Portable solar panels
We were at a camp site over Easter and returned from a meal at the local pub to find all the site power off. It transpired to be a main breaker failure which required replacement. Not to worry, we'll run off the battery and use gas for heating and hot
water until it's fixed. After about 24 hours the battery was on its knees and we struggled to keep going for 4 days only managing with a couple of charges from, dare I say, a generator.
All of this lead me to thinking about solar power and my conclusions were, ok it won't do all that we ideally need but it would at least replenish the battery for essential things. Further, later this year we are set for a 4 month over winter stay in Spain
where we will have to pay for electricity so any "free" top up would help.
ive seen some free standing solar panel kits and would welcome any info or suggestions regarding these. I've opted out of the permanent roof mounted solution and like the idea of just being able to plug it in when needed.
Comments
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jnicks, I went to a 135w permanently fixed 3 yrs ago. What a fantastic peice of kit! You won't regret it but if you are going for a portable one get a decent wattage one. Mine has kept my 2 110ah batteries charged all the time and allows me to use my 2000w PSW inverter to use the microwave, toaster etc. The only direction I would go is to go bigger. Go for it! You may be so impressed, you'll never hook up again!
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I don't have a folding panel but our 80w rigid panel is used as a portable system and generates more power than we can use during the summer
We connected a controller to the battery as if it was going to be fixed on the roof and tucked some short tails of cable with appropriate connectors in the battery box. When we set up we just connect the cables and put the panel in the best spot
Total cost was a bit over £100 and the 80w panel is small and light enough to handle
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In my opinion a battery should last more than 24 hours so I would wonder if the battery is on the way out.
Like Merve we have gone for a roof mounted system for convenience we have been with out ehu since Thursday evening and the battery is currently at 14.14 volts as I post at 10 20 am which indicates to me we would cope without ehu indefinitely.
For me a 80w panel is physically too large to be a free standing panel. I would suggest that the you work out the dimensions of the panel you want and even make a template out of cardboard to check it for storage and handling.
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My portable solar panel is 60 watts. It was fine for my caravan, but has not been big enough for my new to me motorhome with blown air heating. The last three weekends it has been cold and running the heating in the evening and first thing in the morning
has been a bit too much for the batteries (2× 100amp hour). A 140 watt semi-flexible panel for the roof should arrive tomorrow. The controller is a schnault one to fit the kit already in the van and charge vehicle battery as well as habitation. Some installers
just charge the habitation batteries, but if you are not moving for a while its better to have the dual charge setup.As Merve sayes, the bigger the better. I will also have the batteries checked to make sure they are not on the way out.
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Thanks for all the info, I am keen to get going with a solar panel but still have a query. If the caravan is running from a mains hookup and the solar panel is connected to the battery what if anything, controls whether the hookup charges the battery or
the solar panel or would I have to switch charge off on the control panel?0 -
It would depend on whether you had a regulator fitted or were connecting the panel direct to the battery. This is not recommended for larger panels as it would cook the battery without a regulator. A regulator will switch to float mode once the battery is
fully charged, as will your mains charger.0 -
Just to add to what CY has just stated. Unless the solar panel is too small to make any difference smaller than arround 20W, then it should be conected to a solar controler then the battery. Really all the solar panel is acting as is a battery charger so
when it senses a charged battery it effectively switches off. Which is exactly the same as the built in battery charger in the van will do.So short answer if you have a fixed SP fitted you don't have to disconnect it when hooked up to the mains.
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As to which charges the battery when on EHU, it or the solar IMO it will depend solely on the characteristics of the two controllers. Whateverway they work with each other in sorting out their differences therefore you don't need to get involved.
I use an 85 Watt freestanding panel and have since 2007. Whilst large physically its stowage is no issue in that I tuck it conveniently away under the van's rear in a DIY cassette.
An 85 Watt freestanding panel is adequate for our needs throughout the year apart from the winter months. I opted to go freestanding because they are more effective than those fixed to a roof and when purchasing mine the cost was so high over sizing to roof
mount was not a sensible option. I can also move it around to find the sun on shaded pitches.0 -
I agree with what ocsid says about the relative efficiencies of roof and freestanding panels.
However I have opted for a larger (150W) panel for convenience and more importantly because our van is in storage and we don't have access to ehu to charge the batteries. The ability of keeping the battery charged in the winter, is a huge advantage for
us.As ever there is no single correct answer.
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Sorry to jump in on this thread but would fitting a permanent roof mounted solar panel add any value to the caravan?
This is something I am perhaps thinking of investing in. Do you think that you could maybe negotiate the price per night with site owners if you informed them that you would be running off a solar panel, therefore not using their electicity!?? Or is that
just me being a bit tight!??0 -
Hi again jnicks, Good info from people who have done it! I stay for a fortnight at a time and I have never had an issue with lack of power. I read with interest what biggamac say re her blown air heating. What wattage is the blower? My Alde heating uses 1amp and with 2x 110ah batteries on board it's not an issue. Done correctly, SPs, and modern technology like LEDs etc and particularly cheap gas refills curtesy of Safefill etc has released the caravanner from the orange cable. I can't ever see me going back to it- I don't need to and my caravanning is just as comfortable as it ever was. Most people haven't thought about making their own electricity on a permenant basis- most just see it as a ' top up' facility. SPs can and do give so much more than that. I now pay £4-£5 a night against what I was paying for hook up - £13 -£15 a night! The thread ' How to survive a non EHU site' in the Tips do making caravanning cheaper' section is well worth a read. Take the time and read it. You'll be amazed! Best of luck.
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Sorry to jump in on this thread but would fitting a permanent roof mounted solar panel add any value to the caravan?
This is something I am perhaps thinking of investing in. Do you think that you could maybe negotiate the price per night with site owners if you informed them that you would be running off a solar panel, therefore not using their electicity!?? Or is that
just me being a bit tight!??Write your comments here...you can move them from van to van but failing that, yes, I think it would!
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I agree with what ocsid says about the relative efficiencies of roof and freestanding panels.
However I have opted for a larger (150W) panel for convenience and more importantly because our van is in storage and we don't have access to ehu to charge the batteries. The ability of keeping the battery charged in the winter, is a huge advantage for
us.As ever there is no single correct answer.
I'm interested in that post, Boff, as we're in the same situation re winter storage.
As I'm a complete novice in these things, how do you connect your solar panel up to the battery system?
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I agree with what ocsid says about the relative efficiencies of roof and freestanding panels.
However I have opted for a larger (150W) panel for convenience and more importantly because our van is in storage and we don't have access to ehu to charge the batteries. The ability of keeping the battery charged in the winter, is a huge advantage for us.
As ever there is no single correct answer.
Write your comments here...I'm a great advocate of solar panels. BUT, if your main reason to buy one , is to keep the leisure battery charged when your van is in storage, a much cheaper option would be to bring the battery home with you each time you put your van into storage for long periods and keep it topped up with a charger in your garage.. Just a thought !!!
K
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Hi Moulesy, Look, I know it will be at a cost but I would search around for someone who really knows their onions on this sort of thing. I had mine fitted by Panelworks at Bawtry and they have done an excellent job (permanent roof mount) but there are others that will do the job properly. The important thing is that you have the correct controller for the size of panel you are fitting. I have never had a flat battery since fitting mine and to be honest, the batteries have always been fully charged even during winter. If you went on from there and fitted an inverter etc like I have, find someone in your area who knows about these things. I rang my electrician and he put me in touch with Paul- he really knew about electronics and 12v systems and made a cracking job of the installation. I have, for the interest of the masses out there contacted the CC editorial dept and volunteered to be the one bringing glad tidings to caravanners nationwide!! I have asked that they do a 'proper job' and interview someone like me who has done the conversion from the orange cable to freedom. To talk to and interview the horses mouth if you like. I have been promised that they will contact me when they are ready. Read into that what you will but they did seem genuinely interested. They can take my van apart if they like(as long as they put it back together again) take as many photos as they want and get as much info as I can give them. An article in the club magazine with photos might do more to promote non EHU caravanning rather than the half hearted ' back to basics' articles that have been put forward!! Let's hope they do it soon as summer is here!!
Kenine! - hi mate, have you taken into account the time, the fuel, the running about?? I would never go back to doing that after I have experienced the mighty SP!
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Hi Moulesy, Look, I know it will be at a cost but I would search around for someone who really knows their onions on this sort of thing. I had mine fitted by Panelworks at Bawtry and they have done an excellent job (permanent roof mount) but there are others
that will do the job properly. The important thing is that you have the correct controller for the size of panel you are fitting. I have never had a flat battery since fitting mine and to be honest, the batteries have always been fully charged even during
winter. If you went on from there and fitted an inverter etc like I have, find someone in your area who knows about these things. I rang my electrician and he put me in touch with Paul- he really knew about electronics and 12v systems and made a cracking job
of the installation. I have, for the interest of the masses out there contacted the CC editorial dept and volunteered to be the one bringing glad tidings to caravanners nationwide!! I have asked that they do a 'proper job' and interview someone like me who
has done the conversion from the orange cable to freedom. To talk to and interview the horses mouth if you like. I have been promised that they will contact me when they are ready. Read into that what you will but they did seem genuinely interested. They can
take my van apart if they like(as long as they put it back together again) take as many photos as they want and get as much info as I can give them. An article in the club magazine with photos might do more to promote non EHU caravanning rather than the half
hearted ' back to basics' articles that have been put forward!! Let's hope they do it soon as summer is here!!Kenine! - hi mate, have you taken into account the time, the fuel, the running about?? I would never go back to doing that after I have experienced the mighty SP!
Write your comments here...Hi ya Merve, Hope you're well. I agree with all of your points but on my previous post I was trying to save the other poster a bit of money.
Best Regards Kennine.
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I agree with what ocsid says about the relative efficiencies of roof and freestanding panels.
However I have opted for a larger (150W) panel for convenience and more importantly because our van is in storage and we don't have access to ehu to charge the batteries. The ability of keeping the battery charged in the winter, is a huge advantage for us.
As ever there is no single correct answer.
Write your comments here...I'm a great advocate of solar panels. BUT, if your main reason to buy one , is to keep the leisure battery charged when your van is in storage, a much cheaper option would be to bring the battery home with you each time you put your van into storage for long periods and keep it topped up with a charger in your garage.. Just a thought !!!
K
if your main reason to buy one , is to keep the leisure battery charged when your van is in storage,
It's not the main reason why we have a solar panel is so we are not restricted to ehu. However in the depths of winter it is possible that the solar panel does not keep the battery fully charged over a period of 3 or 4 days By having the roof mounted panel it continues to charge in storage so the battery is fully charged next time the van is used. I see this as an advantage of a fixed over a portable panel, even accepting the performance penality of panel flat on the roof.
I basically agree with your point about removing a battery and charging it I would go further and say that if you always use ehu any old rubbish will do as a battery
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I agree with what ocsid says about the relative efficiencies of roof and freestanding panels.
However I have opted for a larger (150W) panel for convenience and more importantly because our van is in storage and we don't have access to ehu to charge the batteries. The ability of keeping the battery charged in the winter, is a huge advantage for
us.As ever there is no single correct answer.
I'm interested in that post, Boff, as we're in the same situation re winter storage.
As I'm a complete novice in these things, how do you connect your solar panel up to the battery system?
it's not rocket science I have fitted panels to my last two caravans. The most stressful part is drilling a hole I the roof but it is nott difficult. My shopping list is as follows, Solar panel (obviously
)
mounts, sikaflex to glue it down, Solar cable, roof gland, solar controller. Cable from the controller either direct to the battery, or some caravan controllers have an input for a solar panel and this how mine is connected nb this doesn't do away for the
need for the solar controler.My system is sized so we can off grid in winter for 4 or 5 days and I have bought a 150 w panel. If you want simply to keep a battery topped up through out the winter because you aren't using the van and between Easter and October you are always on Ehu
then I would guess a much smaller panel would be fine.0 -
As I'm a complete novice in these things, how do you connect your solar panel up to the battery system?
It can be achieved very simply by connecting the two ports marked + & - on the solar controller to the appropriate posts on the battery, with an inline fuse in the positive lead. As Boff said anything but rocket science. In the crudest incarnations it can be via crocodile clips but I would encourage using something more professional. The panel is similarly simply connected with the right polarity to the very clearly marked ports on the controller; place the controller as near the battery as practical for optimised regulation of the charging.
It is imperative that any worthwhile sized solar panel is connected via a solar controller or risk serious overcharging damage to a battery. Ebay & Amazon are the hunting grounds for both a panel and a controller often both sourced togther. At todays pricing it is IMO all a bit pointlessly penny pinching to think in terms of panels smaller than 60Watts; put simply they are so cheap buy something that can do a worthwhile function.
This link gives you an insight into a very good quality solar controller and its connections, plus if serious gives you a link to download the operating manual where all the details needed are given. In our case we have no need to use the “load” ports; these are a way of connecting the drain off the battery that affords some protection to avoid too large a depletion, but as said would be rarely used in our application.
http://www.morningstarcorp.com/products/sunsaver-gen-3/0 -
A note of caution to my earlier post. As I have said I fitted 135 and 150W panels to roofs of my last two caravans. Panels this size are fairly heavy. Both the caravans I have fitted the panels to are Hymers. These have fully bonded roofs that you can walk on. If you have a floating roof the weight may be a problem. I just don't know.
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The other issue with non-bonded roofs is the continuous flexing of the panels. A problem I had not anticipated when fitting mine.
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