I recently rejoined so please forgive me if its already being discussed. Well I know it has as I had a rake round but but I thought I would start a new thread specifically for my requirements.
I was set to go to VanBitz in Taunton this week to get our very new to us 2015 Swift Esprit 496 upgraded to a better solar and battery solution to the one it came with just a few weeks ago but they dont have time to do exactly what I wanted and I wasn't happy with what they are proposing so I am going to mull over it and work towards a solution for when we get home in the Autumn.
Our circumstances are a bit different to most. We off grid 90% of the time but certainly in the UK at least we use a lot of off grid CLs and often stay in one place for several weeks, maybe a month or more without moving the van. On our old van we had just a single 120ah AGM battery, single 100w panel and a very good MPPT controller and April to the end of August most of the time it was fine. This one isnt cutting the mustard but I think the battery is knackered so a new one on the way. All we power is two laptops, two smart phones, water, lights, TV, sat dish etc. Not much else but I would like to just not have to be stingy on power if there are say a few dull days like there have been recently down here in Dorset.
My thoughts were 200w of Solar and 200w of Lithium. I am aware that its not a case of drop in with these. New 240v charger, regulators etc, and it all needs to be integrated with the Swift system which on this one is a Sargent EC400.
So I guess my questions are has anyone gone this route with a Swift van and the same Sargent system and who did you use, how much did it cost and what was the outcome?
Ideally I want to find a Lithium solar guru somewhere up north who can sort it properly.
I was set to go to VanBitz in Taunton this week to get our very new to us 2015 Swift Esprit 496 upgraded to a better solar and battery solution to the one it came with just a few weeks ago but they dont have time to do exactly what I wanted and I wasn't happy with what they are proposing so I am going to mull over it and work towards a solution for when we get home in the Autumn.
Our circumstances are a bit different to most. We off grid 90% of the time but certainly in the UK at least we use a lot of off grid CLs and often stay in one place for several weeks, maybe a month or more without moving the van. On our old van we had just a single 120ah AGM battery, single 100w panel and a very good MPPT controller and April to the end of August most of the time it was fine. This one isnt cutting the mustard but I think the battery is knackered so a new one on the way. All we power is two laptops, two smart phones, water, lights, TV, sat dish etc. Not much else but I would like to just not have to be stingy on power if there are say a few dull days like there have been recently down here in Dorset.
My thoughts were 200w of Solar and 200w of Lithium. I am aware that its not a case of drop in with these. New 240v charger, regulators etc, and it all needs to be integrated with the Swift system which on this one is a Sargent EC400.
So I guess my questions are has anyone gone this route with a Swift van and the same Sargent system and who did you use, how much did it cost and what was the outcome?
Ideally I want to find a Lithium solar guru somewhere up north who can sort it properly.