Solar power

[centro]

Anyone have experience with solar panels - particularly for charging leisure batteries?

[Doc]

I have 2 small panels that plug into fag lighter one for leisure and one for vehichle both £20 each they keep my batteries ok over the winter this year i have only just started the camper which fired up as good as gold dispite not touching it since Oct/Nov last year

If you are thinking about charging them up over the day to use again that night you will need a much bigger panel and the control gear to go with it regulators and the like
If you are going to rely solely on the panel to charge the leisure battery you may find that it is exspensive to get the output to put back the power used
I would spend some of your funds on converting your camper lighting to LED which uses much less of your batteries power and avoid running the TV DVD player too long also check your alternator is of asuitable output the standard 45 amp on the 1.9 engines is only enough to look after the vehicle battery with any confidence a 90 amp one will give you plenty of spare power for charging a big leisure battery and running the fridge on 12v atr the same time

[centro]

Thanks. I was wondering about options for keeping the leisure battery topped up when no hook-up is available. Maplins do this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=223250" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; would something like this be worth considering?

[Titus A Duxass]

Wait until James76 comes along, he can fill you in on this subject.

[Nomadd1001]

Thanks. I was wondering about options for keeping the leisure battery topped up when no hook-up is available. Maplins do this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=223250" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; would something like this be worth considering?

I bought this a couple weeks back and can plug into cig lighter or straight onto battery. Seems to keep topping the battery up and at the price its a bargain. http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=98358" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Red Westie]

Small panels are only really useful for conditioning the battery and preventing sulphation when parked up for long periods. Bigger panels like this 60 watter can make a real difference ie: watts/volts = amps...so 5amps but only on a GOOD day under ideal conditions. The reality is the weather rarely oblidges and so the panels will often delliver far less.
At £200 you may be better off getting a small suitcase generator.

Martin

[CovKid]

Also worth remembering (AngeloEVS pointed this out to me) is that if you use those small trickle charge panels mounted on the dash, the shadow of a windscreen wiper means its producing virtually nothing. Location and a clear uninterupted view of the light is crucial.

[Doc]

Very nice and very exspensive
The problem with that set up is its output peak output is only 3.75amps which will take a week to charge a large leisure battery and thats with max sun
To put back what you might use overnight i.e. 50 amps approx will need a panel with twice the size or output starts getting expensive doesnt it
Marine users have both panels and a wind turbine to keep the batteries charged
I am no expert on Solar (just Hons Degree in Mechanical & Electrical Engineering) but I do know that if you want to rely on the big yellow one you will have to put your hand in pocket to a deep degree
Saying that we manage well with a combination of Small solar panel Charging whilst sightseeing and an occasional night on the hook up We also have a Halfords powerpack with Inverter built in which is great as a back up which you can charge whilst on the road
See what the expert says when he comes along he will be up to date on latest tecnology and prices at various places I know everything has moved on and come down in price dramatically over the past couple of years and no doubt there will soon be a realistic way of charging your batteries without covering the roof of your bus in panels and having to take out a second mortgage to pay for it

[jamesc76]

Wait until James76 comes along, he can fill you in on this subject.

I have a 48 watt panel on my roof, biggest I could fit in the space available, the one you have listed is massive, I got one of those for my Dad as he lives on a canal boat they even look big on the boat no way could you permanently fit one of those.

Thanks. I was wondering about options for keeping the leisure battery topped up when no hook-up is available. Maplins do this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=223250" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; would something like this be worth considering?

I got mine from Maplins but they dont list it on there now, but just to give an example of how good the set up can be I have a 110amp les battery, more often than not at shows the stereo is blasting out all day and night, lights flashing away all night and a propex going for it and by 4~5 the next night its full charged again! Modern proper solar panels work in any light condition so even on a cloudy day they let some charge into the battery (not as much as a sunny day tho)