Newbie... Have I gone mad?

[Blingo_Power]

Hi everyone.

Firstly, what a great site. Should be working but addicted to the forum postings at the moment. Great information and friendly tones too... result!

After looking at hybrid vehicles, new builds and conversions, I have gone Berlingo mad; they are a great vehicle.

My distance to the office is slightly under 8 miles. My weekend driving is well within the Blingo's range too. So far so good.

There are times when I would benefit from having the loading capacity of a van - still good stuff.

My 3 Litre gas guzzler at best would give me 18 MPG. Adopting EV style driving means that I am now hitting over 23 MPG. Believe me, that is some achievement.(!) It can be hard work watching the car in front, plus the road into the distance, and my revs, and the speedo, and the car behind - espically the car behind! I agree with ChrisB comments regarding a brake light switch, would be very handy.

However, the niggle/dream...

On a normal week, the wife and I don't really travel that far or often. However, when we go on one of or jaunts, we are fortunate enough to be able to travel for about three or four weeks at a time.

If the Blingo can have a roof rack then it can have a roof tent. I can swap out the front seats for my really comfortable ones in the car. The back seat can go in the Blingo for a sofa. Have a roof table that we lower down to eat our meals, play cards etc.

A bank of 270 Ah 12 V leisure batteries will meet our off-the-grid power needs. We need to investigate a zig for hook up charging of the bank and the possibility of an additional alternator to charge when enroute. Would also need to consider whether venting would be required too.

So far, nothing too out there yet. We would always stay at campsites and pay for mains hook up - giving our cooking and entertainment appliances the power they need, plus replenish the battery bank and recharge the blingo.

When travelling, I don't want to do that much driving so we would simply hop from location to location each day. We love walking and also have the benefit of folding electric powered mountain bikes (they are great fun).

However, we have the issue of travelling to the starting point. I would need the Blingo to travel a good hundred or so miles at a speed of 50 to 60 MPH - more likely 60 MPH.

This would be required twice per trip and four times a year.

ChrisB's generator was an idea until I saw how big it is. I don't want to use a trailer. ? Tony's shipment of batteries would require me to sell the house.

Is there anyway my leisure batteries could be hooked up to give me the added range? Could I pay to have a second set of Saft batteries (like a reserve tank) to give me twice the range?

I know I sound mad but really keen to go all out EV. The alternative is to keep my gas guzzler and then have to use that for each of the four trips lasting up to four weeks at a time. 3 months of petrol... yuck.

I did consider the recharging network but don't think people will want me knocking on the door at 3am in the morning - or camping on their driveway.

Likewise, planning extra stops to our starting point could be a pain on further journeys - especially if we went totally mad and did lots of stops from say London to Edinburgh. Obviously wouldn't make that journey on an extended range, but the extended range would cut down the number of stops.

Wow... a 300 mile range blingo... I wish I could afford all those batteries and Dr Who's designer to make them fit.

I am still on a learning curve so please don't shout too much

Dave.

[Blingo_Power]

Oops... I meant Tim's batteries.... sorry!

[MaryRCrumpton]

It's worth giving the charging network more thought. I can only speak for myself of course, but I am on the network, and I wouldn't mind you parked on the drive charging overnight before continuing your journey
And I am sure I can't be the only one on the network that would feel that way.

If you don't look like an axe murderer we'd probably let you use our bathroom too I'd rather you didn't knock on the door at 3am though!

But definitely worth contacting people on the network to see what they say I reckon.

Mary.

[ChrisB]

Hi everyone.

Wow hi Dave some 1st post

Right I'm a tadge confused but lets see what we can do

If the Blingo can have a roof rack then it can have a roof tent..........

Yep not a problem, I have a roof rack for mine BUT try to use it as little as possible, roof rack adds huge amounts of wind resistance and I've found it WILL reduce the range by 10-20% depending on speed.

A bank of 270 Ah 12 V leisure batteries will meet our off-the-grid power needs. We need to investigate a zig for hook up charging of the bank and the possibility of an additional alternator to charge when enroute. Would also need to consider whether venting would be required too.

Yep now I'm confused ?? do you mean the leisure batts would be installed in the van, if so when you say "bank" how many do you mean ?

So far, nothing too out there yet. We would always stay at campsites and pay for mains hook up - giving our cooking and entertainment appliances the power they need, plus replenish the battery bank and recharge the blingo.

Remember the Blingo will need 20kwh over about a 7hr period, this means it pulls a good 13A for most of the time, most campsites supply a 16A outlet and while thats OK for most campers you might find you'll run into issues pulling that sort of load for that sort of duration

However, we have the issue of travelling to the starting point. I would need the Blingo to travel a good hundred or so miles at a speed of 50 to 60 MPH - more likely 60 MPH.

60mph really is nearing the max for the berlingo, its really aimed at low speed 30-40mph with short runs at 60mph, anything above 45-50mph and you'll find the range dropping off very quickly

Is there anyway my leisure batteries could be hooked up to give me the added range?

Not really and they wouldnt really like the discharge currents

Could I pay to have a second set of Saft batteries (like a reserve tank) to give me twice the range?

Yes you could pay for another set if you can buy some, they are almost impossible to buy , but I presume you'd be looking at carrying these about AS WELL as the normal set, that would add something like another 350 kg to the van and again will reduce the range sadly

I know I sound mad but really keen to go all out EV. The alternative is to keep my gas guzzler and then have to use that for each of the four trips lasting up to four weeks at a time. 3 months of petrol... yuck.

I did consider the recharging network but don't think people will want me knocking on the door at 3am in the morning - or camping on their driveway..

To be fair these are the best too options and really I'd opt for the 1st, the berlingo is designed for small 50mile trips at low speed, aimed at being driven around towns doing short runs, its really not aimed at marathon runs.

Well thats my view on the Berlingo, others may think differently but if I where you I'd enjoy the Bingo for what it is, a local run about vehicle

ChrisB

[Blingo_Power]

Many thanks for your input.

The Beringo meets nearly all my needs - even travelling into London wouldn't be a problem.

Will look for a cheap second car or even hire one for the trips and enjoy Blingo power for the rest of the year.

oh, yep, did mean leisure batteries. Was concerned about the hook up at camp sites, would have had to sneak the van past with the radio on full volume

[Flying John]

I think Chris has hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately carting around Kw of electrical powere is expensive in terms of weight, so until we have better battery energy densities per unit weight and volume then we are stuck with what we have. Chris's genny is a good solution if you are going somewhere that you cannot get grid access but it still takes about an hour to get about 6-7 miles worth of energy back in the batteries.


JohnL

[ChrisB]

but it still takes about an hour to get about 6-7 miles worth of energy back in the batteries.


JohnL

Thats the main issue eh John, the time for recharge is fairly high, several people have said to me "its OK you can get a top up at my place if you want" trouble is if your into say 40miles one way then an hour or so isnt really going to cut the mustard if your only planning to stay at theres for an hour or so makes no difference you still wont get home

I think the main thing is to use the Berlingo for what it was designed for, short run about trips, this week thats what I've been doing and have covered something like 100 miles and no one trip I recon was further than 15miles tops.

ChrisB

[qdos]

I think the main thing is to use the Berlingo for what it was designed for, short run about trips, this week that's what I've been doing and have covered something like 100 miles and no one trip I reckon was further than 15miles tops.

That's pretty much what the majority of my journeys in a car are too and I suspect an awful lot of other folk too, which is exactly what EVs are ideal for and this is why they are so sensible for this sort of journey as opposed to a petrol / diesel car. Most folk nowadays have more than one vehicle outside their house so surely one of them being electric makes the perfect combo. it's exactly what I'm doing though I've more than 2 cars LOL actually I'm loosing count how many mind you only one of them is an ordinary car