Carthago chic c-line batteries

[Cozz nd Keith]

Hi
My first go at asking a question so go easy !
I have 2 80amp batteries that came fitted to the vehicle. Would you say that’s enough to run tv, heating etc for a few hours a day without hook up. Also it came with a coffee machine that needs 240v but no inverter, so would like to get that working if possible.
we were in Montalbert over Christmas and the control panel went red to indicate low power so that got me thinking about what we have.
Any advice appreciated
Cheers Keith

 

[WESTY66]

All depends on how much solar you got the 2x80’s don’t like running an 2000w inverter for the coffee machine, it will do it, but it doesn’t like it, as for the other stuff I have 2x80 gels and 300w of solar and it runs heating TVs and lights no problem However in winter you will always struggle with the weak winter sun

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

All depends on how much solar you got the 2x80’s don’t like running an 2000w inverter for the coffee machine, it will do it, but it doesn’t like it, as for the other stuff I have 2x80 gels and 300w of solar and it runs heating TVs and lights no problem However in winter you will always struggle with the weak winter sun

Thanks for the reply .
I think we have a 140w solar but with the Sat dish no room for more! Will 2 100s make much of a difference or do I need lithium’s?

 

[Lenny HB]

They are Gel batteries so the equivalent of 256ah of standard LA as you can take them down to 20%.

Normally the inverter is part of the coffee machine option are you sure you haven't got one?
Although Carthago fit the coffee machine & inverter with just 2 x 80 ah batteries I wouldn't recommend it you need at least twice that battery capacity to avoid damaging the batteries.

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

They are Gel batteries so the equivalent of 256ah of standard LA as you can take them down to 20%.

Normally the inverter is part of the coffee machine option are you sure you haven't got one?
Although Carthago fit the coffee machine & inverter with just 2 x 80 ah batteries I wouldn't recommend it you need at least twice that battery capacity to avoid damaging the batteries.

Hi Lenny
Definitely don’t have an inverter. What battery set up would you recommend? The van is a 6 month old Mercedes chassis

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[Lenny HB]

If you plan to run the coffee machine a lot I would go to Lithium they are getting quite cheap now. You should have a B2B that is suitable you may need to change the solar controller d mains charger for Lithium compatible.

 

[Tombola]

And when you say heating, you do mean gas don't you, with leccy just for the van and not plug in.

 

[Rob Turner]

The coffee machine and coffee machine & inverter are two separate options.
As Lenny has said, lithiums are cheap enough at the moment, I think 105ah Fogstars are about £360.

 

[Vansflyer]

We had 2 x 80ah in our C- Tourer, worked OK for 3.5 years but stressed me out at times worrying over amount left even with 300w solar on the roof. Went to a lithium 280ah last year with 60ah b2b and all good. The game changer now for the winter sun is the 160w folding panel we now carry with us. Average nightime use is 28ah, TV, lights etc and with roof and folding panel (460w in theory) we are 100 % charged by midday if sunny. A day or cloud or rain (even in Spain) means not charged till 14:00 or so on the next sunny day.. Folding panel out at about 09:00 and watch the power flood in... BTW even with the sat dish you can get more solar on the roof, just have to be a bit inventive how it is fitted.
Simply put..
Lithium, yes for sure.
More solar.
If traveling in Winter a folding solar is a game changer for off grid.

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

If you plan to run the coffee machine a lot I would go to Lithium they are getting quite cheap now. You should have a B2B that is suitable you may need to change the solar controller d mains charger for Lithium compatible.

Thanks for the reply Lenny
I will ask a local company to have look and quote for this if it’s needed

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[Cozz nd Keith]

And when you say heating, you do mean gas don't you, with leccy just for the van and not plug in.

Hi
yes we have blown air heating so just what the fan uses

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

The coffee machine and coffee machine & inverter are two separate options.
As Lenny has said, lithiums are cheap enough at the moment, I think 105ah Fogstars are about £360.

Hi
yes I did gather that, we bought the van which was in stock at 3A’s so didn’t get to spec it. Though it is very well equipped now after adding quite a few bits. This could be the last ‘bit’ to add. Would I need 2 105ah batteries?

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

We had 2 x 80ah in our C- Tourer, worked OK for 3.5 years but stressed me out at times worrying over amount left even with 300w solar on the roof. Went to a lithium 280ah last year with 60ah b2b and all good. The game changer now for the winter sun is the 160w folding panel we now carry with us. Average nightime use is 28ah, TV, lights etc and with roof and folding panel (460w in theory) we are 100 % charged by midday if sunny. A day or cloud or rain (even in Spain) means not charged till 14:00 or so on the next sunny day.. Folding panel out at about 09:00 and watch the power flood in... BTW even with the sat dish you can get more solar on the roof, just have to be a bit inventive how it is fitted.
Simply put..
Lithium, yes for sure.
More solar.
If traveling in Winter a folding solar is a game changer for off grid.



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Thanks for the reply.
I will take a photo of top of the van so you can see what’s what so to speak.
where is the folding panel connected too In your picture?
Thanks Keith

 

[Vansflyer]

Victron MPPT controller in the locker under passenger side. Same controller for the roof panels as the voltage matched.

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

Victron MPPT controller in the locker under passenger side. Same controller for the roof panels as the voltage matched.

Hi
How big are these? I have a EP levelling pump fitted there as well as lots bits like table ground sheet etc
Cheers Keith

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[Cozz nd Keith]

Sorry for all the questions to all your replies , i just don’t understand this lithium magic

 

[Tombola]

We had 2 x 80ah in our C- Tourer, worked OK for 3.5 years but stressed me out at times worrying over amount left even with 300w solar on the roof. Went to a lithium 280ah last year with 60ah b2b and all good. The game changer now for the winter sun is the 160w folding panel we now carry with us. Average nightime use is 28ah, TV, lights etc and with roof and folding panel (460w in theory) we are 100 % charged by midday if sunny. A day or cloud or rain (even in Spain) means not charged till 14:00 or so on the next sunny day.. Folding panel out at about 09:00 and watch the power flood in... BTW even with the sat dish you can get more solar on the roof, just have to be a bit inventive how it is fitted.
Simply put..
Lithium, yes for sure.
More solar.
If traveling in Winter a folding solar is a game changer for off grid.



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Your neighbours going a bt far with his roof solar isnt he....must be some payload that Concorde

 

[Tombola]

Hi
yes we have blown air heating so just what the fan uses

yeah sorry for the question, just some do ya know...

 

[MichaelT]

We had 2 x 80ah in our C- Tourer, worked OK for 3.5 years but stressed me out at times worrying over amount left even with 300w solar on the roof. Went to a lithium 280ah last year with 60ah b2b and all good. The game changer now for the winter sun is the 160w folding panel we now carry with us. Average nightime use is 28ah, TV, lights etc and with roof and folding panel (460w in theory) we are 100 % charged by midday if sunny. A day or cloud or rain (even in Spain) means not charged till 14:00 or so on the next sunny day.. Folding panel out at about 09:00 and watch the power flood in... BTW even with the sat dish you can get more solar on the roof, just have to be a bit inventive how it is fitted.
Simply put..
Lithium, yes for sure.
More solar.
If traveling in Winter a folding solar is a game changer for off grid.



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We are in Spain now and realised the need for a folding solar panel so can I ask which one you went for please.

 

[Vansflyer]

We are in Spain now and realised the need for a folding solar panel so can I ask which one you went for please.

Ecoflow 160w folding. As ever a balance between size and output given storage space available, the larger one was my preferred option but too big to travel with.
Easier to carry than a rigid one and the case doubles up as a stand, however you must use something to keep it standing in windy conditions. I have settled on 2 x 5l water bottles sitting on the case behind the panel.
Getting the angle correct is fairly easy as I just look at the Victron app to maximise angle for output.

Your neighbours going a bt far with his roof solar isnt he....must be some payload that Concorde

View attachment 864961

I counted 80 large panels split on two arrays "powering" the site. Electric is .70c pkw and so far not plugged over the week.

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[Lenny HB]

I have settled on 2 x 5l water bottles sitting on the case behind the panel.

Be careful with water bottles, if the sun gets directly on them they act like magnifiers and can start a fire.

 

[cyberyacht]

Your neighbours going a bt far with his roof solar isnt he....must be some payload that Concorde

View attachment 864961

And he still needed to supplement it with a foldable! Looks a tidy aire. Where is it?

 

[Vansflyer]

Be careful with water bottles, if the sun gets directly on them they act like magnifiers and can start a fire.

Really? I never thought a 5L bottle of water had the focusing ability to start a fire? Most of the Awnings, ground sheets and wind breaks in Spain have 5l bottles on them as ballast.
The ones securing our solar are directly behind the panel so on the "dark side".

 

[Vansflyer]

And he still needed to supplement it with a foldable! Looks a tidy aire. Where is it?

It is more a site than an Aire in Los Alcázares. Basic facilities but clean enough and cheap as chips @ 10€ pn after 5 nights. Water and grey waste on pitch so great for a long stay.
We are one of 4 or maybe 5 UK / Irish vans here out of 150 pitches. Mainly German but a big mix of other Europeans here.

 

[MichaelT]

Ecoflow 160w folding. As ever a balance between size and output given storage space available, the larger one was my preferred option but too big to travel with.
Easier to carry than a rigid one and the case doubles up as a stand, however you must use something to keep it standing in windy conditions. I have settled on 2 x 5l water bottles sitting on the case behind the panel.
Getting the angle correct is fairly easy as I just look at the Victron app to maximise angle for output.

I counted 80 large panels split on two arrays "powering" the site. Electric is .70c pkw and so far not plugged over the week.

Thanks, looks like it doesn't have a controller with it, so is that extra?

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[Vansflyer]

Yes if you don't already have a suitable one. Our van panels are the same voltage as the flexible so both feed into the Victron.

 

[MichaelT]

Yes if you don't already have a suitable one. Our van panels are the same voltage as the flexible so both feed into the Victron.

We have one but that feeds thru the EBL so thinking to just attach direct to battery (205a ks underseat) so would need seperate controller on the stand up panel. May look at the Falcon one when we are up there later in year, too late for this trip and it's only when we get dull days or site in towns where sun is more limited.

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

Here is picture of the roof . Do you think it’s possible to fit more solar panels?

 

[Vansflyer]

Here is picture of the roof . Do you think it’s possible to fit more solar panels?



View attachment 865095

That is a busy roof
Maybe a thin 100 / 150 behind bedroom rooflight, and again a small between the top fridge vent & the front of the roof.
Hard to see any more options from that photo angle but you will need to measure the spaces and then look at panels. Be aware that any at the rear can be shaded by the dish if up and even rooflights if open. We keep our dish down most of the day so we don't shade our panels.

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

That is a busy roof
Maybe a thin 100 / 150 behind bedroom rooflight, and again a small between the top fridge vent & the front of the roof.
Hard to see any more options from that photo angle but you will need to measure the spaces and then look at panels. Be aware that any at the rear can be shaded by the dish if up and even rooflights if open. We keep our dish down most of the day so we don't shade our panels.

Thanks
I‘ll try to google some solar panel sizes
Cheers Keith