Energy-saving tips for caravanners

Though it’s probably for others to decide whether climate change has yet reached emergency proportions, most of us want to do our best to conserve energy – and know that we’re also saving money into the bargain.

Never people to be left behind when it comes to the latest trends and developments, caravanners too can play their part in saving energy while still indulging the comforts and outdoor leisure of their favourite pastime.

Elsewhere we have discussed the eco-friendliness, sustainability, and environmental protection you can achieve while indulging your enthusiasm for caravanning. To partner that discussion, here are a few more energy-saving tips:

Wind turbines

  • you’ve seen those giant blades slowly rotating on some hilltop wind farm or out to sea, but had you imagined that the very same principles can also power your caravan needs;
  • Browse the EcoPowerShop for the latest micro wind turbines and Greenspec for a detailed discussion on every aspect of small turbines.
  • these “small” or “micro” wind turbines are eminently portable, can be set up in minutes, and yet are also designed to withstand the blusteriest conditions;
  • hook it up to the battery charger onboard your caravan and you immediately make savings on the cost of fuel, save more on the campsite’s electric hook-up fees, and know that you are helping to keep your caravan’s battery in tiptop condition;

Solar panels

  • also borrowing from commercial applications, scaled-down versions of the solar panels you might have on your roof at home offer an alternative source of power for charging your caravan’s onboard battery;
  • solar panels that are designed for use by caravanners and campers can be chosen according to their generating power – in a typical range from 4W up to 150W, remembering that you’ll need at least 40W of power to keep your onboard battery topped up;
  • as an alternative to either solar panels or wind turbines, though, you might also want to save on the electricity stored in your battery by using simple stick-on LED lights to illuminate night-time trips to the bathroom, within wardrobes or above the kitchen sink – browse the wide range available at Amazon UK;

Gas consumption

  • those cylinders of liquid gas you always need to carry onboard your caravan have a lot of work to do – you might be using gas for space heating, hot water and even to power the fridge;
  • it’s probably overdoing things, therefore, also to use a gas barbeque, so save some of your precious bottled gas by simply switching to a charcoal-fired barbeque – and discover that it’s undoubtedly more fun too;
  • as far as hot water is concerned, it’s worth keeping the onboard tank always topped up, rather than running water in from the outside supply – the heat already inside your caravan is going to help keep the water in the tank already a little bit warm, so the gas doesn’t need to heat a tank of cold water;

Save water with a power shower head

  • of course – in the winter months in particular – you’ll want to take advantage of the nice warm shower your caravan is likely to offer but might also worry about the cost of heating all that hot water;
  • if you install a power shower head – hand-held ones are available too – you increase the water pressure and, so, feel the need to use less of it;
  • some manufacturers claim that an ionic power shower head may increase water pressure up to 200 times and reduce the volume of water needed for showering by 30% – and the power shower heads made by Ecocamel are specifically designed with caravans and motorhomes in mind.

Energy-saving in your caravan – it saves you money while also helping you to play your part in helping to protect the environment.