Gibb river road power supply
Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 11:58
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kebru
Hi All
We are doing the GRR in July 2014 and asking are there
places to recharge our power along the way in our van, the most we can go is approx. 7 days before needing power charge,
Travelling from West to East
Cheers
Reply By: HKB Electronics - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 12:24
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 12:24
Have you investigated charging off your car whilst travelling?
AnswerID:
529155
Follow Up By: kebru - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:26
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:26
We have 210 amp power also we charge off the tow vehicle, my concern is if I go to solar panels would 160watt panels be enough or go to 300watt , trying to avoid the generator if possible.
Thanks
FollowupID:
811874
Follow Up By: HKB Electronics - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 17:28
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 17:28
What is your AH consumption over the over the 6 days you mentioned above?
FollowupID:
811903
Follow Up By: The Bantam - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 21:34
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 21:34
Almost without exception people underestimate their demand and over estimate the output of their solar panels.
More is better than less...if you can afford and have the room to mout go the 300 watts.
cheers
FollowupID:
811925
Follow Up By: the nugget - Friday, Mar 28, 2014 at 23:58
Friday, Mar 28, 2014 at 23:58
Hi Kebru, 18 months ago I bought a 120watt folding solar panel through ebay $175 free postage to
perth from
Melbourne, 6amps with regulator and bag plus about 6 metres of cable and hasn't missed a beat keeps our 100 amp hour battery topped up. our power is only for lights, pump. fridge and hot water system runs off the gas. We are generally out
bush camping for about 10 days Nugget
FollowupID:
812136
Reply By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 12:35
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 12:35
Hi Kebru
National Park campgrounds do not have power, and as far as I know, the station stays along the
Gibb River Road do not offer any powered sites. On the
Kalumburu Road,
Drysdale River station provide power to a small number of sites only.
Do you have room for a small generator? A Honda EU10i is used by most for charging batteries. Petrol would also need to be carried. Most campgrounds have set hours for generator use, and the National Parks
campground at
Windjana Gorge has a generator area.
Alternatively, consider a portable solar panel if your van is not suitable for a fixed one. Panels are now cost effective compared to generators.
Motherhen
AnswerID:
529160
Follow Up By: kebru - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:47
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:47
Room for the generator is going to be tight , so looking towards the panels instead
Thanks
FollowupID:
811879
Reply By: Kris and Kev - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 12:49
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 12:49
Have you looked at taking solar panels? At
Manning Gorge the caretaker runs a large generator and sometimes if you are camped near it (near the ablution block) he will allow you to plug into the generator for a while. Not sure if he allows anyone, but when we were there friends beside us were able to plug in. For us we had a solar panel and a generator so we had no problems. Kevin
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: kebru - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:51
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:51
Thanks for input , Starting to look at the panels might be the way to go
Cheers
FollowupID:
811881
Reply By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:08
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:08
Home Valley has powered sites. And according to Explooz, so does
Drysdale River. Didn't look any further.
That is a start.
Phil
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: kebru - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:49
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 13:49
Thanks for your reply
Cheers
FollowupID:
811880
Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Mar 27, 2014 at 23:26
Thursday, Mar 27, 2014 at 23:26
I could find no reference to power at
Home Valley but we did not go there, in part because they were shut for an upgrade. But Kebru will have travelled most of the GRR by then.
Yes, Drysdale have something like six or eight sites only.
It looks like nothing on the GRR itself from west to
Home Valley.
Solar makes it so easy.
Mh
FollowupID:
812050
Follow Up By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 27, 2014 at 23:30
Thursday, Mar 27, 2014 at 23:30
Third paragraph down MH.
Home Valley camping
Catchya
Phil
FollowupID:
812051
Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Mar 27, 2014 at 23:36
Thursday, Mar 27, 2014 at 23:36
Thanks Phil
Looking at their
tariffs, camping is $17 per person on either powered or unpowered sites, then Power Pole Hire $20 :O - strange terminology.
Mh
FollowupID:
812052
Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Mar 27, 2014 at 23:39
Thursday, Mar 27, 2014 at 23:39
$19.50 pp peak season.
FollowupID:
812053
Follow Up By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Saturday, Mar 29, 2014 at 07:26
Saturday, Mar 29, 2014 at 07:26
Yesterday the 12V charger/power supply arrived for the laptop. That was the last thing that we needed the inverter for. We are now completely free of 240V. So now we don't even need the powered sites.
Got our last permit for the Canning yesterday. Getting closer.
We actually used a luxury suite at
Home Valley. Went "upmarket" (???) for a night. We do occasionally "spoil" ourselves. Hey! You can't take it with you. And my girl is worth it.
Phil
FollowupID:
812146
Reply By: MEMBER - Darian, SA - Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 16:04
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2014 at 16:04
Yep - providing bulk power for campers is a cost that a lot of small
places can't run to.
Re solar panels - portable folders are good because they can be relocated to get the best sunlight angle and they fold for storage, BUT.....
check the advertised weights - the kilos soon add up and they need to be protected
well while mobile.
AnswerID:
529177