Which solar panel company?
We're planning to get a portable solar panel for our caravan. I've asked here already about LED's to reduce our power usage, and that's due to happen soon. (Delayed by prolonged bout of 'flu so this is still armchair research at present - most frustrating!)
While we're still learning what's what, I reckon either a 60W or maybe even 40W will probably supply our needs. It's a relatively low-tech caravan: water pumps for loo and sink, LED lighting when it's in, re-charging of phones and tablet, no TV. Possibly a radio when we get an inverter in the system too.
Our only heater is an oil-filled 500W electric one, which I think would drain too much too fast, so we'll have to be off-grid only in warmer times of the year for the time being. We've never yet had a heated tent, so we'll probably live :-)
Kettle, cooking, fridge & water heater all work with gas.
I admit to using "for example" illustrations rather than grasping the nettle and doing all the sums - for one thing we've not done enough trips to have huge experience of what our usage is.
The inverter will probably follow, but for now I'm wondering if just the panel will be enough for a good trial period.
I'm finding various companies to supply these things, all with convincingly attractive websites to an ignoramus like me.
For example, a quick search gives me:
http://www.solartechnology.co.uk/solar-panels/pv-logic-panels/fold-up-solar-panels/60w-fold
(This first trades through White Arches caravans, which is quite local to us.)
http://www.sunstore.co.uk/Solar-Kits-Caravans/
http://www.selectsolar.co.uk/prod/154/60w-diy-solar-panel-kit
http://sunworks.co.uk/product-category/portable-solar-panels/
I'm inclined to avoid Ebay for this - I feel there are bargains there only as long as you know enough to know what to avoid!
Any comments, from experience, on comparative qualities of these or other companies will be gratefully pored over!
I've seen advice to get a decent chain to deter theft - do these solar panels tend to have anything strong enough to make a chain worth fastening to?
Thanks as ever for your help.
Richard
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Got my 150w panel from these:
You can get smaller ones, 150w does for me off grid for up to 12 nights away, TV usage 3-4hrs a night, battery charged back up by lunchtime or mid afternoon if cloudy, even keeps the 110amp battery charged up in February.
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Should have said the max output is 8amps and it can give a boost charge of 14.4v-14.6v. On the folding stand there is a small hole to put a padlock with a chain, then it can be padlocked to the corner steady
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Thanks Brue,
I know there are good things on Ebay, but doing research also needs a base level of knowledge to avoid pitfalls I'm not aware of! As musicians, we've seen too many people who've done some research but still ended up buying decorative but useless rubbish, which we'd have spotted a mile off simply because we've done the mileage. I have no confidence in my ability to avoid the electrical equipment equivalent! Hence lots of questions here :-)
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Thanks Chris, these look very useful, and cheaper than some too. Have you had them long enough to know if they stand up well to use?
Do you have an inverter as part of the set-up too?
And has anyone else used this brand, please?0 -
Only started using solar panels about 18 months ago, I retired so wanted to get out more and have longer stays, tend to use C&CC
temporary holiday sites or CL's off grid, just go off when we want and come back home when we want. Not found any problems yet. I just have a small 150w inverter just to charge my shaver, camera and phone.2 -
It sounds as if we all share the same aims here, along with being a bit greener at the same time.
Silly question I know, but... ChrisRogers, you mention your 150W inverter along with the 150W panel... does the inverter have to match the panel rating?
I notice the company selling your panel doesn't do inverters as small as 150W, so that was presumably from another supplier?0 -
I think that the truth is Solar panels are pretty much commodity items these days. I would look at places like Amazon and EBay. Where I wouldn't look if I was honest would be caravan dealers, simply because they seem too expensive. We have a 150w Panel which is probably overkill for summer use. We charge multiple phones, kindles and tablets from 12v plugs. I bought a radio which also works from a 12v supply and a rarely used 12v TV. I do have a 150W inverter, but I honestly can't remember the last time we used it. I noticed our Aldi had a 300W inverter for less than £25 iirc. But I try and keep it simple.
Ps The inverter doesn't need to match the panel. The panel is only a battery charging system. The bigger the panel the quicker it charges the battery. Obviously the bigger the inverter the quicker it flattens the battery.
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Just discovered that ChrisRogers' recommendation, Photonic has a 10% discount through CMC membership, which makes it a bit less painful!
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... though I then discovered that as I've found before with other club discounts, the company itself was already running a better special offer, so the 10% was trumped by what was on offer to the general public.
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Photonics is a good company and I don't think you will do better than them. There are of course many good companies about but photonics certainly seem to offer good back up for their products which is a consideration. You don't have to ' match ' your inverter to the panel size. I have a 135w panel on the roof and a 2000w Pure Sine Wave inverter. If you fit an inverter, it is a very good idea to be able to switch that inverter off completely as an inverter draws current even when idling. How many batteries do you have? Just the one? You certainly won't be able to run any serious electric gear on that. Certainly not an Oil filled rad!! I have to mention, as you are looking to go off grid, LPG. Although I am an absolute evangelist where self fill cylinders are concerned, simply because of the cost benefits, it's important that the heating of water, space heating and the fridge is handed over to the gas cylinder which you seem to have covered. If you decide eventually on a Solar Panel, and I think you will wonder why you didn't do it before, don't forget you will need a controller if over a certain wattage. There are certain advantages to each system- fitted to the roof you don't have to worry about theft or moving the panel around every hour or so but you do have to have a panel big enough to be able to produce power in less favourable times like when the sun is low in the sky. With a mobile panel, you have covered one- theft. Two you have to move it around to face the sun every now and again but you can probably get away with a less powerful panel than the roof one. I have always said for off grid caravanning that 120w would be my starting point but you know what you need better than anyone so I wish you the very best. Monocrystaline tend to be more productive ones. I am just over the Leicestershire border Hedge so if you would like to see an installed system let me know. biomerv@gmail.com
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