Extra battery or Solar panel or both and which one first? (32 Viewers)

[PaulC70]

So, we don't often use ehu, we don't often stay anywhere more than 2 nights and then get a good charge on the LB while touring between stops, BUT, we stayed at a steam fair for 4 nights recently and plan to do that a bit more often in the future and the battery got down to 40% mainly due to charging the wifes mobility scooter battery.

So, looking for more of a "comfort buffer" to give us one less thing to worry about for longer off grid stays. Remembering this is mainly UK sunshine we're thinking of either a solar panel to match the current Truma 120watt already on the roof to harvest more daylight and keep the current 300ah Fogstar topped up, OR get another 300ah Foggy for more reserve?

Or do we go both and be done with it?

 

[Langtoftlad]

If the current solar isn't enough to fully charge the current lithium battery, then I'd suggest more solar first.

 

[The Wino]

If it's very occasional how about a fold out extra solar panel for the odd occasions?

 

[Wh05apk]

So, after 4 days you still had 40%, or possibly another 2 days left? How much more do you think you will need?

If you still need more, possibly extra foldout panels for summer use, it battery for winter?

 

[Terry]

You can waste a lot of money over specking what you don’t need. Another battery will cost £500 /600 plus you then may have to upgrade your charger etc, to charge your added battery
Another solar panel or two will only cost £75 / 150 you say you did 4 days and still have 40%charge that’s close on half your capacity. Extra solar is the way forward for now

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[Lenny HB]

You already have a decent size battery bigger than most.
You are lacking means to charge for 300ah of Lithium. Ideally you could do with another 200 Watts of solar.
What size B2B do you have as its probably worth increasing that.

 

[Langtoftlad]

What size B2B do you have as its probably worth increasing that.

Is that only useful if he's moving frequently - not so much if staying put.

 

[suavecarve]

Solar.

If you could take a screenshot of your input from your 120 watts over the past few days it will show you how many watts you harvested. (Victron app)
If you got another 120 watt panels you just double your harvest of the past 3 or 4 days and work out where your ample 300 ah lithium would be with that extra solar

 

[Langtoftlad]

If it's very occasional how about a fold out extra solar panel for the odd occasions?

I had a Dokio 300w foldable panel ready to go at that same show but didn't need it as the weather was quite bright...
But if you did choose to go down the foldable panel route, then remember Amazon Prime Day - 8/9th October. I got mine, currently priced at £250 for £185 special offer price in July

 

[The Wino]

I had a Dokio 300w foldable panel ready to go at that same show but didn't need it as the weather was quite bright...
But if you did choose to go down the foldable panel route, then remember Amazon Prime Day - 8/9th October. I got mine, currently priced at £250 for £185 special offer price in July

I don't know if would even need to be that big if there was 40% left on the battery after 4 days an extra panel of say 100w over 4 days would have added a fair bit.

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[TravellingSmurff]

Unpopular opinion but I would say battery only because you say you usually only stay a few nights then drive on. Therefore the drive will charge the batteries back up quicker than solar would in my opinion. I've found solar is like a slow charger on most days. On really sunny days it's great but I've found my 400W solar never replaces what's used in the day. It's more money; however, I think it takes away the power anxiety and you don't have to rely on the weather.

 

[The Wino]

So, we don't often use ehu, we don't often stay anywhere more than 2 nights and then get a good charge on the LB while touring between stops, BUT, we stayed at a steam fair for 4 nights recently and plan to do that a bit more often in the future and the battery got down to 40% mainly due to charging the wifes mobility scooter battery.

So, looking for more of a "comfort buffer" to give us one less thing to worry about for longer off grid stays. Remembering this is mainly UK sunshine we're thinking of either a solar panel to match the current Truma 120watt already on the roof to harvest more daylight and keep the current 300ah Fogstar topped up, OR get another 300ah Foggy for more reserve?

Or do we go both and be done with it?

Just thinking about your pattern of use. If your longer stationary stays off grid are likely to be in what passes for the summer the solar would make more sense. If however you stay off grid for several days quite often in the winter it could make more sense to add the battery as well.

 

[PaulC70]

So, just popped out and here's the screenshots etc.
So, in the last 4 days it looks like that one panels harvested enough to get to 57% only, to be fair weather heres been crap with little sun and 2 days in particular nothing but rain and thunder, if you've seen the national news of the A421 being turned into a river, that's 4 miles from me :-(

Anyway, it does indeed point to the need for more solar when relying only on that for charging and Im guessing that the current victron would indeed need an upgrade?

For those that have suggested a fold out, I'm reticent about that to be honest, especially if i want to use it off grid, I figure if I need more solar it may as well be fitted and be done?

 

[Terry]

I’m pretty sure your Victron charge controller can take about 350 watts of solar so another 200 should be no problem ( from memory )

 

[suavecarve]

So last 5 days would have given you 40 extra amps (if you had an extra 120 solar) or further 13% of battery.

Us the weather that bad or are you parked in the shade ?

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[PaulC70]

So last 5 days would have given you 40 extra amps (if you had an extra 120 solar) or further 13% of battery.

Us the weather that bad or are you parked in the shade ?

Weathers been bad and completly overcast too for about a week, not seen any sun. Shade wise, i'd say its in shade from about 230pm where it's parked currently but i've little option on that.

 

[Lee Fryer]

For those that have suggested a fold out, I'm reticent about that to be honest, especially if i want to use it off grid, I figure if I need more solar it may as well be fitted and be done?

The advantage of a fold up panel is that you can move it about to keep in direct sun so havesting a lot more

 

[bigtwin]

Unpopular opinion but I would say battery only because you say you usually only stay a few nights then drive on. Therefore the drive will charge the batteries back up quicker than solar would in my opinion. I've found solar is like a slow charger on most days. On really sunny days it's great but I've found my 400W solar never replaces what's used in the day. It's more money; however, I think it takes away the power anxiety and you don't have to rely on the weather.

Are your batteries lead, or LiFePO4?

The latter charge up much more efficiently than lead. Lead self-regulates and doesn’t always use all that the solar can provide.

Ian

 

[PaulC70]

Fogstar lithium.

Are your batteries lead, or LiFePO4?

The latter charge up much more efficiently than lead. Lead self-regulates and doesn’t always use all that the solar can provide.

Ian