Expert tips to help you pitch without hook-up

Leave your electric cable at home to enjoy a whole new touring experience! John Sootheran shows you how

What is off-gridding?

Off-grid caravanning is simply camping without using electric hook-up, that one little ‘essential’ that ties us to formal sites, often in developed locations.

In most cases, the small campsites associated with off-grid camping do not offer facilities such as toilets, showers, shops or cafés. You really need to be self-sufficient, using your caravan’s excellent washroom and kitchen, and stocking up enough to avoid regular visits to shops, which will probably be some distance away.

Going off-grid, however, should not be confused with wild camping, when you pitch your van wherever you like – anywhere from a lay-by or rural roadside to a farmer’s gateway – which in the UK is very likely to be illegal.

People often conflate these two activities, but they are different, and off-gridding is usually on organised campsites or private land (with the owner’s agreement). The difference between this and hooked-up camping can still be dramatic. Here’s why…

‘ Small campsites associated with off- grid camping do not usually offer facilities. You really need to be self- sufficient’

Why should I try it?

Caravanning off-grid opens up a whole new world of camping experiences in the most astonishing locations.

To build a major campsite with full facilities requires significant planning permissions and council approvals, which can be impossible in beautiful, rural, protected locations.

This means that usually, only small campsites with around five pitches – Certificated Locations affiliated to the Caravan and Motorhome Club, and Certificated Sites linked to The Camping and Caravanning Club – can be set up in these stunning places, as they will have minimal environmental and aesthetic impact.

Of course, if you’re fortunate enough to know a friendly farmer, you might be able to camp on their land as an alternative off-grid destination.

As well as providing some unrivalled locations for pitching, off-gridding is a real boon for those who love the great outdoors, especially walkers. As our off-grid guru Rod Farrendon explains: “We rarely touch our car once we’re on site. As long as we have all the supplies we require, there’s no need to leave the campsite by car at all.”

Rod adds: “Generally, off-grid sites are perfect for dog-owners, too. The rules on small sites are often more flexible for well-behaved dogs, and being in the middle of the countryside means we have all the walks we need, directly from the campsite.”

Cost is another major benefit of off-grid camping. A typical site with full facilities can cost anything from £25 to £60 per night, while small sites can start from as little as £5 per night – although these days, £10 to £15 is more normal, especially following the hardships owners have faced during the lockdowns, and the new demand for safe holiday environments. That said, standard campsite prices have been increasing, too.

With just five pitches, and often attracting an ‘outdoorsy’ clientele, small sites tend to be more tranquil. Rod has found another positive, too: “There’s a camaraderie among off-grid campers, who are keen to help each other and always happy to chat.

“This summer, our site neighbours had run out of gas and couldn’t use their shower – it’s been very hard to find Calor bottles for some reason. When we left the site to return home, I went over with the gas bottle we had not used and swapped it with their empty one. They just paid me for the gas and they were so thrilled to be able to have a hot shower again!”

“Kim and I always say off-gridding has a feeling of exclusivity about it – these sites are in superb spots, that most people don’t get to see.”

Rod recommends joining an off-grid community, such as the Caravan & Motorhome Off- Grid Group, a useful source of information and advice.

TO OFF- GRID successfully, you have to prepare, and you might also need to make a few considered purchases. Here are our expert tips for enjoyable off-gridding:

Choose a high-amperage leisure battery to ensure that you have light and ancillary power for the duration of your break.

If it will fit in your battery compartment, a quality 110Ah battery is recommended. Serious off-gridders will often link two leisure batteries to double their longevity. If your budget will stretch to it, a modern 105Ah lithium battery is equivalent to a 150Ah lead-acid battery. Buying a near-£1000 leisure battery might give your bank manager palpitations, though!

Aim to keep your battery topped up at all times. Ideally, it shouldn’t drop below 75% charge. Repeatedly discharging the battery to 50% or lower could cause it permanent damage.

A 12V leisure battery is at full charge when the control panel voltmeter displays 12.7V. At 12.4V it’s around 75% charged, and when the display says 12.2V, it’s at

50% charge. To avoid damage, recharge it at that point or sooner.

In summer, you can keep your leisure battery topped up with a ‘ trickle’ charge from a solar panel system. Remember, you don’t need hot weather, as photovoltaic solar panels generate electricity from light, not heat. Mind you, as the days get shorter in the winter months, your panel will be charging less effectively.

A 150-200W solar panel, with a charge controller (all panels over 18W need one), should be sufficient to keep your leisure battery topped up in summer. These can be fitted to the roof of your caravan, or freestanding. The first is a fit-and-forget option, while the latter will have to be set up on your pitch and, ideally, moved to face the sun throughout the day.

In the summer, remember to angle your panels to catch the early morning sun, before you settle down for the night.

Select a panel with IEC 61215 quality certification, from a dealer offering a good warranty. We recommend purchasing a maximum power point tracking controller, which can extract up to 20% more power from your solar panel.

Even with a solar panel, you’ll need to be careful with the power consumption from your leisure battery. You will soon learn which devices can be used, and how often.

Remember, you won’t be able to use your microwave off-grid, and you’ll be restricted with other items of kit, too.

“Gas-powered curling tongs are essential when we head off-grid!” says Rod’s wife, Kim.

Anything with an electric motor, such as pumps and fans, also tends to consume a lot of power, so their use should be minimised.

Always make sure to take sufficient gas for your break. When you are off-grid, you’ll be using gas to heat your water and the caravan, cook meals and even cool the fridge, so during hot and cold weather your usage can soar. Seasoned off-gridders often take two gas bottles with them.

“I take a 10kg and a 7.5kg Safefill gas bottle,” says Rod. “I also take an empty Calor Lite bottle, just in case I have any problems filling up my Safefill canisters.”

‘ When you are off- grid, you’ll be using gas to heat your water and the caravan, cook meals and even cool the fridge, so your usage can soar’