Just a comment on king's kit : I have bought the portable fire pit, the big daddy swag, the canvas seat covers, the battery box and the battery chargers. All have served me very well in the punishing NT environment. I have however used kickass for my 12v as they cannot be beat for user friendly plug and Play. Both companies have given me excellent support when needed.
I’m happy with my Kings 120w panels. The PWM controller matched the one I have on the roof of my van. The panel is great to catch both early morning and late afternoon sun and it maintained the float voltage nicely. I have fitted a fixed cable to the secondary battery.
Thanks Pete. I always appreciate comments from those with real work experience with the products. numbers on boxes or websites aren't much use if they don't perform out in the field. When you say fixed, you do mean just the plug running to the battery or have you fixed the panels themselves to the van ?
Fixed the wires to the terminals and fitted an Anderson plug, ready to connect the controller. I will attach the controller to a metal plate that I can hook onto a nearby seat frame when on site. I made a cable crimped to crimp the Anderson plug terminals that I can use in my vice...better than a ratchet crisper...and cheaper.
Thanks Brett, currently Companion 120W folding panel that that orange store that starts with A, $799. Just bought the exact same kit as a run-out at the Big Green Box for $149. Like you said, the bum has dropped out of portable solar. Same straps, legs and tabs as the Kickass ones. 2 different points on the straps, marked "summer" and "winter" to adjust the angle relative to the sun. Cheers
Wow Chris, that sounds like a bloody ripper bargain. Prices just keep getting better.. I'm a bit excited about it really, I love my remote camping but I love my electronic toys too. Solar let's me have both. When you say just picked up at the green pace, are you telling me to get straight down there for a look?
@@DENMONKEY Nah mate, was several weeks ago, they would be all gone now. I grabbed 2 at that price. going to see if i can run them in parallel into my existing 20A PWM controller. Eventually want to replace with DCDC charger with solar in.
Hi , thanks for the video , plenty to think about. I have a question which may be silly . Just say your in the car traveling to your camping spot with the Andersen plug plugged into the camper behind charging the battery and running the fridge. Would it be possible , when you get to your destination to unplug the Andersen plug from the car , setup your folding solar panels and then plug them into the Andersen plug on the front of the camper thus charging the battery and running the fridge. Thanks. .
That's a harder question to answer than it sounds David. Oddly enough, if it is set up properly, the answer is no. But a less ideally set up scenario would work, kind of. Really the line coming from the car should have a dcdc charger on the end of it right next to your battery in the van and this isn't designed to take input from your solar panels, only your cars alternator. If your solar panels have a controller on them, they should have their own direct plug that goes into that battery. Better still, you would have a dedicated solar controller also right next to your battery in the van and have an Anderson plug for your panels to go into. If you're just planning on using the little controller on the back of your panels, that's fine but you don't want anything else in line with that and your battery. I hope this helps and hasn't confused you more.
@@DENMONKEY Thanks so much for your reply. Yep now i'm getting confused , lol , i thought it would be a simple question, but obviously not. So before i go any further with the original question , could you tell me this . We'll call him ole mate, so ole mate has got a van with solar panels on top hooked up to his battery or batteries in the van , he's all packed ready to go and plugs in his Andersen from the car , has he had to physically disconnect the solar from the top of the van from the battery ? . Hope you get my drift and thanks again for your reply. Regards David.
@@DENMONKEY not sure. I took it into a local 4x4 accessories shop and they say one of the panels has stopped working. I did not want to spend another $$$ to get it further investigated and I am now trying to see if I can get the other remaining panels to work. Even if I can get 80% working, still will be good. I paid $1300 in 2018. Was also hoping to get st least 5-7 years out of that sort of money😩
13:30 You can plug a regulated panel into a direct connection to the battery. The unregulated panel into a BMS will generally 'quieten' the unregulated panel. But not all BMS are created the same.
Thanks for the video. I like the folding solar panel for going on vacation. I have a question. Can I use it on summer weather conditions? Can the solar panel overheat?
yeas for sure. your solar panels will work their best during summer. The sun is in a better position for you to get the best results. yes they will heat up but not enough tto damage anything. Just allow them to be in the open so they get air blowing across them. Angle them towards the sun as best you can and enjoy the free energy
Hi, MATE, fitting 2 x 160watt panels to the van shortly, and a 1x 135+amp battery , hoping this will be enough for us. I had a KX3, good little rig, swapped it for an Ft897, . Good video, thanks
Hey Jeff, sounds like plenty of panels for the battery but is the battery enough ? How much are you needing to run off it ? I stuck a 2nd battery after I put in the 12v fridge. certainly helped now that I have the diesel heater in there too. I'm like my electronics though, so am a bit of a heavy user.
@@DENMONKEY , lights , tv , and wifes cpap, and charge phones and tablets,. Fridge etc hot water use gas, I have replacee thei te4nal lights (halogen ), with 3 and 6watt leds. Might fit 2, but we don't use the van a hell of a lot though that will change this year,. Might be getting a new radio, and tuner as well, have to wait and see , on that
@@TheMangrovejack1 sounds like a second battery might be in your future :) I'm not sure what a cpap pulls power wise. Something I've come to realise lately re the led lights in the van, is rather than going with bigger units (more power) , go with more smaller units, but stick them right where you want them and then only turn on the smaller (less power ) ones on as you need them. I think localized light will end up being more efficient rather than trying to light up the whole van at once. LED swaps are pretty easy if you can get the direct fit of the same globe. Plus, charge your stuff up when the solar is supplying the power and use the battery just to get you through the night. keep your wallet handy :)
@@DENMONKEY, the lights aren't individually switched, , so,there are 4 front and 4 back, plus 1 over the sink and 1 in the shower, imreplaced 2 over the table , with 6 watt, leds, and the shower and sink, both of which are on individual switches. Cpap draws about 5 amps at 28 volts , so it has its own all wart like a computer charger, , I will run that through a 600watt inverter, and see how it goes
There comes a time in every man's life when he decides that not only will he not worry about fashion again, he chooses to dress as comfy but daggy as possible. It somehow hits us all at about 40. Haha.
shit yes and I'm on the other side of that line for sure. Function over fashion in all aspects of my life including my appearance, although the function side of things is not as good as it used to be im afraid
I dont get the appeal of Kickass, they're extremely extremely expensive compared to Kings, and they deliver about the same output. Can always tack on the ability to peg other panels etc.
Hey VA, you're right and can't argue that point. But the differences become more apparent when you're looking at them in person from a quality perspective. That said, I'd most likely go with the kings due to price usually being a big driver for me, or more likely something sourced off ebay. I have some kings gear and its good for what I paid for it, but I've never been the biggest fan.
Great video! I am preparing for a trip up to the tip next year and am looking to implement a dual battery solar setup. It will be to run a fridge, camp lights, maybe charge my phone and possibly run the odd 240 volt appliance for 3 to 4 weeks. I don't believe at this point that i will have room on the roof for a permanent hard frame setup. Do you have any advice on what I might need?
How big is the fridge you're planning on taking and do you plan on charging the battery from the alternator either direct (VSR - relay) or via a dcdc charger ? Since it sounds like you'll be touring (driving each day) you may be better of going with that sort of set up first before considering solar. Most dcdc chargers will charge at or over 20 odd amps and if you're driving for more than a few hours a day, it would probably be enough to keep your battery topped up without the need for solar. If you want solar and don't have a set up to charge of the vehicle yet, you can look at combo chargers which will run off the alternator when the car is running and take an input from your solar panels when stopped. I have the projecta ID 25 but i think the new ones might be a 30 or something like that. Of course if you can afford it, a cteck is probably a bit better still and will do the same thing. A bit easier to install too, due to the way the wires are connected to the unit. Battery wise, an AGM if you plan on locating in the vehicle. something like a 120 or 130 would be good if you can fit it. I can get 2-3 days off mine running my fridge (35L) if I was to turn all charging off including solar. That bit extra capacity over a 80 or 100 is nice to have as a buffer if you can't charge it every day. If you're charging other things plus a 240v inverter that will come in handy. Again, not knowing your budget or set up already, from a panel perspective, I'd go 120W as a minimum. 200W would obviously be better. If your charging off the car, 120w would be a nice companion and smaller to pack but if you're not, I'd say 200W or even bigger would be useful. Especially if its only going to be used at the end of the day when you pull up and sun hours are limited. You'll need to get as much in as possible. One final thing that is not required but will help you keep an eye on your battery, to know how it's working is some way to monitor the battery voltage. So try and work a volt meter in there somewhere, even if it's just a cheapy off ebay. If you've already got a multimeter in your kit, that will work. Hope that helps. shout out if I can help with any more info. cheers Brett
Thanks heaps Brett. I haven't got the dual battery or solar or anything setup yet. . So this info is a great help. When I get the power setup complete I will comment on your video somewhere with a link to a vid. Cheers .. Gilly :)
Hey great vid. I would like to know if any US based companies sell the Kickass solar kits. My RV roof not capable of fitting heavy bulky solar panels for enough watt power for a 24 v battery bank set up. So would the Kickass 250w set or kit capable for my RV that maybe 20% time be plugged into shore line rest time totally powering RV off-grid? I bought a folding 2 panel 100w monocryslene 12v panels and my whole system needed upgraded to handle full time living on solar energy. To handle running mini frig, A/C unit or electric heater longer than 2 or 4 hr. a day/night. I'm late in life to leaning about new technology. And the guy I hired to install my system... well it was very costly and to small to handle just one mini frig running continuously. The 1500w inverter kept tripping off. The battery bank 12v only had a 255ah capacity. Any suggestions helping me would be dearly appreciated.
hey Shay, I really don't know about US suppliers....... I had a look on their website and found this 'We do not currently offer international shipping. If you would like to organise a freight forwarder to collect the items from our warehouse please contact us on 07 3123 4715. Please note all warranties are void when any of our items leaves Australia.' So it looks like you'd need to find something similar local. Now to brass tax, it sounds like you've got a fairly large demand on your battery system and whilst 250ah is a reasonable size, I would say it is far from suitable if you're looking to run an AC unit or a heater. The fridge providing it is a 12v, will draw minimal power, but an AC or a heater a big loads on any battery set up. You could look at changing the electric heater over for a diesel heater. This would be much more battery friendly , especially considering you would mostly use it at night with no solar support. There's no real substitute though for the AC if you MUST have it. Likely you would need to upsize that inverter and the batteries to possibly lithium to support the draw. Neither of those options are going to be cheap I'm afraid. Opening a window is free though :) If you're happy to try a few fans instead, look at these Caframo Sirocco II . I don't have one but they are hugely popular in the vanning community and are quality gear. it's no AC though. oh and what causes you to say your RV roof can't support panels ? could you do like a roof rack type support system for example? I may have just given you more questions than answers there but hopefully it gives you some direction. all the best
Good question. Haven't seen the redarc ones but I can feel you Steve still has and uses his kickass ones. He absolutely loves them. I'm off to check out the ra ones now though.
Hi, I have a silly question... can I connect PWM controller to the Kings 120W solar blanket (nothing else) and then just use USB ports on the PWM to charge my usb devices?
@@DENMONKEY thank you for such a quick reply. I know it's a little bit overkill for an iphone charger but I might add more equipment in near future. They sell it right now for $189 delivered and I can't find anything smaller and decent. Cheers.
kings panels wire is only just enough for the panel its only like 10amp wire. beware using it for other uses I have seen them fry obviously lol. also the Pwm controllers are garbage and like $10 on eBay, mine were dead on arrival, I didn't care too much as I have a Victron mppt , never seen more then 140w out of the 200w panels with the best mppt .
I agree 100% but still despite all that, I think they're an OK starting place for some one new to the whole thing. I think once you get sums knowledge you're better off piecing together your own set from separate bits etc. Strokes for folks I'd say.
DENMONKEY i agree. The kings panels are cheap enough and running two im getting 18amps most of the day in good sun. Even in crap weather with the victron mppt i still get around 6 amps which is not to shabby. They have served me well. Have been looking around at other panels and diy options and its hard to pass the kings stuff for price/output. Anything bigger in a single blanket size it many times the price even tho better quality the output to cost isn’t as good vs kings. Longevity will be the deciding factor i think.
@@magicmanspaz Can I please ask what size/version of kings panels are you using? I would guess a 250W panel to get 9A? Actually two 250W panels to put out 18A. Am I close? Wired in parrellel?
@@raymonddowney9726 two 200w in parallel with the victron mppt which has a max 300w input/output which works out at charge voltage to be 18amps i have found with my settings. one blanket on its own never seen more than around 140-150w max output so the 300w controller rating is fine and it can handle over size panels as it just caps its output. using the kings cheap $10 pwm controllers you will get 30% less than a real mppt controller.
Silly question from a Noob, I am getting a camper trailer that comes with redarc BMS, i currently use a kings 120w solar blanket with PWM to my second battery in the ute, when I get the trailer do I just plug the blanket straight to the trailer without the PWM?
mate that looks fantastic except that crapy charging controller. Bear in mind 300$ system with 10$ cheap charging controller will degrade your whole system like 100$ system, no matter how good your batteries are or solar blanket.
So a question did anyone hit max amps in perfect conditions. I have a 160w which is around 8a. With two fridges pulling down the battery and perfect angle and sun I can only get 4.7a . Anyone done better?
I haven't had a chance to see if Adam has had it in 'perfect' conditions as yet. we're just heading into summer here so should get a better chance to see what it does
@@DENMONKEY ok cool. I have a place in snowy mountains. Adaminaby. And so far this area has produced the best solar. My mate has a 100w panel and it cranks when he comes down. It's interesting to see how different solar is in different areas. Lots of factors!
@@68mustangmustang77 that'd be the cooler but clear weather as the panel may not get as hot. I've come to realise the summer sun isn't actually that good at all, clear autumn worked much more efficiently for me with my 120watt amps
@@68mustangmustang77 25 degrees is the ideal temperature for panels i live up the top end of Australia it gets hot i hit the panels with water and watch the amps rise
They do but you will find the lower panels will pull the higher ones down to their level. Definitely don't mix 24 and 12v though. especially if the controller is a 12v . nice way to let the smoke out
Like everywhere I guess, it depends what you buy from them. Their swags are hugely popular and I've not heard a bad word on them yet. Some other things, not so great. I've also got my share of kings stuff in the shed. You're not alone.
@@DENMONKEY ive got there 150 solar blanket into a 270 ah deep cycle battery and 1000w inverter 24/7 to run the fridge and freezer at home to save power
I don't think any panels are worth 1000 bucks but they're still good quality. Different strokes, different folks. I'm happy with my 50 buck old house hold panels 😁
![[TESTED] KINGS vs REDARC solar blankets - shoot-out! 🤠](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AActNzBZ9FA/mqdefault.jpg)
You hit the nail on the head when you said they all come out of the same shop,
😁
Just a comment on king's kit : I have bought the portable fire pit, the big daddy swag, the canvas seat covers, the battery box and the battery chargers. All have served me very well in the punishing NT environment. I have however used kickass for my 12v as they cannot be beat for user friendly plug and Play. Both companies have given me excellent support when needed.
There’s an Aussie guy that did a review on the kings solar blanket…..4 times in 12months it’s been returned for warranty.
haha that sounds about right
I don’t put that name within 100mtrs of my car or caravan
Good Vid, Kiskarse is the king of solar and products
They do have some nice gear. Out of my price range though
I’m happy with my Kings 120w panels. The PWM controller matched the one I have on the roof of my van. The panel is great to catch both early morning and late afternoon sun and it maintained the float voltage nicely. I have fitted a fixed cable to the secondary battery.
Thanks Pete. I always appreciate comments from those with real work experience with the products. numbers on boxes or websites aren't much use if they don't perform out in the field. When you say fixed, you do mean just the plug running to the battery or have you fixed the panels themselves to the van ?
Fixed the wires to the terminals and fitted an Anderson plug, ready to connect the controller. I will attach the controller to a metal plate that I can hook onto a nearby seat frame when on site. I made a cable crimped to crimp the Anderson plug terminals that I can use in my vice...better than a ratchet crisper...and cheaper.
Australia direct/kickass are a great company to deal with. Great video mate.
Cheers. I remember when Steve got his panels. They definitely liked after him pretty well. I do like supporting the aussie guys when I get the chance.
@@DENMONKEY In saying that. I've just bought the 200w kings blanket. Haven't had a chance to test it yet.
@@4x4EastCoast can I look forward to a review of those? I'd like to hear what you think.
@@DENMONKEY yeah mate. Plan to do a review in the next month or so.
Interestingly, the use of panels will be the energy of the future.
Thanks Brett, currently Companion 120W folding panel that that orange store that starts with A, $799. Just bought the exact same kit as a run-out at the Big Green Box for $149. Like you said, the bum has dropped out of portable solar. Same straps, legs and tabs as the Kickass ones. 2 different points on the straps, marked "summer" and "winter" to adjust the angle relative to the sun. Cheers
Wow Chris, that sounds like a bloody ripper bargain. Prices just keep getting better.. I'm a bit excited about it really, I love my remote camping but I love my electronic toys too. Solar let's me have both. When you say just picked up at the green pace, are you telling me to get straight down there for a look?
@@DENMONKEY Nah mate, was several weeks ago, they would be all gone now. I grabbed 2 at that price. going to see if i can run them in parallel into my existing 20A PWM controller. Eventually want to replace with DCDC charger with solar in.
going to get a 200w Companion folding panel tomorrow for $699 nzd think that is about $648 aus
Hi , thanks for the video , plenty to think about. I have a question which may be silly . Just say your in the car traveling to your camping spot with the Andersen plug plugged into the camper behind charging the battery and running the fridge. Would it be possible , when you get to your destination to unplug the Andersen plug from the car , setup your folding solar panels and then plug them into the Andersen plug on the front of the camper thus charging the battery and running the fridge. Thanks. .
That's a harder question to answer than it sounds David. Oddly enough, if it is set up properly, the answer is no. But a less ideally set up scenario would work, kind of. Really the line coming from the car should have a dcdc charger on the end of it right next to your battery in the van and this isn't designed to take input from your solar panels, only your cars alternator. If your solar panels have a controller on them, they should have their own direct plug that goes into that battery. Better still, you would have a dedicated solar controller also right next to your battery in the van and have an Anderson plug for your panels to go into. If you're just planning on using the little controller on the back of your panels, that's fine but you don't want anything else in line with that and your battery. I hope this helps and hasn't confused you more.
@@DENMONKEY Thanks so much for your reply. Yep now i'm getting confused , lol , i thought it would be a simple question, but obviously not. So before i go any further with the original question , could you tell me this . We'll call him ole mate, so ole mate has got a van with solar panels on top hooked up to his battery or batteries in the van , he's all packed ready to go and plugs in his Andersen from the car , has he had to physically disconnect the solar from the top of the van from the battery ? . Hope you get my drift and thanks again for your reply. Regards David.
Sorry Glen, my 250 watt Kickass panel carcked it after 3.5 years. Warranty 3 years. 😩Also asked the question, but Australian Direct not interested….
Bugger. Thought you'd get more for the price to paid. What cracked it, do you know?
@@DENMONKEY not sure. I took it into a local 4x4 accessories shop and they say one of the panels has stopped working. I did not want to spend another $$$ to get it further investigated and I am now trying to see if I can get the other remaining panels to work. Even if I can get 80% working, still will be good. I paid $1300 in 2018. Was also hoping to get st least 5-7 years out of that sort of money😩
13:30 You can plug a regulated panel into a direct connection to the battery. The unregulated panel into a BMS will generally 'quieten' the unregulated panel. But not all BMS are created the same.
Thanks for the video. I like the folding solar panel for going on vacation. I have a question. Can I use it on summer weather conditions? Can the solar panel overheat?
yeas for sure. your solar panels will work their best during summer. The sun is in a better position for you to get the best results. yes they will heat up but not enough tto damage anything. Just allow them to be in the open so they get air blowing across them. Angle them towards the sun as best you can and enjoy the free energy
Hi, MATE, fitting 2 x 160watt panels to the van shortly, and a 1x 135+amp battery , hoping this will be enough for us.
I had a KX3, good little rig, swapped it for an Ft897, .
Good video, thanks
Hey Jeff,
sounds like plenty of panels for the battery but is the battery enough ? How much are you needing to run off it ?
I stuck a 2nd battery after I put in the 12v fridge. certainly helped now that I have the diesel heater in there too.
I'm like my electronics though, so am a bit of a heavy user.
@@DENMONKEY , lights , tv , and wifes cpap, and charge phones and tablets,. Fridge etc hot water use gas, I have replacee thei te4nal lights (halogen ), with 3 and 6watt leds. Might fit 2, but we don't use the van a hell of a lot though that will change this year,.
Might be getting a new radio, and tuner as well, have to wait and see , on that
@@TheMangrovejack1 sounds like a second battery might be in your future :)
I'm not sure what a cpap pulls power wise. Something I've come to realise lately re the led lights in the van, is rather than going with bigger units (more power) , go with more smaller units, but stick them right where you want them and then only turn on the smaller (less power ) ones on as you need them. I think localized light will end up being more efficient rather than trying to light up the whole van at once.
LED swaps are pretty easy if you can get the direct fit of the same globe.
Plus, charge your stuff up when the solar is supplying the power and use the battery just to get you through the night.
keep your wallet handy :)
@@DENMONKEY, the lights aren't individually switched, , so,there are 4 front and 4 back, plus 1 over the sink and 1 in the shower, imreplaced 2 over the table , with 6 watt, leds, and the shower and sink, both of which are on individual switches.
Cpap draws about 5 amps at 28 volts , so it has its own all wart like a computer charger, , I will run that through a 600watt inverter, and see how it goes
Good video Brett, Useful stuff. Cheers Steve
Thanks for your help on this one muddick.
There comes a time in every man's life when he decides that not only will he not worry about fashion again, he chooses to dress as comfy but daggy as possible. It somehow hits us all at about 40. Haha.
shit yes and I'm on the other side of that line for sure. Function over fashion in all aspects of my life including my appearance, although the function side of things is not as good as it used to be im afraid
Good advice 👍👍
Cheers mate
I dont get the appeal of Kickass, they're extremely extremely expensive compared to Kings, and they deliver about the same output. Can always tack on the ability to peg other panels etc.
Hey VA, you're right and can't argue that point. But the differences become more apparent when you're looking at them in person from a quality perspective. That said, I'd most likely go with the kings due to price usually being a big driver for me, or more likely something sourced off ebay. I have some kings gear and its good for what I paid for it, but I've never been the biggest fan.
Great video! I am preparing for a trip up to the tip next year and am looking to implement a dual battery solar setup. It will be to run a fridge, camp lights, maybe charge my phone and possibly run the odd 240 volt appliance for 3 to 4 weeks. I don't believe at this point that i will have room on the roof for a permanent hard frame setup. Do you have any advice on what I might need?
How big is the fridge you're planning on taking and do you plan on charging the battery from the alternator either direct (VSR - relay) or via a dcdc charger ?
Since it sounds like you'll be touring (driving each day) you may be better of going with that sort of set up first before considering solar.
Most dcdc chargers will charge at or over 20 odd amps and if you're driving for more than a few hours a day, it would probably be enough to keep your battery topped up without the need for solar.
If you want solar and don't have a set up to charge of the vehicle yet, you can look at combo chargers which will run off the alternator when the car is running and take an input from your solar panels when stopped.
I have the projecta ID 25 but i think the new ones might be a 30 or something like that.
Of course if you can afford it, a cteck is probably a bit better still and will do the same thing. A bit easier to install too, due to the way the wires are connected to the unit.
Battery wise, an AGM if you plan on locating in the vehicle. something like a 120 or 130 would be good if you can fit it.
I can get 2-3 days off mine running my fridge (35L) if I was to turn all charging off including solar.
That bit extra capacity over a 80 or 100 is nice to have as a buffer if you can't charge it every day.
If you're charging other things plus a 240v inverter that will come in handy.
Again, not knowing your budget or set up already, from a panel perspective, I'd go 120W as a minimum. 200W would obviously be better.
If your charging off the car, 120w would be a nice companion and smaller to pack but if you're not, I'd say 200W or even bigger would be useful.
Especially if its only going to be used at the end of the day when you pull up and sun hours are limited. You'll need to get as much in as possible.
One final thing that is not required but will help you keep an eye on your battery, to know how it's working is some way to monitor the battery voltage.
So try and work a volt meter in there somewhere, even if it's just a cheapy off ebay. If you've already got a multimeter in your kit, that will work.
Hope that helps. shout out if I can help with any more info.
cheers Brett
Thanks heaps Brett. I haven't got the dual battery or solar or anything setup yet. . So this info is a great help. When I get the power setup complete I will comment on your video somewhere with a link to a vid. Cheers .. Gilly :)
Yes please do. If be interested in seeing it. I checked out your channel too. Cheers
Hey great vid. I would like to know if any US based companies sell the Kickass solar kits. My RV roof not capable of fitting heavy bulky solar panels for enough watt power for a 24 v battery bank set up. So would the Kickass 250w set or kit capable for my RV that maybe 20% time be plugged into shore line rest time totally powering RV off-grid? I bought a folding 2 panel 100w monocryslene 12v panels and my whole system needed upgraded to handle full time living on solar energy. To handle running mini frig, A/C unit or electric heater longer than 2 or 4 hr. a day/night. I'm late in life to leaning about new technology. And the guy I hired to install my system... well it was very costly and to small to handle just one mini frig running continuously. The 1500w inverter kept tripping off. The battery bank 12v only had a 255ah capacity. Any suggestions helping me would be dearly appreciated.
hey Shay, I really don't know about US suppliers....... I had a look on their website and found this 'We do not currently offer international shipping. If you would like to organise a freight forwarder to collect the items from our warehouse please contact us on 07 3123 4715. Please note all warranties are void when any of our items leaves Australia.'
So it looks like you'd need to find something similar local. Now to brass tax, it sounds like you've got a fairly large demand on your battery system and whilst 250ah is a reasonable size, I would say it is far from suitable if you're looking to run an AC unit or a heater. The fridge providing it is a 12v, will draw minimal power, but an AC or a heater a big loads on any battery set up. You could look at changing the electric heater over for a diesel heater. This would be much more battery friendly , especially considering you would mostly use it at night with no solar support. There's no real substitute though for the AC if you MUST have it. Likely you would need to upsize that inverter and the batteries to possibly lithium to support the draw. Neither of those options are going to be cheap I'm afraid. Opening a window is free though :) If you're happy to try a few fans instead, look at these Caframo Sirocco II . I don't have one but they are hugely popular in the vanning community and are quality gear. it's no AC though.
oh and what causes you to say your RV roof can't support panels ? could you do like a roof rack type support system for example?
I may have just given you more questions than answers there but hopefully it gives you some direction. all the best
Kick Ass or Red Ark portable panels gent’s? I am in the market and not that keen on buying overseas product if I can help it. Thanks in advance. 👍🇦🇺
Good question. Haven't seen the redarc ones but I can feel you Steve still has and uses his kickass ones. He absolutely loves them. I'm off to check out the ra ones now though.
DENMONKEY Thanks for the reply. Let me know what you think of the RA’s. Would be a great comparison video..👍🇦🇺
Hi, I have a silly question... can I connect PWM controller to the Kings 120W solar blanket (nothing else) and then just use USB ports on the PWM to charge my usb devices?
Yes, you sure could. You could probably go something smaller for just that use though.
@@DENMONKEY thank you for such a quick reply. I know it's a little bit overkill for an iphone charger but I might add more equipment in near future. They sell it right now for $189 delivered and I can't find anything smaller and decent. Cheers.
Never mind the cable, the charge controller is shit. It’s under $5 worth.
They do like to skimp on those that's for sure
If I put anything Kings on my car I'll retire from camping ....Kings is cheap crap...
Dont watch my most recent video then, you won't like it 😁
kings panels wire is only just enough for the panel its only like 10amp wire. beware using it for other uses I have seen them fry obviously lol. also the Pwm controllers are garbage and like $10 on eBay, mine were dead on arrival, I didn't care too much as I have a Victron mppt , never seen more then 140w out of the 200w panels with the best mppt
.
I agree 100% but still despite all that, I think they're an OK starting place for some one new to the whole thing. I think once you get sums knowledge you're better off piecing together your own set from separate bits etc. Strokes for folks I'd say.
DENMONKEY i agree. The kings panels are cheap enough and running two im getting 18amps most of the day in good sun. Even in crap weather with the victron mppt i still get around 6 amps which is not to shabby. They have served me well. Have been looking around at other panels and diy options and its hard to pass the kings stuff for price/output. Anything bigger in a single blanket size it many times the price even tho better quality the output to cost isn’t as good vs kings. Longevity will be the deciding factor i think.
@@magicmanspaz Can I please ask what size/version of kings panels are you using? I would guess a 250W panel to get 9A? Actually two 250W panels to put out 18A. Am I close? Wired in parrellel?
@@raymonddowney9726 two 200w in parallel with the victron mppt which has a max 300w input/output which works out at charge voltage to be 18amps i have found with my settings. one blanket on its own never seen more than around 140-150w max output so the 300w controller rating is fine and it can handle over size panels as it just caps its output. using the kings cheap $10 pwm controllers you will get 30% less than a real mppt controller.
Silly question from a Noob, I am getting a camper trailer that comes with redarc BMS, i currently use a kings 120w solar blanket with PWM to my second battery in the ute, when I get the trailer do I just plug the blanket straight to the trailer without the PWM?
mate that looks fantastic except that crapy charging controller. Bear in mind 300$ system with 10$ cheap charging controller will degrade your whole system like 100$ system, no matter how good your batteries are or solar blanket.
Yup. I can only imagine how cheaply they produce those charge controllers. But they're bloody everywhere you look these days.
@@DENMONKEY check this out ruclips.net/video/FpVS7JSeHGQ/видео.html
I'm guessing ol mate has learned by now that his $1250 panels have hazed over and might not last another 15 years?
If I spent that much money on then I wouldn't want to look that close 😁
Where was this filmed?
currawong camp ground in the chichester state forest NSW
Just curious, anyone try a small wind turbine on expandable pole?
haven't but let me know if you find one. Check out a channel called slimpotatohead. he has a small a liner van and has tried the wind turbine on that.
Nice jumper
hows the leg ?
DENMONKEY
Good back to normal it is good
Ready to go kayaking again but ma can’t go. So need someone to go with.
So a question did anyone hit max amps in perfect conditions. I have a 160w which is around 8a. With two fridges pulling down the battery and perfect angle and sun I can only get 4.7a . Anyone done better?
I haven't had a chance to see if Adam has had it in 'perfect' conditions as yet. we're just heading into summer here so should get a better chance to see what it does
@@DENMONKEY ok cool. I have a place in snowy mountains. Adaminaby. And so far this area has produced the best solar. My mate has a 100w panel and it cranks when he comes down. It's interesting to see how different solar is in different areas. Lots of factors!
@@68mustangmustang77 that'd be the cooler but clear weather as the panel may not get as hot. I've come to realise the summer sun isn't actually that good at all, clear autumn worked much more efficiently for me with my 120watt amps
@@scenenuf yeah the cooler weather does help. Summer no good as panel overheats
@@68mustangmustang77 25 degrees is the ideal temperature for panels i live up the top end of Australia it gets hot i hit the panels with water and watch the amps rise
12:50 Y-adaptor, what could possibly go wrong? Different panels provide different voltages over 12V.
They do but you will find the lower panels will pull the higher ones down to their level. Definitely don't mix 24 and 12v though. especially if the controller is a 12v . nice way to let the smoke out
Showing the out put was only info u missed.
you're right
A nice review but tell those rubberneckers to shut up.
Can't control the help 😁
I have to admit some of the 4wd supercentre stuff can be crap,for the average person starting out they do have great deals
Like everywhere I guess, it depends what you buy from them. Their swags are hugely popular and I've not heard a bad word on them yet. Some other things, not so great. I've also got my share of kings stuff in the shed. You're not alone.
@@DENMONKEY ive got there 150 solar blanket into a 270 ah deep cycle battery and 1000w inverter 24/7 to run the fridge and freezer at home to save power
@@peterbarber7613 is all working well?
@@DENMONKEY yep it is
No weight listed on website or video. Not reliable seller.
Which panels are you referring to?
DENMONKEY all of them
Not sure on the weights but both are pretty reliable as sellers. Kings and kick ass are both pretty well known.
kick ass is sufering with the pandemic , they have no stock, and have removed most things off the website , and what is there is extordinarly dear ,
I guess that tells you where their sick comes from. Many Australian retailers are short on stock the same way.
Are they the only retailer in Australia short on stock??🤔🤔
those panels are not worth 1000 bux
I don't think any panels are worth 1000 bucks but they're still good quality. Different strokes, different folks. I'm happy with my 50 buck old house hold panels 😁