Solar panel,tips please. (1 Viewer)

yokeljohn

Free Member
Jan 30, 2013
37
35
weston super mare.
Funster No
24,488
MH
c class
Exp
since 1985
I am considering the purchase of a solar panel, preferably fixed,and on the roof .
we tend to go to sites with no hook up, any tips and advice would be most welcome.
yokeljohn.
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
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5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
I am considering the purchase of a solar panel, preferably fixed,and on the roof .
we tend to go to sites with no hook up, any tips and advice would be most welcome.
yokeljohn.

Simples, the bigger the better.

Don't believe the numbers, 100W is only 100W when angled to the sun and probably way south of the UK and of course no cloud. So if you average 50 you are doing well.
 
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yokeljohn

Free Member
Jan 30, 2013
37
35
weston super mare.
Funster No
24,488
MH
c class
Exp
since 1985
solar panels, tips please.

Thanks Hilldweller, where and how does the output cables join the the mh 12 volt system ?
can you recomend a particular model ?
many thanks yokeljohn.

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magicsurfbus

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Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
Monocrystalline is most efficient.

In my MH the basic wiring system is solar panel > charge controller > leisure battery and that's it. I could have set it up myself electrically, but am less confident about my drilling holes in the roof skills so i paid to have it fitted.

I also have a removable split charge relay circuit that puts surplus voltage from the leisure battery into the cab battery.

That's useful

a) When in storage
b) If I need to charge the cab battery via the EHU, which isn't linked directly to the cab battery in my MH.
 

cmcardle75

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Jun 8, 2012
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Since 2012
I am considering the purchase of a solar panel, preferably fixed,and on the roof .
we tend to go to sites with no hook up, any tips and advice would be most welcome.
yokeljohn.

Semi-flexible panels aren't much more and make a neater and easier installation. Make sure your charge controller is up to the job. The cheap 10A ones often thrown in with the panel are a bit rubbish. Consider a 20A one with LCD display so you know that it is actually working.

See if your split charge relay can be bypassed when in outside storage. That will keep the engine battery topped up over winter, provided you don't accidentally leave lots of load switched on.

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Terry

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Dec 27, 2007
11,904
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Lincolnshire
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1,075
MH
A class
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Can't remember ;)
Fit an extra battery and see how you go you may find you don't need a panel :thumb:::bigsmile:Of course it won't stop you thinking you want one rather than needing ::bigsmile:
terry
 
Last edited:
Sep 27, 2007
837
289
Shropshire based
Funster No
453
MH
Globecar
Exp
started in 2001
Change all your lamps for "led lights"

saves loads of power :thumb:

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hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
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Zilch Mk1
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From Aug 2007
Thanks Hilldweller, where and how does the output cables join the the mh 12 volt system ?
can you recomend a particular model ?
many thanks yokeljohn.

I've not fitted one, though regretting it for Chester. The thing is, if you are touring and not stopping more than 3 days then just driving will keep the battery charged. If we stop for more than 3 days it will be on site with hookup, so we really would not benefit, apart from Chester and it's pretty marginal whether a solar panel would deliver the goods right now.

You don't get much benefit in the winter and don't even think about winter in Scotland. Not a whole lot of light and the sun is so low.

To connect, it's basically panel-->regulator-->leisure battery.

Do a search on here, there have been some good recommendations on here in the past but of course prices are changing all the time, usually down for these things. That 125W one from last week seemed a bargain.
 

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