Solar sizing.

[Dazzola]

Hi, I'm about ready to think about my solar set up for my new self conversion but I have no idea how much solar energy I'm going to need.
We have a compressor top load fridge, diesel heater, a few led strip lights and usb chargers for phones etc, maybe a couple of reading lights.

A new 130ah leisure battery to go in, what kind of Watts panel and charger will we need to keep the battery healthy?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers, daz.

 

[Lenny HB]

With a compressor fridge you are going to need another battery and I would start with 300 Watts of solar and see how you get on.

 

[Dazzola]

Really, wow, I didn't think we would need that much, but you know more than me!
I can get an identical battery no problem, not sure I have enough roof for 300 Watts of panel though.

 

[Raul]

We have 820w solar, 590w on the roof and 230w portable. Today we had a full charge since few weeks. Depends how you use your van, but the short winter days it needs as much as you can solar. You can never have enough. And the battery as Lenny says, not enough to run a compressor. You need a reserve of two days minimum, to compensate for bad weather.

 

[Abacist]

An alternative or supplement is to add a 50/60 amp b2b charger to recharge the batteries whilst you are on the move and get rid of any puny split charge relay which wont charge quick enough but if yo stop for a few days or more in one place then you might have to run the engine to charge up.

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[Northernraider]

I have 1100w solar, 700ah batteries and run a 240v fridge of 400ah battery through an inverter.

Great in the summer , but this time of year if I wasn't driving and topping up the batteries by the b2b I'd be struggling to last more than 2 or 3 days off grid.

So the answer is don't rely solely on solar as it doesn't matter how much you have if it isn't sunny.

Fit as much as you can , tilting if possible and a good b2b charger aswell.

 

[Northernraider]

We have 820w solar, 590w on the roof and 230w portable. Today we had a full charge since few weeks. Depends how you use your van, but the short winter days it needs as much as you can solar. You can never have enough. And the battery as Lenny says, not enough to run a compressor. You need a reserve of two days minimum, to compensate for bad weather.

I've not achieved a full charge on mine since mid September. Even driving a few hours a day with the b2b on I've not got more than 87% batteries.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Hi, I'm about ready to think about my solar set up for my new self conversion but I have no idea how much solar energy I'm going to need.
We have a compressor top load fridge, diesel heater, a few led strip lights and usb chargers for phones etc, maybe a couple of reading lights.

A new 130ah leisure battery to go in, what kind of Watts panel and charger will we need to keep the battery healthy?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers, daz.

I've got a compressor fridge, 1 x 80ah gel battery, 150w of solar (tiltable) and 1 x 100w folding panel.

The fridge uses about 12ah over night. Consecutive cloudy days are the worst scenario, but I'm a fair weather summer camper . In good weather or Benidorm I wouldn't even need the folding panel.

 

[Lenny HB]

I've got a compressor fridge, 1 x 80ah gel battery, 150w of solar (tiltable) and 1 x 100w folding panel.

The fridge uses about 12ah over night. Consecutive cloudy days are the worst scenario, but I'm a fair weather summer camper . In good weather or Benidorm I wouldn't even need the folding panel.

You said it, you would be stuffed if a cloud came over.

 

[MisterB]

Really, wow, I didn't think we would need that much, but you know more than me!
I can get an identical battery no problem, not sure I have enough roof for 300 Watts of panel though.

have you considered domestic solar panels, they are getting smaller with bigger outputs ..... also could you carry an additional portable solar panel that you can set up adjacent to your van - an advantage of that is that you can make sure its pointed in the right direction and elevation for maximum power

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[Guigsy]

My parents have moved back to camping in tents (at their age!). They've got a small chest style compressor fridge, I'm guessing about 30 litres? They have no issues running it from an 80w panel and a motorcycle battery. But they only camp during the summer. My dad says that cooling the fridge down takes quite a lot of energy, but once it's chilled, it doesn't seem to need a lot to keep it going.

In my van, I've got a shunt on my battery so I can see my daily power usage. We don't have a TV and the fridge is 3-way. We've got quite a few gadgets and gizmos that charge off of USB. We only seem to use about 20Ah per day.

What do you need? It's very dependent on when you intend to camp (summer months are 3 times easier on solar). How often you're moving (as the alternator will charge your battery). And how many other things you're hanging off the battery.

 

[Lenny HB]

In my van, I've got a shunt on my battery so I can see my daily power usage. We don't have a TV and the fridge is 3-way. We've got quite a few gadgets and gizmos that charge off of USB. We only seem to use about 20Ah per day.

That is fairly low mainly because you don't use a TV. If you run just a small TV that can take 2.5 amps so on for 3 hours that's 7.5 ah and if you run the sound through your head unit that can add 2 - 5 amps (dependant on unit) so that's another 6 to 15 ah.

 

[Dazzola]

OK, I've doubled up the battery's so we will have 260ah on board, and I've found a solar kit for reasonable money, 2 x 150w panels, a 30a mppt controller and cables etc for £350 all in, does this sound reasonable?

 

[Richard n Ann]

You said it, you would be stuffed if a cloud came over.

The TV never goes on now so I can last at least one thick cloudy day and if the clouds are bright white ones indefinitely with the folding panel deployed. Used it at the Malvern show meet successfully.

 

[Richard n Ann]

OK, I've doubled up the battery's so we will have 260ah on board, and I've found a solar kit for reasonable money, 2 x 150w panels, a 30a mppt controller and cables etc for £350 all in, does this sound reasonable?

Yes very reasonable. What controller is it?

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[Dazzola]

 

[Northernraider]

OK, I've doubled up the battery's so we will have 260ah on board, and I've found a solar kit for reasonable money, 2 x 150w panels, a 30a mppt controller and cables etc for £350 all in, does this sound reasonable?

Depends on the controller. Some are shit.

 

[Richard n Ann]

20A Epever controller is £70 on ebay so should be good

 

[Dazzola]

Nice, I'll get my order in then! Thanks guys.

 

[Dazzola]

I'm interested in the b2b charger option too, I understand my van has probably got a smart alternator so a sit charge relay won't work.
But, they look expensive, are there any budget ones worth a look?
Just thinking the b2b would be good while the fridge gets down to temp while driving on our outward journey?

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[Dazzola]

Or is it possible to connect the alternator to the mppt as well as the solar?
Sorry for all the questions!

 

[FanHope]

Hi all,
My dealer is getting the van ready and I have asked them to price a solar panel as I will mainly be off grid (1-2 nights/week in campsite only). They are only charging the material not the labour as a thank you for purchasing with them. He offered to fit a 140w solar panel and I wonder if it is enough?
This is what I have /use:

3 way fridge
LED lightings
hair dryer (twice a week)
Charge laptop/speaker/phone
TV (2-3 hours/day)

Fire, water heating and hob are gas.

Thank you

 

[FanHope]

Hi all,
My dealer is getting the van ready and I have asked them to price a solar panel as I will mainly be off grid (1-2 nights/week in campsite only). They are only charging the material not the labour as a thank you for purchasing with them. He offered to fit a 140w solar panel and I wonder if it is enough?

He priced it at £400. And apparently they don't fit an inverter which as far as I am aware is essential when you have a solar panel right!?

This is what I have /use:

3 way fridge
LED lightings
hair dryer (twice a week)
Charge laptop/speaker/phone
TV (2-3 hours/day)

Fire, water heating and hob are gas.

Thank you!

 

[Guigsy]

(deleted because I've said the same thing again as earlier in the week... )

 

[RedFrame]

Hi, I'm about ready to think about my solar set up for my new self conversion but I have no idea how much solar energy I'm going to need.
We have a compressor top load fridge, diesel heater, a few led strip lights and usb chargers for phones etc, maybe a couple of reading lights.

A new 130ah leisure battery to go in, what kind of Watts panel and charger will we need to keep the battery healthy?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers, daz.

Not sure that you're asking the right question. Look at a decent sized B2B (60A +) and decent sized Lithium battery. Solar is then almost irrelevant...?

Cheers
Red.

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[FanHope]

(deleted because I've said the same thing again as earlier in the week... )

I see thank you for replying.
I won't travel that much. How long do you have to travel to recharge a battery to 100% please?

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

He priced it at £400. And apparently they don't fit an inverter which as far as I am aware is essential when you have a solar panel right!?

You would need an inverter for a hair dryer ,there are no 12v ones that work very well. But for an inverter you also really need to up your battery capacity .Especially if your off grid for a few days.most vans start off with one battery of 90- 110ah , you need to at least double what you have.imo.

 

[Lenny HB]

I see thank you for replying.
I won't travel that much. How long do you have to travel to recharge a battery to 100% please?

Depends on size of battery how discharged it is and the size of the cables. But on a typical system to get a 100 ah battery that 50 % discharged probably 8 to 10 hours driving.

 

[FanHope]

You would need an inverter for a hair dryer ,there are no 12v ones that work very well. But for an inverter you also really need to up your battery capacity .Especially if your off grid for a few days.most vans start off with one battery of 90- 110ah , you need to at least double what you have.imo.

OK so if I go down the solar route i need an inverter (only for my hairdryer?), a new and more powerful battery ( >200ah, any brand?) or can I have 2?
Sorry I know so very little about this

 

[FanHope]

Depends on size of battery how discharged it is and the size of the cables. But on a typical system to get a 100 ah battery that 50 % discharged probably 8 to 10 hours driving.

Oh very far from what I will do per day!!!

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