Solar Power Options

Reeves55
Reeves55 Forum Participant Posts: 14
edited March 2016 in Parts & Accessories #1

We are planning to try our first rally shortly and I have been thinking about whether I should consider a solar panel to assist with keeping the van going. We have a Bailey GT65 Pegasus and we require power to keep the heating fans running along with the
normal demands on power. We have a 110 battery but I am frankly baffled by the different types of solar panals available. What sort of power wattage should I be looking at to help keep our battery alive for a 3 or 4 night off mains experience.



Many thanks

Comments

  • iffajobsworthdoing
    iffajobsworthdoing Forum Participant Posts: 94
    edited March 2016 #2

    We have 120 watts consisting of 3x40 watt Solar Solutions panels, and two 110 amp batteries. Buy the best and the biggest you can afford and make sure whichever you buy has a decent regulator to avoiod battery cooking.

     

  • Reeves55
    Reeves55 Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited March 2016 #3

    Hey Jobsworth,

    Thanks for that, lets assume I am on a bit of a budget, runniing the lights, a couple of hours a day of tv and the heating fans with the 110 battery, what sort of panel would get me through assuming the battery doesn't get us through in any case. I am sorry
    for going on, I really do not understand the technology and the mathematics involved.!!!

    Thanks again

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #4

    I think Jobsworth has put in a nutshell.  A freestanding panel wil produce more power than a roof mounted one.  But a lot depends on how you use it and when you are planning to go spring and summer you will need a lot less than if you go 12 months of the
    year.  If i were you I think I would be pricing up 80 or 100w folding panels look on the web not your local caravan dealer. 

    Alternatively you could always beg steal or borrow a spare battery then you should very easily survive a weekend.  

  • Vicmallows
    Vicmallows Forum Participant Posts: 580
    500 Comments
    edited March 2016 #5

    It's also a sad fact that panels produce their least output on dull dreary days when you are likely to use the most power.  Sometimes adding more battery capacity can be more effective overall than simply having the greatest PV output possible  ...... and
    throwing away power on really good days because you cannot store it.

    IMHO, fitting a decent battery monitor (one that measures how many Amp-hours actually go into and out of the battery) is the best way to understand your own personal power requirements, and then monitor how well your panels are keeping up with demand.

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