Dubu on the road

Power in the Van

victron energy provides the power.

Power in the Van

Power in the Van. Yes, we also want electricity in the womo. And we have decided – as before – to install the entire electrical system in the DuBu ourselves. But there is one tiny little problem: we both know as much about electricity as a sheep can dance step.

So how do you teach a sheep to step dance? Right – you start by building up knowledge of how to train a sheep. In today’s digital age this is not at all difficult. There are dozens of instructions, examples, videos etc. that can give you ideas and suggestions. And so we set out to do research on the Internet.

What is important for electricity in the Womo?

Decisive for the correct composition of the required components for the electrical system is to think about which devices are to be supplied with electricity. For me – rather the practical thinking part of the DuBu’s – it was quickly clear what should be fed with electricity. Batteries for the camera, mobile phone, laptop, light, fridge – it fits.

Then – the modest wish of the female part of the DuBu’s – a food processor. No, no coffee maker… a real omnidirectional chopping, chopping, chopping, blender-measuring machine. The part accommodates 12 functions which all want to be supplied with power. I think insiders know what I’m talking about. Exactly – the Thermomix.   The part weighs about 8 kilos. Mass-stable device. What’s he pulling? I’ll look it up in the manual. It says: grinder = 500 watts. Okay, that’s not too bad. Heating = 1000 Watt. Hmm… we need what this can deliver the 1500 watts – at least. Image formation in the brain draws something like a trailer with a 500 kilo diesel generator on it.

Next thought after I finished drawing the picture of the 500 kilo diesel generator in my head… what dimension of cables and fuses have to be installed so that there is no bzzzzzzzz when the Thermomix is switched on for the first time… the first time you turn on the thermal mix? In this moment   I was totally overwhelmed.

We can’t get this sheep to dance step by itself.   We need professional help. Only, we don’t know any car electrician who can help us. So we do a lot of research. The search for a suitable partner proves to be difficult. Search terms like “kfz elektrik”, “strom im womo” etc. list a lot of websites of shops that sell car electrics or blogs that give tips on what to consider. But you won’t find a competent partner that way. We were lucky and found what we were looking for at a caravan fair. The initial meeting created the basis for the trust, the close location of the company to our residence led to the decision to become our partner.

LEAB – the independent energy

Roland Reutimann and Michael Hof from Leab AG listened patiently to our first meeting. What convinced us right from the start was their expertise. The trust in Leab has been particularly strengthened by the fact that we as laypeople have always been taken seriously. So we explained our plans to them at the meeting and presented our estimate to the consumers. Of course we have – with the help of the internet – done our homework in advance.

Dubu Consumers

Consumer in Dubu – times appreciated

To this list we had added the conditions that we wanted to charge the suitcase battery via the alternator, solar panels and also via shore power. When charging via shore power, it is important for us that we can lead the power over 110 to 230 volts to the suitcase battery. With this information we left Leab in the evening and were curious what would be offered to us later.

Shortly after our first meeting we received the offer and a schematic representation of the plant. At this point, I would like to mention that we have also found other providers and obtained offers. However, none of the additional providers sent us a scheme, so as a layman we were still in a lost position. With this scheme Leab has finally picked us up. Once the order has been placed, LEAB has agreed to provide us, exceptionally, with a detailed diagram so that we can carry out the installation ourselves. A service that is second to none. So we have found the right coach who will teach us Dubu sheep to dance the step.

Our scheme for the Dubu

Schematic representation of Leab for our DuBu.

On the basis of the diagram and with the help of the manuals of all devices, I was able to calculate the cable cross sections. However, the service provided by Leab AG goes far beyond the creation of schemas. Leab offers comprehensive services ranging from advice on project planning and sales to installation and maintenance. This means comprehensive service for mobile power supply solutions.

It then took a while until all the devices found their place in the DuBu and were wired. I have learned an enormous amount and can proudly say that as a DuBu sheep I can now dance step. Not perfect, but I can do it. This is due in large part to Roland Reutimann and Michael Hof from Leab AG, who checked our installation again before commissioning, so that no bzzzzz… occurs when connecting. Competent, reliable, service-oriented.

We gladly recommend Leab AG to others.

Wir sind Claudia und Thomas und möchten mit unserem Blog und unseren Tipps Anregungen geben und die Fantasie ankurbeln.

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