Going all electric?

I was just looking at the van and got to thinking, which could be dangerous or just downright silly, is the following even worth a discussion?

I have little or next to no knowledge of electricity charging or usage. I just plug in the hook up when on site and away I go. We use LPG for the oven and heating, particularly when we want a quick boost of heat. However the lack of LPG in some areas, the potential to need to replace the underslung LPG tank at some point and the apparent developments in the electricity industry just got me thinking. What would it take to ditch LPG? Could I install a system that would enable me to run a micro wave, an oven with hob, fridge, water heating and van heating.

Your fridge, water heater, space heater and microwave already operate on electric, so the only thing to sort out is cooking. You already have one electric ring on the hob but that may not be enough for you so perhaps get the whole cooker replaced with an electric one. You will always be limited by the power of the electric provided by a site which will be a maximum of 16 amp so you'll always have to aware of what appliances you have on at the same time. So there really isn't a system you can install to allow more appliances to be used  at same time.
When on a site with hook up we only use gas for the oven which doesn't use that much gas but not everything cooks in the microwave.

There have been a few threads along the the same lines, I even started one myself a few years ago. Everything is possible but there are costs involved, some not cheap. 
IMO, your idea will be much easier if you use EHU all the time. I camp frequently off grid and that’s where things get a bit more complicated.

Given that a 16A hook it will allow you to run appliances totalling roughly 3.5kw and that your space heating alone could use 2kw, I think you can see the issue.

If I was doing a DIY build, I'd avoid gas altogether
Diesel warm air heating incorporated into diesel hob....WALLAS XC DUO
Diesel hot water
12v compressor fridge
As much solar as there is spare roof
2 x 110Ah batts
Would perhaps add a battery charger for rare non solar events.

Just an idea, would have liked to have done a self build but you really have to go some to get close to the build quality of even poorly made vans. Also too old and can't afford a year for the build!!

Ian, I joke with my parents (late 80’s) about what I’m going to spend the inheritance on.
In all seriousness, I would love to do another self build but this time I would find a converter that would do the job to an exceptional standard to the spec I wanted based on a VW or Merc. Total off grid electrics would be an absolute must.
Sorry, going a bit off topic!

No problems at all finding LPG in France today and it cost 0.77 euros per litre (about 66p) so it depends where you’re going I guess.

A full LPG tank contains 140 KWh of energy which is equivalent to nearly 12,000 Ah at 12V, or about 100 leisure batteries. Diesel heating would help replace that shortfall, but I can see that being frowned upon before long, as it produces so much more NOX and particulates than LPG.

Wildax offer the 'Volt pack' option on any of their 6m+ models that removes any reliance on gas. Pretty pricy at £5K, but, if it future-proofs your van, it could be worth it.

See link for the changes that the pack makes.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

They say they swap the 3 way fridge for a 12/230V one. Someone should tell them you can optionally run Thetford 3 way fridges in 12/230V mode just by bridging 2 connections on the connector block. It’s in the installation manual.

Also they remove the oven, without providing equivalent functionality. Not that I ever use mine! The induction rings alone would be fine for me.

We accidentally ran out of LPG whilst on a pitch and managed quite well on just the 16A EHU for a few days.  Fortunately the cooker has a mains hotplate which we normally only use for the kettle.  This and the microwave and a George Foreman grill kept us going.  We normally use the EHU for heating and powering the fridge.  As other have said, the problem will arise if the EHU is significantly less than 16A which can be the case on some continental sites.  You also have to be careful that the hotplate, microwave, George Foremen and heating are not all on at the same time.

We have no electric ring on our hob, all four are gas. We do have a microwave. Since I cook alfresco a lot* we have a 'portable' single ring induction hob which we use on a 240V extension passed through the window; we also have an electric frying pan used similarly. And of course a gas BBQ point.

To ensure we don't overload the site EHU, especially in France, I have a printed laminated table showing Wattage & Amperage of all onboard and plugin devices so we can do a quick tot up and ensure anything not needed at the time is off.

* we like spicy food and seafood so cooking, frying, steaming etc outside (under the pull-out awning if it's raining or too sunny) saves filling the van with undesirable odours and moisture, which would making sleeping unpleasant.

The EC700 CP shows how much mains current is being used which is useful.  This includes current flowing to all the mains appliances and the PX300 which is providing all the 12V power and charging the battery unless it has temporarily been switched off.

Thanks everyone. Paul M We, like you, mainly use gas for cooking when on site and we try to keep the LPG topped up, but in certain areas e.g. North Scotland it can be tricky. Roger B I like the idea of a printed sheet as I can never remember usage levels, we just avoid having too many things on at the same time. Dbvwt, I suppose it is the off grid usage of the van that I am considering. Years ago we had a Devon conversion on a Toyota Hiace which didn't even have a leisure battery and we went all over the UK and Europe in it without bother, although it had none of the bells and whistles and we ran the fridge and cooked on a camping gas cylinder.
So where might I go for a reasonably simple explanation of what I would need to do to run the van off grid without an EHU?

pootler wrote:. . . Roger B I like the idea of a printed sheet as I can never remember usage levels, we just avoid having too many things on at the same time. 
. . .

Here's a copy of ours - obviously your appliances are likely to be different but it shows what I mean. 
It is blue-tacked up by the main kitchen socket where kettles, toasters, coffee machines etc get plugged in:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thanks for those. I suspect that I need to do some reading. Can't recall seeing Ohm's Law since O level Physics. That was an awfully long time ago and the only O level i took that I failed!

Dbvwt wrote:There have been a few threads along the the same lines, I even started one myself a few years ago. Everything is possible but there are costs involved, some not cheap. 
IMO, your idea will be much easier if you use EHU all the time. I camp frequently off grid and that’s where things get a bit more complicated.

We are sun and gas only for last 3 days, no problems,  most LPG pumps are up and running along S. Coast now.
-----------
Richard

rgermain wrote:
-----------
Richard

This is an extract from a reply I had from Flogas back in April that I published in an another topic, it's seem that it's coming true if Richards comment is anything to go by...

We do understand that the Summer month is fast approching and we are aiming to have Autogas up and running towards the end of May.

Slightly off post but getting 6Kg Calor propane impossible here in Norfolk right now

v8oholic wrote:No problems at all finding LPG in France today and it cost 0.77 euros per litre (about 66p) so it depends where you’re going I guess.

No problems also finding gas on way to Dorset.
-------‐
Richard

Sounds promising.

Can’t paste pictures evidently, post deleted.

The only problem I can see is getting water hot enough for a comfortable  shower. 
Rich..