Caravan solar panel kits - whats the verdict???

[lowlifedubz]

Hi, I'm just interested in peoples opinions on caravan solar panel kits? Have you used one on your van? Are they any good? What sort of things can you power with one (or two or three etc) and for how long? Any recommendations for brands/types etc?
There are some kits on ebay for £60-£70 and I'm just thinking about them as an extra source of power to say charge a phone etc...
Many thanks!

[discipleofsketch]

In my experience anything other than a big (e.g. 100watt+) panel set-up with charge controller and multiple leisure batteries is only good for charging phones, as you won't get much else out of them. I've got a 10 watt one which connects to a small battery pack, which will just about keep a smartphone charged "off the grid". Charging the phone directly from the panel in a European climate is hit and miss, as the current keeps dropping below the required capacity and my old iPhone used to throw a hissy fit! Haven't tried it with my nexus, but now I have a van with a leisure battery fitted, so just charge from that

[kevtherev]

100 watt with the fitting kit
slap in an intelligent charger and... bobs yer uncle

[123-jn]

I have an 80w panel on my Bailey Caravan and it allows me to stay for around 10 days of normal camping with no hook up. 110ahr battery. This is running a carver cascade, water pump, TV, lights, laptop, 12v hairdryer. After 10 days even on a cloudy week the battery is still over half full if not more.

[lowlifedubz]

mixed reviews then but swinging towards the positive!
I only really want it as an extra for charging phones etc so sounds like it could be viable

[monkeyboysee]

Did u see the offer in aldi? Solar phone charger, £9.99

[MattBW]

I've been looking at these and I am unsure if they are suitable for mounting on a van...

Price is v good and 80w I've calculated will be enough that I should still be ok in winter light conditions for the power I need. However it is 7.5kgs and will that be fine on the roof?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80W-Mono-Sola ... 3802wt_721" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Other option is flexible panels such as this, half the weight but not as good output and more expensive?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEMI-FLEXIBLE ... 5839wt_958" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Thoughts?

[Ian Hulley]

100 watt with the fitting kit slap in an intelligent charger and... bobs yer uncle

Just do it.

[MattBW]

For anyone still doubting this seems quite a good experiment and proves just how good it can be. They ran a fridge for a month on a 55w panel. I'll be getting one soon for sure.

http://www.jerbacampervans.co.uk/assets ... rticle.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CovKid]

Aye, but it was a compressor fridge and they don't draw much - hence the price of them.

[ghost123uk]

Aye, what Ralph says ^^^ - 55 watts is aprox 4.5 amps and our "normal" camping fridges use around 7.5 amps.

My findings, with a decent British made (not Chinese carp) 60 Watt panel is that I get around 4 amps absolute max. That is on a day with a full sun, as overhead as poss. If the sun is not directly in line with the panel or obscured in any slight way, the output falls rapidly. On an overcast (but not overly dull) day it drops dramatically, often to as little as 1 tenth of an amp I have heard lots of willy waving, folks saying their panel still produces X amps even on a cloudy day, but I have yet to see any proof. So, my opinion = OK on a bright sunny day, otherwise not.

Charging a phone off the leisure battery (no solar) is just a drop in the ocean. You could charge it hundreds of times before the leisure battery even noticed it.

[lowlifedubz]

Hmmm I still don't know haha! Thanks a bunch to everyone for contributing but you pretty much all made it harder for me due to having such differing opinions hahahaha!

[Oldiebut goodie]

Aye, what Ralph says ^^^ - 55 watts is aprox 4.5 amps and our "normal" camping fridges use around 7.5 amps.

My findings, with a decent British made (not Chinese carp) 60 Watt panel is that I get around 4 amps absolute max. That is on a day with a full sun, as overhead as poss. If the sun is not directly in line with the panel or obscured in any slight way, the output falls rapidly. On an overcast (but not overly dull) day it drops dramatically, often to as little as 1 tenth of an amp I have heard lots of willy waving, folks saying their panel still produces X amps even on a cloudy day, but I have yet to see any proof. So, my opinion = OK on a bright sunny day, otherwise not.

Charging a phone off the leisure battery (no solar) is just a drop in the ocean. You could charge it hundreds of times before the leisure battery even noticed it.

This is of interest:


Daylight not Sunlight

Solar panels use the energy from daylight, as opposed to sunlight, to produce electricity so panels do not need direct sunlight to work. It is photons in natural daylight which is converted by solar panels cells to produce electricity. Heat has no effect on the production of electricity.

This being said it is true that direct sunlight does provide the best conditions for the panels. However, even in overcast conditions light will diffuse through the clouds and reach the solar panels. Modern solar panels include concentrators which use a system of lenses and mirrors to maximise any light that does reach the cells. As a result it is estimated that solar panels will be 40% as effective in heavy cloudy as they would in direct sunlight. The clearer the skies are the more electricity will be produced.

[ghost123uk]

Fair enough OBG, but that doesn't alter the fact that my (modern, decent make) one is carp on an overcast day (= a couple of hundred milliamps depending on light level). Maybe other folks mileage varies of course, but we don't want "my DG does 90mph and 35 to the gallon" type inputs. As is so often said on here = "we need pictures or it didn't happen"

[waltraud]

I have used a very small maplin 13w briefcase panel for years. I know this id not much with my 85a leisure battery but ALL my interior lights are led, sterio on occssionally, small dvd player sometimes used evenings. Fridge on gas. Works for several days but then I suppose not much draw. Just put a 50w on the roof cos I fancied playing.