# Battery & Solar Power Setup — Horse Box Catering #Resource ## Where to Get Expert Advice (UK Specialists) | Specialist | What They Offer | |------------|-----------------| | **VanJunkies** | Free campervan/motorhome electrical & solar design service | | **Supreme Conversions** | Custom camper electrical installations & solar power | | **Intellitec MV** | Power solution consultancy for mobile catering | | **Campervan Electrics (Jolly)** | Bespoke electrical consultancy and installation support | These specialists will do a proper load analysis of your equipment and size the system accordingly while ensuring UK wiring compliance (Part 23 regulations). --- ## Upcoming Event vs. Future 3-Day Events ### Short-Term (Taking Battery Home Each Night) - A **2kWh portable power station** (like Anker Solix F2000, Bluetti Elite 200 V2, or Goal Zero Yeti 1500) is likely sufficient - Pure sine wave inverter (1500–2000W output) for appliances - Recharge overnight from home mains via AC charger - Simpler, lower cost, more flexible to start ### Long-Term (3-Day Continuous Events) For multi-day off-grid, you'll need more capacity: - **5kWh lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) battery bank** minimum - **300–500W solar panels** on the van roof with MPPT charge controller - DC-DC charger to top up from the vehicle alternator when driving - Possibly a small backup generator (diesel/LPG) for worst-case scenarios --- ## Quick Equipment Sizing Estimate Typical mobile catering equipment power draw: | Appliance | Power | Notes | |-----------|-------|-------| | Commercial fridge | ~50W continuous | Runs intermittently | | Blender/mixer | ~150W peak | Short bursts | | Microwave | 800–1000W intermittent | 5–10 min per service | | Lighting | ~10W | LED assumed | | POS/phones/tablets | ~20W | Charging devices | **Total peak:** Around 1kW — manageable for most 1500W+ portable stations **Daily consumption:** Roughly 2–3kWh depending on usage intensity --- ## Recommended Path 1. **For the upcoming event:** Start with a portable 2kWh power station you can recharge at home. This tests whether your equipment works well with battery power without over-investing yet. 2. **Book a consultation:** Contact one of the specialists above — even if you go DIY later, an hour with an expert will catch sizing errors early. 3. **For future 3-day events:** Once you know your actual power draw from the first event, expand to a permanent roof-mounted solar + larger battery bank setup.