What's actually worth having on standby for power cuts in a static caravan?

Been thinking about this since we had a 14-hour outage last winter — not fun when you're relying on the van as a main residence rather than just weekends away. Ended up running an extension lead from the car for a bit which felt pretty grim.

I've got a small Victron setup already (100Ah Fogstar lithium, 200W of panels, MultiPlus 500VA inverter/charger) which kept the basics going — phone charging, a lamp, router — but the fridge died and heating controls went out. The MultiPlus does have the transfer switch built in so it kicked over automatically, which was the one saving grace.

Thinking about whether it's worth adding a proper generator for longer outages. Looking at something like a Honda EU22i or maybe a cheaper Hyundai inverter genny. Would probably also upsize the battery bank at some point. Anyone running a similar hybrid setup on a static — generator feeding the Victron charger, solar on top? What's your experience with runtime and fuel use during winter when panels are doing basically nothing?

JohnChapman | Posts: 847

@Lee1996 that 14-hour outage sounds grim, especially in winter! One thing I'd strongly recommend that often gets overlooked — a small UPS (uninterruptible power supply) specifically for your router and any gas boiler controls. Losing heating and comms simultaneously is miserable. Mine keeps the boiler PCB ticking over for several hours without me touching anything.

Beyond that, a decent leisure battery with a 240V inverter gives you flexibility without committing to a full solar setup straight away. You can always bolt panels on later once you know your actual consumption patterns.

Don't underestimate a good quality head torch either — sounds obvious but people always reach for their phone and drain that first. Keep the phone for emergencies!

What's your current heating setup? That'll change the advice quite a bit.