RV REVIEW
Picture a 12V battery connected to a 3000W inverter – which , incidentally , the Suit of Armour has . Picture this inverter running 250A in appliances . It ’ s highly unlikely you ’ d draw 250A , but let ’ s stick with the example . If the voltage , for example , was instead 24V , the amp draw in this scenario would be 125A . At 48V , the current draw would be 62.5A . Therein lies the beauty , and the efficiency , of a 48V system . Higher voltages enable lower currents , resulting in less loss and higher output capability .
To help keep the battery system charged , Harvok has given the van an impressive 960W worth of solar ( obviously with a 48V-compatible regulator ), a DC-DC charger , and a mains charger as well . It ’ s all managed by Harvok ’ s ‘ Smart Power Management System ’.
The 19ft 6in Suit of Armour is built atop a 6in hot-dipped-galvanised chassis with a 6in raiser – that ’ s 12in of steel under the van – and it ’ s equipped with Cruisemaster XT independent coil suspension . I was actually a little impressed by the van ’ s underside – all cabling and plumbing is out of harm ’ s way , and the water tanks are shielded by checkerplate . The water system is comprised of dual 100L tanks positioned just fore and aft of the axle set where they ’ ll least impact the ball weight when full . A 70L grey tank is to the rear . Very few complaints about this setup .
On the drawbar , Harvok has equipped the van with an optional checkerplate storage box with slide-out trays behind a mesh stone guard . Even the freshwater tap on the A-frame has been given a small stoneguard . Nice .
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