Solar panel battery chargers
Does anyone have any views on wether a solar panel battery charger is a good idea when your motorhome is in storage.My battery was flat when I went to check the vehicle.The guy who owns the storage depot said he knew some people who had one of these panels.Would I have to disconnect the battery to charge it or could I leave it connected.Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Comments
-
You could go for a full system
We switched to a MH just over a year ago and had solar panels installed on the roof. These total about 150 watts and through a solar controller feed both cab and leisure batteries. One of the reasons we had it installed was because our MH lives in storage with no access to EHU. We had no trouble keeping the batteries fully charged, even during the shortest of winter days. It also has the benifit that we have been able to use the MH off grid for several days on Aires in France, even using the 12 volt to watch TV.
Or you could just go down the route of a cheap battery maintainer. Although it does require easy access to the battery terminals. I bought one from Amazon for our XTrail battery during lockdown. £35 3.3 watts. Place with suckers on windscreen, attach to battery with crocodile clips. ( that would not be possible with our MH as it is under the floor) Starting with a full battery it maintained it fairly well in May and June. It would not stand a chance during shorter winter days.
0 -
Another, ‘yes’ definitely. Go for at least 150w, ideally with a variable split charge option so you can adjust how much charge goes to the starter or leisure battery depending on season/circumstances. Bonus is your batteries will last much longer than if frequently discharged. As others have commented also very useful ‘off-grid’.
0 -
Presumably your solar panel is only connected to your leisure battery . What you need is a battery master. Check out https://www.vanbitz.com/product/battery-master/
peedee
1 -
Since the lockdown and having to get Mayday out to get our car started (flat batt),if that is what you are looking for ,i have bought from Aldi a solar batt "charger" and have it on the car dashboard,connected to th e Batt with the supplied crocodile clips (there is a cigar lighter plug not usable on most modern vehicles as sockets only live when ignition on) and it has kept batt "charged" since
0 -
I love solar energy, get something for free and gives you some green credentials to gloat about with the kids!
ps Vanbitz stuff = expensive.
1 -
We have certainly followed the route suggested by Peedee and had a Battery Master fitted to both our motorhomes. It is a fit and forget device and as far as I am concerned money well spent. We do have a solar panel but in their wisdom Bailey decided on the cheapskate route and only connected it to the leisure battery. I did have the choice of having the solar controller connected to the cab battery but decided on the Battery Master as it provides power when the motorhome is on hook up via the leisure battery. Particularly useful during the winter.
David
0 -
Aldi are currently selling battery maintainers I think they are 7.5W, I noticed them when I was i my local Aldi the other day. I am sure that it would work during the summer but in the winter I’m not convinced. Do not under estimate how little sun you can get in the winter As you already have a SP on the roof a dual output controller might be the way forward. I think that if Bailey fit “Truma” panel’s then that controller is dual output. I think photonic Universe do the same controller with a different label on it and I would guess a different price
I think that the vanbitz thingy only works when connected to the mains? So not to much help on a non ehu storage site.
0 -
Photonic Universe stuff has always worked well for me and good value.
I think the ‘Vanbitz thingy’ will work with solar as it effectively uses the leisure battery to charge the van battery. However some modern systems are designed for EHU to charge both batteries - worth checking before you spend your money.
0 -
I think that the vanbitz thingy only works when connected to the mains? So not to much help on a non ehu storage site.
Not so boff, it works with both and has been keeping my batteries in tip top condition for the past 4 years when my motorhome is not in use. I cannot vouche for other battery to battery devices but the Van Bitz one certainly works with solar. To quote from there FAQs::
Question: Will Battery Master work with a solar panel? Answer: Yes, most certainly. It could have been made for it. As the solar panel increases the voltage in the leisure battery, so the excess charge is stored away in the engine battery
peedee
0 -
We are lucky in that we can keep our motorhome in our back garden and for at least part of the day it is connected to mains EHU. (when I remember to switch on the outside lights!) Our previous motorhome didn't have a solar panel and the inbuilt charger did not charge the cab battery so the Battery Master seemed the ideal solution to keeping the cab battery topped up. Now we have the solar panel the new van has two sources of charge EHU and Solar. Given that a solar panel with a dual controller tends only to send a small proportion of its charge to the cab battery I wonder in winter whether this would be enough to maintain sufficient charge in the cab battery? Better than nothing of course but with the Battery Master there is no need for concern.
David
0 -
Given that a solar panel with a dual controller tends only to send a small proportion of its charge to the cab battery I wonder in winter whether this would be enough to maintain sufficient charge in the cab battery? Better than nothing of course but with the Battery Master there is no need for concern.
I don't know what the split is on ours and you can't alter it. However, last winter, with our 150 watts, there was no issue in keeping the cab battery fully charged. That's even with the draw of alarm and tracker.
0 -
The Photonic Universe split charger (see link in Boffs post above) enables you to vary charge priority up to 90/10% between batteries. If one battery is fully charged it automatically charges the other. I tend to set it 80% to leisure battery in summer when I’m using the van and 70% to van battery in winter on 150w solar only. Never had a flat battery or need to boost van battery with EHU in winter.
I’ve had 3 of these, two in MHs and 1 on a boat and they work well - half the price of Vanbitz product.
1 -
As far as I am aware most dual controllers you can alter the split of charge. The controller in the link I posted earlier you can select the split in 10% amounts from 90%/10% the default all the way to 10%/90% with points in between. I’m not sure that it matters much because once the battery that is the priority is fully charged the controller should send the charge to the second battery.
1 -
Autosleepers fit an 80 watt solar panel and this is more than adequate for keeping both batteries topped up throughout the year. It seems penny pinching not to have a split charge system fitted on new motorhomes but maybe the thinking is that if you drive the motorhome about once a month for half an hour or so (as most people recommend) then this will keep the cab battery charged then the solar panel will keep the leisure battery topped up.
0 -
Fair point, it depends on what sort of drain each battery is subject to while unused for long periods e.g alarms, trackers etc so one or both batteries may never remain fully charged without balancing the charge priority, particularly if light levels are low.
0 -
Had same problem on my swift caravan, found out you have to switch all electrics off when in storage, this does not stop battery being charged. Look on your power control system under bed box , should be a button to push and release ( up is off) did this and no further trouble.😃
0
