ] along with the hotwater. I have for instance had 15 amp circuits installed outside with weatherproof plugs - to enable me to use my arc welder and large compressor. part of the reasoning for limiting inside circuits to 10 amps is safety - but even then there are a lot of fires caused by people overloading them with the use of splitter/multi boxes and just running to many items at once, instead of installing a further outlet to the RCD / Current limiter - yes it fulfills both jobs
@@millomweb just had a thought - are all your powerpoints on a single circuit , in which case you would need to have a higher amperage capability, we use multiple circuits, for example in this house [3 bedroom] we have 5 power circuits plus 3 separate lighting + 25amp stove/oven + 15amp hot-water + my 2 x 15amp outdoor
Great view of the ocean. Just watch your vehicles footing in the sand though, it's pretty easy to get stuck on the beach as you found out. We have the breaker cords here in the states similar to what you showed but many don't use them. As always thanks for sharing...Vic
Interesting that it's not always used in the states. I saw a city car drive onto the sand when I left... found the sand was softer when you left the tyre tracks... going to assume they got out!
@@TravellingK Light-weight cars can get away with it sometimes where heavier ones struggle more. Thing you must avoid on sand is wheel spinning - so real gentle pulling away - and always set off downhill. If that's the wrong way tough ! just stop and reverse after driving uphill !
@@TravellingK I hope they got out too, I own a Jeep and there are tricks I have learned driving on the beach and of course other challenging areas too.
HI Kate - my wife and I are avid fans and pleased to see you are about our neck of the woods - the fridge: been there done that (sort of) and some comments that may be helpful; 1) the gas/electric fridges require a heating element to work - this can be gas, 12V or mains (230V). The element I think is about 90W (~8A) - on 12V - so running it on mains via an inverter is probably worse in terms of battery drain. I understand that the 12V option is for road travel and is supplied via a special cable from the vehicle. We don't tend to do this in NZ. 2) Gas problems - I have had our fridge out and I worked over the burner unit and reassembled it - a complicated job but straightforward - lots of fiddly corroded in screws etc - once the burner unit is out checking the jet and airways is easy and your aerosol of air will clear the soot etc - reassembly is easy enough as everything is pre-adjusted. Mine was very difficult starting and it was tracked down to the thermocouple sensor being pushed back away from the flame. All sorted now and it starts and runs very well - I leave it on during road travel etc etc .. 3) the insane gas exhaust for the fridge - yes the one that vents into the cavity behind the fridge - I fitted an external flue kit and baffled the outside vent to prevent blowback into the van. I also did a fan as you have done. We also run a Waeco chest freezer thing to hold the wine (essential) and meat - this is a compressor fridge and runs very sweetly full time off the battery/solar. I have done internal fresh water tanks and underslung greywater tank with a macerator pump to give me a bit of pressure to pump into a tank in the ute (too old now to lift up that far!) or over the nib walls into the waste traps. If you're about Whakatane and want to take a look, - pm me and drop in for a coffee and a yack ....
Oh and I just drove through Whakatane! My fridge never seemed to be set-up for 12v while towing. Something I should have had checked. I'm now curious about the grey water set-up...
I watch tv through my laptop which uses a lot of power, and honestly never worry about running out of power at night. I've ended up with 390ah batteries which is more than I really need.
pmailkeey UK Caravan fridges are not designed to run on 12v - they only work on 12v when towed by a car and the cars towing electrics provide the power - the 12v element draws about 120 watts,, which would eat a caravans 12v battery fairly quickly.
@@davidmbell Doesn't apply if you have solar ! It seems K's solar provides enough power for the fridge. But would need at least 300W solar for fridge to run day & night.
I think if you are going to start experimenting with your four wheel drive you might want to get a lesson or two, it's commonly said that having 4x4 simply means you can get further away from help before you get stuck but there are some things to learn that will help you know the limits of your truck.
It won't hurt at all to use four wheel drive on any loose surface - even like on that camp ground / gravel type surfaces. Depending on the configuration of it, it may not be significantly 'wrong' to use it on tarmac - be advised by the instruction manual. But on any loose or soft surfaces 4wd will just give you a sense of more sure-footedness - where 2wd may just slip a little, 4 wouldn't. Particularly the case of slow driving (1st/2nd gear or equivalent).
The fuse box is called an RCD and they are everywhere in the UK. Businesses, houses, porta-cabins and also available as a small unit to protect a single circuit supplying garden machinery like lawnmowers and hedge trimmers.
Interesting that it is apparently possible to run the fridge off solar power. I guess motorhomes, generally with 100 litre fresh and grey water tanks, are much more suitable for these types of campsites.
@@davidmbell Hi David, unsure which part of the world you're talking about, but in the UK the four coacbbuilt Autotrail motorhomes I owned had the same type of fridge as my current caravan. That would be an absorption type fridge, capable of running off mains, 12v (ok when on the move) or gas. Some of the smaller 'campervans' in the UK do have smaller compressor fridges.
Tony Green yes sorry I was meaning smaller campervans, forgetting that larger motorhomes have absorption type - but these don’t run on 12v - unless from the vehicles alternator while engine running
I did notice that 3-way fridges were more popular in the UK. I feel like compressor fridges are becoming more popular in NZ just because solar is impressive now.
Have to agree with you Karen. I feel a Lot of the NZ CMA camp grounds are very deficient, I choose to use the DOC campsites , Yes they are a little dearer but have good facilities IE Toilets and water and usually in attractive locations.
I still happily stay at NZMCA parks, because of the price and I do feel safe in them. But I'll agree that they aren't the nicest around. I think a couple of my favourite campgrounds have been DoC sites😀
*There are very few beaches that you are allowed to drive on in the UK,but one well worth visiting is Pendine Sands (South Wales) where many early speed records were broken. There is no 'speed limit' and I have actually done over 100 MPH on it. Only other territory is the UK is The Isle of Man, where over the 'Mountain' section no speed limit applies, and have done 145 mph on my Trusty Suzuki RG500 Race Replica, as Avatar.*
Have you ever thought about getting a generator (inverter gen, or standard gen) to help top up your batteries in the caravan or for standard power when it’s cloudy/rainy?
It will only run while towing if connected by the separate cable to a dedicated circuit on the tow vehicle. It's possible to re wire the circuit in the caravan to enable it to be connected to the house batteries, but it needs a protection circuit as the fridge will draw 9 amps continuously, so you can run it flat quickly
A "ute", originally an abbreviation for "utility" or "coupé utility", is a term used in Australia and New Zealand to describe vehicles with a tonneau behind the passenger compartment, that can be driven with a regular driver's license. (Thanks Wiki)
Hi K, so I'm looking at the application form to join the NZMCA. I'm asked, "Are you happy for your name, membership number, vehicle name, phone number and email to be available to members on the NZMCA website?" Do people usually click yes to that, or do you think it better not to? I've just bought a 5th wheeler and am a total novice. Your videos have been invaluable. All the best, S.
Karen, you just confirmed that you don't need to be in the UK to find perilous places to drive, your quite capable of finding these risky roads anywhere! All the best.
Take care in sand of any kind even if you happen to have 4 WD. I watch a lot of YT videos on Matt's Towing and Recovery. He is a nice guy who has a business in Southern Utah near the sandhills.
@@TravellingK yes.i love all types.for the time.ok i have this life style 10 years .for the time i think its my first day every day..i love so much this life.and i want stay in this life for my end.its my paradise all that.
Sand is a fluid. When you park on it the weight of your vehicle will slowly push sand out of the way. Leave it too long and you will have to dig your vehicle out. Had you stayed much longer you could have been in serious trouble.
Karen, as an old-timer, I can't remember what I used to know, but I'm certain there is something against the laws if physics that prevents you from constantly converting 12v dc to 240v ac, but you would need to check with an electrical engineer about that. Also, you didn't show it in the video, and I don't mind if you didn't, but if you emptied the toilet cassette first at that dump point, then you can use your grey water to flush it out. Many of our dump points in Western Australia don't have water available, there's normally a sign suggesting you do that. And thirdly, if you are driving on a beach with softer sand, then you let the tyre pressure down to say 18lbs (I don't know what the decimal equivalent is) to make your tyre's footprint spread out to give you better grip. Of course, then you would need a compressor to pump them back up again. Enjoy your travels.
I have installed a 2500W inverter in my caravan, plus cutout relays to stop the inverter running the fridge/heating/battery charger, mainly so we have emergency use of the microwave when off grid.
Yer just spoilt ! Neither of our vans had 240V or a bathroom. Just one sink for everything. 2nd van did have a heater and 12V gas fridge. The first van we fitted our own heater and supplied a 12V/240V/gas fridge. Had to get toilets for both vans. 1st van had 2 burner hob and a grill. 2nd van may have had an oven. 1 cold water tap in both. Hot water was from kettle on the hob. Black & white 12V TV. (at the time, we had our FIRST colour tv at home !) The ONE 230V item was electric shaver - running on 230V DC from a 12V rotary transformer.
Only a kiwi would drive along a skinny road that is almost falling into the sea lol I looked at the fridges yesterday that plug into your ciggie lighter. I wont even have solar lol
pmailkeey hello, but I only use google for toilet paper , they were the reason I BOUGHT MY FIRST GPS, their printed map instructions were so HORRIBLY WRONG, it was bull crap ! Cheers from NJ USA🇦🇺🇺🇸
Sorry, but I never found the video again with the list of things you needed. I’m a senior and can’t afford much but I would like to help. If you still need some things will you share that again. Thanks
Oh, I should make it easier to find! I do need to add more items to the list and plan to update it in a couple of weeks. So lovely to hear that you'd like to contribute! Here is the link: tributors.com/travellingk
I'd be super careful of using your inverter to power your fridge in the way that you have by using the AC to DC domestic cable. I'm no expert but I think that's a no no. Please ask others for their opinion
Is this typical of NZMCA campgrounds? With their seeming disdain for smaller vans and turning up to the campground equivalent of a homeless squat, I am certainly not joining NZMCA any time soon.
Karen, Hello, so which caravan are you using ? , so campground sparse eh, ? If you were a stargazer, you surely would have a clear view. Without light pollution , I am not trying to spend your money, but absorption units are also known as abortion units , . Cheers From NJ, USA🇦🇺🇺🇸
Would rather pay £1.50 a night for the site you have there than a basic site here in the Uk at minimum £10 a night for the same thing but with some grass and a tap!. Ripoff Britain strikes again lol Most basic sites here are only worth £3 perhaps £5 at a push, guess thats why people don't bother with them at £10 to £20 a night, and just park wherever they want!...(even though its 'illegal' to do so here)
You might consider a WAECO refrigerator, Ours runs on 240 120 and 12VDC and is the form factor of an ice chest. It rides in the back of our TV and can be taken down below freezing. There are also replacement RV absorption refrigerator units here in the states including one that converts the whole thing to 12V.
I am just aware I'll be buying one for the vintage caravan soon!
That is what I love about the NZMCA parks is the simple basics. Most of them are also out the way of towns which I also like. NZ power points are only rated at 10amps where a caravan inlet is rated at 16amps so a 10amp circuit breaker is required in the power lead to prevent any chance of overloading the power point you are plugging into. I would have thought the fridge should be able to run directly off the 12volt battery, but I know some fridges are not wired up for this. But hay running the fridge from the inverter is a brilliant idea. It seems to work well.
I'm glad to now have a temporary back up for the fridge! It should charge while I drive, but has never worked... should look into it.
Yes, I like the parks for being a little 'back to basics' too and wouldn't want them to change.
Loved the NZMCA sites, secure, many have basic facilities (water, bins) some have dumpstations but there are so many public dumpstations that it was never a problem. Publics toilets in NZ are unbelievably good, clean and well looked after. Need to be self contained to use the NZMCA sites. We were able to join NZMCA as they have an affiliation with the Caravan and Motorhome club in the UK. £1.50 a night! Much preferred the NZ approach to the UK where sites are so expensive - even the basic CL sites are normally around £15 a night. Loved NZ.
Ah glad you were able to stay in them! I find it fascinating how different our two countries have set-up the clubs.
Was that Hicks Bay around 10:12. Nice scenery. You wouldn't want to drive down there in a heavy swell. Just been looking on Google Maps. Has the wharf. Never been around East Cape. Must do it one day.
Yes, that was right at the end of Hicks Bay. Lots of interesting roads to explore on the drive around the coast too.
When you said "basic" you weren't kidding ! Lovely scenery though
haha basic, but grateful to have these.
In Newfoundland, we would call that a gravel pit.....very popular on the May 24th weekend, aka Victoria Day holiday.
Oh haha that's interesting!
K you might not have electric, gas, water or a fridge but you do have a freedom most of us can only dream about. Keep them coming.
That's a great point! These are easy things to fix too😀
Classic NZ. You should now do a comparison with a "not quite so isolated" Club Campground. Love your 4WD experience :))
Oh, I like that video idea!
An option worth considering would be a portable generator. Then you can charge your battery even if there is no sun for solar.
As a note to overseas visitors, NZMCA membership is only available to New Zealanders. However there is a reciprocal arrangement with some overseas caravan clubs that allow people from overseas to use NZMCA facilities. However there are commercial campgrounds available (at a cost) that anyone can use. Obviously these have far more facilities.
Yes, staying there, I think it was the first time I honestly thought having a generator would be extremely handy.
A glorious place. I loved those wild east cape beaches too but we didn't have 4WD so had to walk everywhere. Comment, nothing to do with you Karen: I think all camp grounds need fresh potable water taps and dump facilities, whether they are NZMCA or commercial. (You're dreaming Robin). Some towns are really we'll set up with public facilities that are hygienic and user friendly, but too many are not and sadly these are often the areas where we have a lot of freedom campers. One day we'll have to right but then the tide will have come in and all the campers will be up in the mountains.
I think there needs to at least be plenty of knowledge about where there is less access to these facilities. And I'll agree that areas with lots of freedom campers need to have all these facilities.
NZ is such a beautiful country. Love getting to see more of it in your vlogs.
That's great to hear Libby!
$3 a night and great scenery, I could go for that. Dump station not far away either - empty black tank first & rinse it out with the grey water I reckon.
The dump station was a handy distance and glad there was a fuel station nearby too! Good tip with rinsing...
Such a beautiful place.
It feels really tucked away from it all.
Hi K, when you hit the beach always stop and engage 4WD, no fun if you get bogged i can tell you, also something else you may want to consider later, Is buying a Solar Blanket, most Vanners in Australia carry a fold up Solar Blanket, just for those days when you want a bit more power going into your batteries, also do you plug your car into the van when your driving, thats another way of keeping your batteries topped up, talk to a auto electrician, well worth thinking about and with winter coming your way you want as much power as you can get in your batteries to get you thru those long nights
A Solar Blanket to generate power? That's intriguing...
I visited NZ but there was nobody in. Except you. Thanks for the video.
ha, it does look like an empty country, doesn't it!
Is the club organization working to get water at the campsites or at least at the dump sites?
@The Dave Experience Thank you!
Yes, thank you Dave! Generally they do have a fresh water tap... and even sometimes a dump station. It's just so isolated out there.
Whats the max stay time at the members camping ground?
Hi K, Good idea to run the fridge off the inverter. you do lose a bit of efficiency in the inverter, but at least the fridge won't draw power continuously like if you ran it off 12V! It will turn off when its cold. About the cable... the NZ plug it is fitted with is rated at 10A, the caravan socket at the other end is rated at 16A, so without the tripswitch in the cable you could draw more than the 10A plug is designed for, and also the 10A circuit in the house! It is the right thing to use to plug into the house, but your inverter will probably not give 10A anyway. I think the house sockets and plugs in UK are 16A? so there, there is no need for the tripswitch.
I like the idea of the tanks in the back of the ute then you can drive to fill & empty points and have larger tanks. You'd just need to run longer hoses to the back of the ute in case you can't park it close to where your pipe inlet/outlets are.
Yes, and it would be handy for the vintage caravan too!
3:14 - won't find those in the UK as they're unnecessary - as 'all' our mains plugs have a fuse in them. So much more a tidier approach than that solution !
Here in NZ our houses all work on 10 amp circuits whilst the caravans work on 16 amp circuits - so the cutout circuit breaker basically acts as a limiter so you don't overload the house circuit which if the house circuit breaker fails would cause a house fire - not nice to do.
It also protects the occupants [or anyone touching the outside of it] of the caravan from an earth short
@SuperLifestream I take it it's not an RCD but a current limiting circuit breaker.
@@donurquhart8756 I daresay NZ may have less need for larger capacity circuits but I find it hard to believe everything is on 10A. It's borderline for washing machines and dishwashers but not really adequate for electric cookers. Ours are on 30A supplies.
@@millomweb I don't know what machines you have but it is more than adequate for washers / dryers / microwaves, for our ovens and cookers -yes- they are on a dedicated higher amperage circuit with specific plugs [or hard wired ] along with the hotwater.
I have for instance had 15 amp circuits installed outside with weatherproof plugs - to enable me to use my arc welder and large compressor.
part of the reasoning for limiting inside circuits to 10 amps is safety - but even then there are a lot of fires caused by people overloading them with the use of splitter/multi boxes and just running to many items at once, instead of installing a further outlet
to the RCD / Current limiter - yes it fulfills both jobs
@@millomweb just had a thought - are all your powerpoints on a single circuit , in which case you would need to have a higher amperage capability, we use multiple circuits, for example in this house [3 bedroom] we have 5 power circuits plus 3 separate lighting + 25amp stove/oven + 15amp hot-water + my 2 x 15amp outdoor
Great view of the ocean. Just watch your vehicles footing in the sand though, it's pretty easy to get stuck on the beach as you found out. We have the breaker cords here in the states similar to what you showed but many don't use them. As always thanks for sharing...Vic
'Breaker cords' not a thing in the UK as all our plugs have fuses in them - doing the same thing.
Interesting that it's not always used in the states.
I saw a city car drive onto the sand when I left... found the sand was softer when you left the tyre tracks... going to assume they got out!
@@TravellingK Light-weight cars can get away with it sometimes where heavier ones struggle more. Thing you must avoid on sand is wheel spinning - so real gentle pulling away - and always set off downhill. If that's the wrong way tough ! just stop and reverse after driving uphill !
@@TravellingK I hope they got out too, I own a Jeep and there are tricks I have learned driving on the beach and of course other challenging areas too.
Those sceneries are just breath taking. And you live there... one lucky lady😘
I am lucky to live in such a beautiful country...
Beautiful area! The nice spots anywhere usually come with nothing but what you bring! It's always worth it!
Yes, usually my favourite spots have been when I use my own solar power! Even if it's in the non-powered area in a proper campground.
HI Kate - my wife and I are avid fans and pleased to see you are about our neck of the woods - the fridge: been there done that (sort of) and some comments that may be helpful; 1) the gas/electric fridges require a heating element to work - this can be gas, 12V or mains (230V). The element I think is about 90W (~8A) - on 12V - so running it on mains via an inverter is probably worse in terms of battery drain. I understand that the 12V option is for road travel and is supplied via a special cable from the vehicle. We don't tend to do this in NZ. 2) Gas problems - I have had our fridge out and I worked over the burner unit and reassembled it - a complicated job but straightforward - lots of fiddly corroded in screws etc - once the burner unit is out checking the jet and airways is easy and your aerosol of air will clear the soot etc - reassembly is easy enough as everything is pre-adjusted. Mine was very difficult starting and it was tracked down to the thermocouple sensor being pushed back away from the flame. All sorted now and it starts and runs very well - I leave it on during road travel etc etc ..
3) the insane gas exhaust for the fridge - yes the one that vents into the cavity behind the fridge - I fitted an external flue kit and baffled the outside vent to prevent blowback into the van. I also did a fan as you have done.
We also run a Waeco chest freezer thing to hold the wine (essential) and meat - this is a compressor fridge and runs very sweetly full time off the battery/solar.
I have done internal fresh water tanks and underslung greywater tank with a macerator pump to give me a bit of pressure to pump into a tank in the ute (too old now to lift up that far!) or over the nib walls into the waste traps.
If you're about Whakatane and want to take a look, - pm me and drop in for a coffee and a yack ....
Oh and I just drove through Whakatane!
My fridge never seemed to be set-up for 12v while towing. Something I should have had checked. I'm now curious about the grey water set-up...
Very nice video Karen, Thank you.
Thank you Rob!
I couldn’t stay at a site like that, i don’t do off grid I need my tv and electric kettle. How long can a battery and inverter run a tv at night.
If you set up your off power correctly....days... add in solar to charge the batteries... days again
I watch tv through my laptop which uses a lot of power, and honestly never worry about running out of power at night. I've ended up with 390ah batteries which is more than I really need.
Very interested to hear how long the batteries lasted turning 12v into 230 to provide 150w of power to the fridge element?
Can't believe the fridge won't run off 12V ! That'd be more efficient than using via inverter !
pmailkeey UK Caravan fridges are not designed to run on 12v - they only work on 12v when towed by a car and the cars towing electrics provide the power - the 12v element draws about 120 watts,, which would eat a caravans 12v battery fairly quickly.
@@davidmbell Doesn't apply if you have solar ! It seems K's solar provides enough power for the fridge. But would need at least 300W solar for fridge to run day & night.
@@davidmbell "UK Caravan fridges are not designed to run on 12v" - yes they are.
pmailkeey only when towing. They don’t run off the caravans battery. They’re not wired to do so.
I think if you are going to start experimenting with your four wheel drive you might want to get a lesson or two, it's commonly said that having 4x4 simply means you can get further away from help before you get stuck but there are some things to learn that will help you know the limits of your truck.
I felt safe there 😀
Was that wharf from the age of sail? :-)
ha, it looked old, didn't it!
It's beautiful there a lot of nice scenery
So glad I make it out there!
It won't hurt at all to use four wheel drive on any loose surface - even like on that camp ground / gravel type surfaces. Depending on the configuration of it, it may not be significantly 'wrong' to use it on tarmac - be advised by the instruction manual. But on any loose or soft surfaces 4wd will just give you a sense of more sure-footedness - where 2wd may just slip a little, 4 wouldn't. Particularly the case of slow driving (1st/2nd gear or equivalent).
It's just so reassuring to know I have that ability!
The fuse box is called an RCD and they are everywhere in the UK. Businesses, houses, porta-cabins and also available as a small unit to protect a single circuit supplying garden machinery like lawnmowers and hedge trimmers.
Good to know! Are they already there before someone comes to plug in?
@@TravellingK Also called a "safety switch" .... to prevent you from being electrocuted.
Interesting that it is apparently possible to run the fridge off solar power. I guess motorhomes, generally with 100 litre fresh and grey water tanks, are much more suitable for these types of campsites.
Motorhomes generally have compressor fridges too, not absorption as fitted to caravans. And compressor fridges can run fine off 12v supply
@@davidmbell Hi David, unsure which part of the world you're talking about, but in the UK the four coacbbuilt Autotrail motorhomes I owned had the same type of fridge as my current caravan. That would be an absorption type fridge, capable of running off mains, 12v (ok when on the move) or gas. Some of the smaller 'campervans' in the UK do have smaller compressor fridges.
Tony Green yes sorry I was meaning smaller campervans, forgetting that larger motorhomes have absorption type - but these don’t run on 12v - unless from the vehicles alternator while engine running
I did notice that 3-way fridges were more popular in the UK. I feel like compressor fridges are becoming more popular in NZ just because solar is impressive now.
Have to agree with you Karen. I feel a Lot of the NZ CMA camp grounds are very deficient, I choose to use the DOC campsites , Yes they are a little dearer but have good facilities IE Toilets and water and usually in attractive locations.
I still happily stay at NZMCA parks, because of the price and I do feel safe in them. But I'll agree that they aren't the nicest around. I think a couple of my favourite campgrounds have been DoC sites😀
*There are very few beaches that you are allowed to drive on in the UK,but one well worth visiting is Pendine Sands (South Wales) where many early speed records were broken. There is no 'speed limit' and I have actually done over 100 MPH on it. Only other territory is the UK is The Isle of Man, where over the 'Mountain' section no speed limit applies, and have done 145 mph on my Trusty Suzuki RG500 Race Replica, as Avatar.*
Oh wow! I'm going to guess the sand is hard?!
Have you ever thought about getting a generator (inverter gen, or standard gen) to help top up your batteries in the caravan or for standard power when it’s cloudy/rainy?
Oh yes. Especially when I was at that campground. It would have been extremely handy!
Keep Trucking K. Were is jnr caravan?
Junior caravan is tucked away at a citrus orchard😀Keen to share my videos!
Nice video, thanks. It warmer at you then in Norway with winter now.
Glad to be experiencing summer instead😉
Once you’ve stayed at every campground in New Zealand a few times you need a bigger country to explore. Solution; come to Australia!
haha I'd be open to that!
Doesn't your fridge have an option to run off 12V ? That would surely be more energy efficient than running it on 240V through the inverer !
UK caravans run 12v from the tow vehicle whilst on the move, but when occupied it's 240v or gas.
@@vince_martyn We had 12V gas and 230-ish V DC
It should while towing, but mine doesn't for some reason and I've never properly had it looked at! Might ask next week...
@@TravellingK And if you want to run it off 12V odd times (gas best though) ask them to connect it up via a switch !
It will only run while towing if connected by the separate cable to a dedicated circuit on the tow vehicle.
It's possible to re wire the circuit in the caravan to enable it to be connected to the house batteries, but it needs a protection circuit as the fridge will draw 9 amps continuously, so you can run it flat quickly
Nice Video! Thanks for the great tips.
Glad you liked the tips Sanjay!
Where,s your inverter?
It's under the seat, behind where I plugged the power lead.
My power lead has a breaker built in and most power points on UK camp sites have built in trips.
That's interesting! Is it just more subtle than my cable?
Just beautiful and so quiet!
Yes, it was peaceful there...
A "ute", originally an abbreviation for "utility" or "coupé utility", is a term used in Australia and New Zealand to describe vehicles with a tonneau behind the passenger compartment, that can be driven with a regular driver's license.
(Thanks Wiki)
Yes, we use this abbreviation all the time here!
Hi K, so I'm looking at the application form to join the NZMCA. I'm asked, "Are you happy for your name, membership number, vehicle name, phone number and email to be available to members on the NZMCA website?" Do people usually click yes to that, or do you think it better not to? I've just bought a 5th wheeler and am a total novice. Your videos have been invaluable. All the best, S.
Lovely scenery 🤗
you can get really good water tanks in rotorua and they fit in your ute all sizes
Oh oh, can you tell me the name of the company?
@@TravellingK plastic systems ltd 0800768666 79 Pururu street, Rotorua cheers
Karen, you just confirmed that you don't need to be in the UK to find perilous places to drive, your quite capable of finding these risky roads anywhere! All the best.
Bahaha that is true! Although I STILL felt that these roads were easier than the UK roads.
That "bridge" reminds me of Bimbeck pier.
And it's still open?!
Take care in sand of any kind even if you happen to have 4 WD. I watch a lot of YT videos on Matt's Towing and Recovery. He is a nice guy who has a business in Southern Utah near the sandhills.
Some beaches in NZ seem popular to drive on. Don't know why it took me so long! Still feels wrong.
Beautiful scenery Karen, I really hope you will return to the UK one day.
I'd like to visit again one day!
@@TravellingK I would love to say hello to you if you do,
£1.50 a night - with great views :) makes it worthwhile going on grid doesnt it. Thanks for sharing Karen :)
Yes, completely worth it!
ALWAYS use 4 wheel drive on a beach. If you get stuck in 2 wheel drive and come to a complete stop, it is very hard to get moving again
I've suggested the same BUT......
Get stuck in 2, get out in 4. Get stuck in 4 .....and you've run out of options !
Hmmmm true... my experience with 4x4 really is quite limited still
@@TravellingK If the surface is hard but really rough, you should be fine. Soft sand type surfaces can trap 4X4s.
Do you like your new truck?
I'm loving the cab in the back! Able to keep all the smelly stuff seperate is so handy.
I dont know cose I love so much trailer and camp life all places I love it...iam crazy..xaaaa
hahah awesome. Love all types of camping?
@@TravellingK yes.i love all types.for the time.ok i have this life style 10 years .for the time i think its my first day every day..i love so much this life.and i want stay in this life for my end.its my paradise all that.
Hi k cool video
Ubiquitous sandflies photo bombing at 08:30 ! Is there is no escape?! 🤣
haha that time it might have been a fly! Seemed to be safe of sandflies😀
Thanks Karen 😘
Even the worst camp ground is better than being at home...👍😀
That is a really interesting way to put it!
interesting a lot of driftwood choices , make driftwood key chains for sale.
Yes, lots of driftwood in that area!
Please use 4WD on all gravel roads especially towing.Lovely.
Sounds like I really should learn more about my 4WD
Absolutely beautiful country
NZ is pretty special.
Quite desolate but very pretty. Skinny road along the water.
Parts of NZ do feel wild and isolated. I miss it when I'm gone.
Love that place.
Nice to get away
NZMCA Parks are not Campgrounds. They are just parks. ie a place to park.
I used the term 'campground' to make it easier to understand for overseas viewers. Learning that we all have different terminology!
Sand is a fluid. When you park on it the weight of your vehicle will slowly push sand out of the way. Leave it too long and you will have to dig your vehicle out. Had you stayed much longer you could have been in serious trouble.
Glad I didn’t stay too long!
Karen, as an old-timer, I can't remember what I used to know, but I'm certain there is something against the laws if physics that prevents you from constantly converting 12v dc to 240v ac, but you would need to check with an electrical engineer about that. Also, you didn't show it in the video, and I don't mind if you didn't, but if you emptied the toilet cassette first at that dump point, then you can use your grey water to flush it out. Many of our dump points in Western Australia don't have water available, there's normally a sign suggesting you do that. And thirdly, if you are driving on a beach with softer sand, then you let the tyre pressure down to say 18lbs (I don't know what the decimal equivalent is) to make your tyre's footprint spread out to give you better grip. Of course, then you would need a compressor to pump them back up again. Enjoy your travels.
These are all great tips! Using your grey water for the toilet is such a good idea. Thank you Don
@@TravellingK My pleasure.
Hay Karen, you must have a fair sized invertor. My 600w generator packed a s%1t and switched off when I tried to run the van on 240w!
I have installed a 2500W inverter in my caravan, plus cutout relays to stop the inverter running the fridge/heating/battery charger, mainly so we have emergency use of the microwave when off grid.
It's only a 400w invertor! Honestly was surprised the fridge could work. I had to turn off the hot water though.
Some of your sites are a little sparse for us in the UK. If we can’t use our caravan goodies we get upset.
Yer just spoilt !
Neither of our vans had 240V or a bathroom. Just one sink for everything. 2nd van did have a heater and 12V gas fridge. The first van we fitted our own heater and supplied a 12V/240V/gas fridge. Had to get toilets for both vans. 1st van had 2 burner hob and a grill. 2nd van may have had an oven. 1 cold water tap in both. Hot water was from kettle on the hob. Black & white 12V TV. (at the time, we had our FIRST colour tv at home !)
The ONE 230V item was electric shaver - running on 230V DC from a 12V rotary transformer.
Yeah, no one seems to use an awning or have those privacy screens at the club parks.
Only a kiwi would drive along a skinny road that is almost falling into the sea lol I looked at the fridges yesterday that plug into your ciggie lighter. I wont even have solar lol
Our Cumbrian coast railway does that! Some of it may even be in the sea at high tide !
@@millomweb the train tracks? wow!
@@crochetingaroundnewzealand
Google maps: 54.557608, -3.589239 and follow the rail line north until Workington. Sea one side, land the other!
@@millomweb thank you
pmailkeey hello, but I only use google for toilet paper , they were the reason I BOUGHT MY FIRST GPS, their printed map instructions were so HORRIBLY WRONG, it was bull crap ! Cheers from NJ USA🇦🇺🇺🇸
Sorry, but I never found the video again with the list of things you needed. I’m a senior and can’t afford much but I would like to help. If you still need some things will you share that again. Thanks
Oh, I should make it easier to find! I do need to add more items to the list and plan to update it in a couple of weeks. So lovely to hear that you'd like to contribute! Here is the link: tributors.com/travellingk
In the uk we call that a car park hahahahaha
haha, I guess it does look like one right now!
I'd be super careful of using your inverter to power your fridge in the way that you have by using the AC to DC domestic cable. I'm no expert but I think that's a no no. Please ask others for their opinion
It's definitely not something you want to do forever, but a great back-up for when the fridge stops working😀
Is this typical of NZMCA campgrounds? With their seeming disdain for smaller vans and turning up to the campground equivalent of a homeless squat, I am certainly not joining NZMCA any time soon.
Usually they have a water tap. Sometimes a dump station. The club has more perks, like park over properties and discount on DoC passes 😀
So the "campground" is just parking.
And a gate ;)
And gravel.
@@vince_martyn Not forgetting air and space.
ha, basic but personally feels a little safer than freedom camping to me.
Karen, Hello, so which caravan are you using ? , so campground sparse eh, ? If you were a stargazer, you surely would have a clear view. Without light pollution , I am not trying to spend your money, but absorption units are also known as abortion units , . Cheers From NJ, USA🇦🇺🇺🇸
A compressor fridge would be ideal...
I'm using my Sterling caravan at the moment.
Yes, I should have had a look at the stars!
Would rather pay £1.50 a night for the site you have there than a basic site here in the Uk at minimum £10 a night for the same thing but with some grass and a tap!. Ripoff Britain strikes again lol Most basic sites here are only worth £3 perhaps £5 at a push, guess thats why people don't bother with them at £10 to £20 a night, and just park wherever they want!...(even though its 'illegal' to do so here)
I do find it interesting how different our club sites are!
First
My god what a shit club site that is and they have the cheek to charge for it
I'm happy to pay as the club is buying the land and maintaining the area. My choice to stay there or not🤷♀️
looks a horrible place to camp
Yet I ended up staying longer than planned🤣