100w panel & 100ah lithium…is this adequate?

[spigot]

My present van has 2x40w solar panels (all I could get on the roof) & 2x110ah leisure batteries & I just about manage.
My next van, an Auto-Sleepers Symbol has fitted a 100w solar panel, a 100ah lithium battery & a Sargent EC700 electrical system. I’m wondering if it’s enough.
I could get another 100ah lithium battery & could probably fit an extra 50w panel on the roof.
I’m not a lover of campsites spending most of the time off grid, the next van has a TV which I might watch a bit.
I’m a total thicko when it comes to electricity & anything technical so would be exceedingly grateful for any advice

 

[Two on Tour]

What about getting a folding solar panel that you can use if you feel you need a bit of extra to your battery, probably easier and cheaper in the long run.

 

[TerryL]

Basically the replacement is going to be about the same as your present van, solar/storage wise. Only you can say what your needs are but if you are already "just about" managing but then thinking of adding TV viewing IMO you're going to be struggling a bit more. To be fair we managed for several years on a setup similar to yours, but we also have a B2B charger which tops up the batteries pretty quickly once on the move - we tend not to stay anywhere for more than a few days unless we've got hookup (or lots and lots of sunshine!). Not sure how your Sargent EC700 works in this respect, but someone will be able to advise soon.

Your lithium battery is more or less the equivalent of the two 110ah batteries - another would of course give you double the capacity. I wouldn't bother with a 50w solar, I'm pretty sure you can get higher outputs for about the same size and that's where I would spend the money personally.

 

[Fragle]

We looked at upgrading and nearly ended up spending 5k
Bought one of these instead with 400w folding solar panels 1.5k and no messing with the van
Hopefully it will do what it says

 

[MisterB]

spigot

you really need to identify how much electricity you actually use, what you can manage with and what you love to have ..... if you can find a balance, in terms of spend, somewhere between what you actually use and what you would love to have, then you can work out how to get what you want.
an example might be, if you move around a lot, just installing a large B2B might recharge your battery enough for you not to have to spend anything more. the longer you want to stay in one spot (off grid) then the bigger the battery or solar you might need.
another example might be to alternate between EHU sites so you can charge your battery up enought to spend the next few night not in EHU.

your cheapest option, might be the latter. £1000 could buy you 50 nights on sites with EHU to charge your battery which could then allow you to spend 3 nights off EHU - which equates to 200 nights - that might give you two years of 'trips', then add a B2B to the equation, that might add another 2 nights off EHU each time. so that equates to 300 nights - potentially over 3 years of trips, 50 nights on a site and 250 nights 'wilding'.

so my advice is to consider different options, some of which might not appear to be that obvious.

I am not a fan of all in one power stations, but this looks like a good price if you go down that path

EcoFlow Delta Power Station

Equivalent to 200ah of Lead Acid battery (100Ah Lithium) , 2000w mains inverter, UPS, MPPT charge regulator.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[suavecarve]

Basically the replacement is going to be about the same as your present van, solar/storage wise. Only you can say what your needs are but if you are already "just about" managing but then thinking of adding TV viewing IMO you're going to be struggling a bit more. To be fair we managed for several years on a setup similar to yours, but we also have a B2B charger which tops up the batteries pretty quickly once on the move - we tend not to stay anywhere for more than a few days unless we've got hookup (or lots and lots of sunshine!). Not sure how your Sargent EC700 works in this respect, but someone will be able to advise soon.

Your lithium battery is more or less the equivalent of the two 110ah batteries - another would of course give you double the capacity. I wouldn't bother with a 50w solar, I'm pretty sure you can get higher outputs for about the same size and that's where I would spend the money personally.

Agreed

 

[LithiumConvert]

200kw Inverter. 100Ah Lithium.

I don't think so.

 

[the1andonly]

The answers have all ready been given, almost.
1 know what you need or decide how piecemeal approach can be
2 add 200-300w portable kit (i added such a kit to Bils caravan perfect)£150-250
3 30w votronics b2b £130 ( could add a second if required) small compact perfect for smaller van.
4 additional battery
5 victron smart shunt (bt phone or bmv712 £110-140 for a visible meter)to measure SOC State of charge, this is helps with 1 especialy since changes will be made. This may be the first bit of kit to buy, then you will know how close to the limmit you are and how effective each change is.
I am not a fan of all in one power stations

 

[MisterB]

I don't think so.

It's not my advert ....but you're right that the seller has listed it wrong. It's a 1.8kw/3.6kw peak according to the info the seller has posted on the photos

 

[arkwright]

My present van has 2x40w solar panels (all I could get on the roof) & 2x110ah leisure batteries & I just about manage.
My next van, an Auto-Sleepers Symbol has fitted a 100w solar panel, a 100ah lithium battery & a Sargent EC700 electrical system. I’m wondering if it’s enough.
I could get another 100ah lithium battery & could probably fit an extra 50w panel on the roof.
I’m not a lover of campsites spending most of the time off grid, the next van has a TV which I might watch a bit.
I’m a total thicko when it comes to electricity & anything technical so would be exceedingly grateful for any advice

Is this a new van? I have a 2023 Symbol which has a 60ah lithium LB and a 80W solar panel. I only spend 1 or 2 nights off grid and this is adequate (has a Sargent B2B fitted). On the 2024 vans, the solar panel is upped to 100W, the battery to 100ah but the fridge is now a compressor. Also bear in mind that the EC700 system can take 7A a day just to run so the solar is often not enough to fully charge the battery.

The Symbol is a great van but not the best for off grid unless you modify it and bypass the EC700 system.