T5 Kombi Beach availability

[tapsy]

12v and 240v installation

finally got my 12v and 240v sorted out (except for an inverter) Had 240v inlet added with 2 power locations and have got the fridge running on 12v all the time, (well when there is Beer in there ) had the MAG Code socket replaced with a hella plug, a charger to charge 2nd battery at 240v locations and a low battery cutout, pretty happy, the installers put 12v plugs in wrong spot for fridge though (they put the 12v where the 240v was supposed to go) cause the storage bags were hitting them, kept them there and got them to add a couple more side entry plugs (no charge).
don't ask how much to install the 240v was quoted 3 times less!:

Getting there

[BrianJ]

12v and 240v installation

Just got back from an enjoyable 4 nights at Cylinder Beach at Stradbroke Island, staying in the van in a sheltered campground right by the beach.

The hooks I used for the small saddle bag are plastic hooks from Big W camping section connected to two of the original ones that came with the van for the saddlebags. If you pull the pin out from the back you can remove the original fitting and then feed it through the new hooks. I moved this bag because it loses a bit of the bed width, whereas the big one is on the side where the fridge juts in.

Your 240V looks ok, its a bit of a job isn't it. I have moved my drivers side socket 80mm to the left of where my pics show it so it is in between my solar cells and small saddle bag.

I used my mains battery charger now and then over the 4 days, to top up the battery, even though the fridge was running on mains as it has auto switch over, all the lights run on 12V so slight drain on battery.

What we really like about our setup is that if you go out for the day or leave the campground for a sight seeing, all the food and fridge etc is still with you, as opposed to a trailer setup, its all left back at the camp.

We might be going to Mooloolaba next week if the weather improves a bit.

Brian

[Transporter]

Did anyone install solar panel in T5?
I found out that the dual battery controllers are not very good in charging second battery if you do only short trips. Very often you need 5 hours of driving to charge fully discharged battery.

[BrianJ]

Did anyone install solar panel in T5?
I found out that the dual battery controllers are not very good in charging second battery if you do only short trips. Very often you need 5 hours of driving to charge fully discharged battery.

Yes, that is probably right, I have a Primus 80W portable unit which stores between the drivers sidewall and the seat, and I just plug it into the socket on the side of the drivers seat when charging. I have a coloured LED strip to indicate charge, and it brings the voltage up to a similair level as the alternator does.



Brian

[tapsy]

holidays

Just got back from an enjoyable 4 nights at Cylinder Beach at Stradbroke Island, staying in the van in a sheltered campground right by the beach.

We might be going to Mooloolaba next week if the weather improves a bit.

Brian

Hi Brain

you sure your not retired

[tapsy]

solar panels

Also a Primus portable 80W solar panel to keep the house battery topped up during extended stays in places like NP where there are no powered sites.

Brian

Hi Brian, just wondering about your solar panel, are you happy with it? I am looking at adding a roof rack/basket and a permanent solar panel on top of the Beach either in front of the basket or in it if i get a longer basket to protect it at the front, (once i modify my roller door for it to fit under) is the 80w adequate?
planning a trip to Arkaroola later in the year and want to be prepared.

[BrianJ]

solar

Hi Brian, just wondering about your solar panel, are you happy with it? I am looking at adding a roof rack/basket and a permanent solar panel on top of the Beach either in front of the basket or in it if i get a longer basket to protect it at the front, (once i modify my roller door for it to fit under) is the 80w adequate?
planning a trip to Arkaroola later in the year and want to be prepared.

Hi Tapsy

It is adequate in good sunny summer weather, although last christmas we stayed at Girraween NP for 4 days in a partially shady spot and the first two days were 50% cloudy and the second two days were very hot and sunny. By the end of the 4 days the leasure battery was getting low but not flat. We went to Stanthorpe to get some fresh bread and then it was full again. So with solar there are a lot of dependancies, but you can usually work around them somehow.

I would say if you can fit larger than 80W externally then that would be the best, as 80W should be considered just adequate in most circumstances. Also keep in mind that I was only running the 32L engel fridge and an efficient fluro night light.

We are going to Tasmania in two weeks for a four week round trip. Before you are wondering where we get the leave, we are rapidly using up long service leave accumulated over many years. I would alos like to get to the flinders ranges region, but later this year we may go to north queensland and the gulf country.

Have fun.

Brian

[standbyyourvan]

Hi BrianJ and tapsy

Do you think I could flatten the aux battery of a Kombi Beach running a 32lt engle (ARB) fridge overnight? We are 3 months into a 12 months trip around Australia. We've been sticking to the powered sites up the east coast and are about to head inland - may have to do a bit of free camping.

Hope you're still enjoying the Kombi Beach.... we are

Thanks

[4wheels]

Solar panels

Hi Tapsy,

Just to give you a point of reference, Trakka fit 150 watts (2 x 75w) of panels to their Trakkadu's (if solar is optioned). They run an 80L vertical fridge (bigger, and probably less efficient than your 32L chest fridges), water pump, and probably a few more lights and gadgets. When I went to Cape York I wouldn't have spent 5 nights (out of 5 weeks) plugged in to 240V, and I was never short of power. Mind you, I also rarely spent more than 1 day without driving, so it wasn't a real test. They told me when I was researching the purchase, that you could go 2 days with the fridge running (plus a bit of lighting) without panels, and (conservatively) 4-5 with panels, up to virtually indefinitely if you're careful and conditions are good. That's without any driving, of course.

PS. They were careful to point out that they designed a special mount to leave an air gap under the panels, as they lose efficiency as they heat up. Someting to consider when you design your mounts.

Brian R
2007 Trakkadu

[gregozedobe]

The most significant factors are :

Size of aux battery (how much electricity you can store).
How much current you use.
How much current your panel can supply.
How often you drive (which will recharge your aux battery pretty quickly).
Whether you have 240V available (and a 240V - 12V charger.

On my previous camper trailer I had a long lead for the solar panel (with thick wiring to avoid excessive voltage drop), this allowed me to park the camper in the shade (to stay cool), but have the solar panel in the sun (and also angle it for best efficiency).

[tapsy]

aux battery

you should have no problems overnight, and recharge during the day by driving,
although i can last a couple of days if i turn the fridge down low.

have fun, i am yet to have a decent trip in my Kombi (and i dented it last week

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vT8LtL8dzWA/SpHyBbheRjI/AAAAAAAAApU/vwEJv1vCcDk/s288/P1000605.JPG

[standbyyourvan]

aux battery

Thanks for the info - just needed a bit of reassurance
Sorry about the dent tapsy.. Hope you get to have a decent trip soon.

[petenkaz]

just back from a whirlwind 2 week 3,000 k trip in our beach, up through central QLD and back down the coast road, very nice. Found the fridge worked ok with continued driving, however the aux battery was flattened by running it overnight on full, it is also a cheap jackeroo fridge so is not very efficient, back up to full strength after a days driving.

[BrianJ]

Beach Trip

Hi Tapsy, sorry you dented your beach, but so did I. I have put a dent in the top of the rear door by backing into a airconditioning duct in an under building car park.

I have just returned from a 4 week journey right around QLD. Up to Cooktown, then accross to the gulf then south to Charleville, and east to Brisbane.

The beach went like a dream, and on several legs with a tail wind returned 7L/100K, thats 1000km from 70 L. We covered around 6000Km in all.

But the most bizzare occurrance, was when I was at the Burke & Wills roadhouse in the middle of nowhere near the NT border, having an icecream, and I look up to where my beach was parked, and there was another one the exact same orange colour parked beside it.

It was standbyyourvan's kombi, somehow it had found ours in the middle of nowhere. Then comes the even more amazing thing, standbyyourvan says, 'are you BrianJ'. Needless to say I was even more astounded, and replied 'yes'.

We had a look at each others vans, and had a very pleasant time talking before heading off in different directions.

BrianJ

[standbyyourvan]

Re: Beach Trip

Hi BrianJ

It sure was a weird coincidence. We are in Yulara at the moment. The Beach is going well.

I tried to make some flyscreens like yours for the windows... didn't work too well

Great to meet you and thanks again for your insight.