Solar panels

gisxer
gisxer Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited July 2017 in Parts & Accessories #1

Hi, just bought first motorhome eldiss sunseeker 140.looking at doing some wild camping.Any advice on pros and cons about solar panels,inverters etc.would be greatly appreciated.

cheers,gisxer.

 

Comments

  • RSH
    RSH Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited July 2017 #2

    Most of my trips are wild camping, i.e no EHU. I did try a small generator to charge the caravan battery but found it took to long and was a devil to start. I now take 2 batteries with me, one for the usual caravan things and one for the TV and phone, laptop charging. I use a 300w inverter for the TV as its a 240v set. I have a 60w portable solar panel to top the batteries charge up if needed, If I'm going out for the day I put it in the front window of the caravan and works very well in keeping the batteries topped up. (one battery at a time)

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,389 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2017 #3

    Suggest you read >this thread<

    peedee

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited July 2017 #4

    If you decide to fix one to your roof, go for the rigid framed type. Although heavier than the flexible panels, they are more reliable.

  • dmiller555
    dmiller555 Forum Participant Posts: 717
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    edited July 2017 #5

    Why do you think that?

     

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
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    edited July 2017 #6

    I am quite happy with my folding solar panel (it hasn't been nicked yet) and it was free since I won it in a competition online!  I do have a long bicycle chain to lock it to the caravan but haven't used that yet.  I don't know any cons to using solar panels whichever type you use. 

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited July 2017 #7

    If a flexible one is fitted too a non-bonded roof, the continuous flexing can cause them to fail. 

  • dmiller555
    dmiller555 Forum Participant Posts: 717
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    edited July 2017 #8

    What's a non-bonded room? 

  • ocsid
    ocsid Forum Participant Posts: 1,395
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    edited July 2017 #9

    A non bonded caravan or motorhome roof is one featuring a "floating" outer water tight skin, often aluminium sheet or a GRP moulding; ie the roof is not a bonded sandwich construction. Both have their merits and disadvantages, the floating can expand and ripple away in sunlight without causing stressing issues other than to any flexible solar panel glued onto it.

    These panels are typically designed more to tolerate bending on installation rather than flex about during their life.

  • dmiller555
    dmiller555 Forum Participant Posts: 717
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    edited July 2017 #10

    Thank's for that clarification ocsid.

    Does it make any difference that the flexible solar panels are stuck on to the flexible caravan roof with flexible adhesive, presumably to accommodate differential expansion? 

  • ocsid
    ocsid Forum Participant Posts: 1,395
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    edited July 2017 #11

    IMO the flexing of say a floating aluminium roof will be way more than the compliance of any flexible adhesive that sticks it directly down could absorb. Consequently, IMO the solar panel would still be flexed and I expect many would be damaged by this given time.

     

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