Fitting a Solar Panel inside the caravan
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- In this weeks vlog I finally get round to putting the solar panel I bought of a subscriber in the van.
Thanks for watching, please hit like, comment and consider subscribing
Martin
#caravanning
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Martin, nice job but one snag ! I fitted mine exactly the same as you but was told by my service engineer that the in-line fuse should not be inside the battery box. This is for reasons of fire as if the battery gives off any gasses, these are flammable and a fuse blowing will cause sparks and a possible source of ignition. I have now put my in-line fuse external to the battery box for this reason. Nick T.
Hi Nick, Thanks for the info, I will do some more research. Cheers Martin
Great idea to slot it behind the blinds and plenty to keep a trickle charge going 😊 Thanks for sharing. Mart & Jo
Hi Mart & Jo, couldn’t believe my luck with fitting in behind the blind. Battery is looking good. Thanks for watching, Martin
Great video, done the same , before we had solar on the roof. Did help keep the battery charged. Stay safe 🙂Mark & Coral
Hi Mark & Coral, stops me getting stick for having a battery in the house!
Thanks for the support, Martin
Nice one Martin. Before we had one fitted on the Roof we had cheap connectors on the solar panel and battery end which meant we didn’t need to use crocodile clips. Highly recommend doing that. Cheers, Oliver,
Hi Oliver, yes the O-ring battery connectors was my initial plan but you can only order boxes of 100 on Amazon and I’m staying away from shops at the moment. Thanks for watching, Martin
A great fit there... 👍🏼 Excellent video for those wanting to do the same. We’re so happy to have solar.. definitely keeps our battery topped up 🚐🚐🚐 Michelle and Andy 😃😃
Hi Michelle & Andy, yes I was surprised how well it fitted. Been to check it and it’s doing it’s job well. Thanks for the support, Martin
Another informative video. Food for thought, many thanks
It’s working well, Thanks for comments and watching, Martin
That fits a treat there in the window, nice one!
Hi Bob, yes it’s a great fit and made the fitting easier. Thanks for watching
Great job Martin. That panel fits into your window a treat certainly better than drilling holes in the roof. Thanks for sharing Ian
Hi Ian & Sonja, yes the fitting into the window space was a massive bonus and made the job far easier. Thanks for the support, Martin
Hi Martin a good idea. Ours is on the roof but I would not be without it. Never had an issue with it and like you say great for charging the battery whilst in long term storage. Thanks Phil🙂👍
Hi Phil, Been to check it and it’s doing it’s job well. Didn’t fancy putting a hole in the roof! Thanks for support and watching, Martin
Great Video my friend, I still haven't done a vid on my solar as of yet .... But it will be coming very soon. Thank you for sharing
Will look out for that vid, solar is great for off grid. Thanks for watching, Martin
Ideal size for the window, not got one yet. Thanks for showing us.
It’s working well and keeping the battery topped up. Thanks for watching, Martin
Thanks Martin, another great video x
Thanks for watching Lynda, Martin
Another great video 👍
Thanks for the support Addys, Martin
Fun project!
Easy to do, cheers
Great video Martin. We now have a roof panel but previously had a double fold up solar panel we used to have in the front window and it was a perfect solution. One tip, that may not work for you because of how you’ve clamped it behind the blind, but might help others, is that we fitted some of those pipe lagging tubes all around the panel. It stopped the panel scratching anything. They are very easy to just push on to all four sides and remove when not in use. Looking forward to your next video.
That’s a good tip. I was thinking of putting some pads, like we have on the bottom of our sofa at home, on the corners to protect the blind.
Thanks for comments and watching, Martin
Hi Martin, I like how the panel fits in the window. No brackets etc. very neat. When taken out, you wouldn't know there was one. Take care. Rob
Hi Rob, I thought the panel was bigger and wouldn't fit, really pleased that it does and makes taking it out and putting back much easier. Thanks for comments and watching, Martin
great channel...caravans are definitely more equipt now then they were when I was little, we took so many holidays in ours and I loved it. Have a great night. New subbie.
Yes caravans have all the mod cons these days, when I tell people I have central heating in my caravan they look at me as though I’m joking. Thanks for comments, watching and the sub, cheers, Martin
Mine fits exactly the same place doing the exact same job. Luckily my battery is closer and the control panel is on the solar panel itself. 40w does the trick for us 👍🏼
That will be easier for you, less trailing cable. Really please it fitted in that space, been to check it and it’s doing well. Thanks for watching, Martin
Cheers Martin. That makes far more sense to me.
Cheers
Much better than drilling a hole in the roof! Thanks for watching, Martin
Hi Martin,
Another very good vlog on fitting a solar panel.
Very impressed with our solar panel on the caravan. Nice one pal. 👍👍
Cheers Nigel, much better than keeping the battery at home! Thanks for watching, Martin
Hi Martin,
Nice solar set up. That will do a great job of keeping the battery charged and saves the hassle of taking it home.
Good work, Stephen 👍
Hi Stephen, I chickened out of putting it on the roof, as we don’t plan on doing off grid it will be good enough to keep the battery topped up in the storage. Thanks for comments and watching, take care, Martin
Brilliant, saved you quite a bit of hassle ferrying the battery about, I can see more people sharing your idea.
Yes much better with the solar topping the battery up. Cheers
Our caravan has a 100w solar panel fitted as standard but I have found that by November the long dark nights are not sufficient to keep the battery topped-up. I would check on it during winter just to be on the safe side. Another useful video Martin and not worth putting the solar panel on the roof as like us we only use hook-ups.
Hi Micheal, yes will have to keep an eye on it over winter. I’ve been up to check on it and it seems to be working well. Glad I didn’t put it on the roof now. Thanks for comments and watching, Martin
Hi Martin. Great video mate. You beat me to our video on installing my sola panel 🤣 stay safe mate 😷👍
Hi Paul, hope you film it, it’s great to see how other people tackle the job. Hope you are both well, cheers Martin
Very good video Martin should be a standard item now on all new caravans
Hi William, you would think in these days there would be a push for solar on vans, saving the environment and all that. For the cost of them I would want a new van roof covered in solar panels and along with Lithium batteries and inverters you may naves need hook up again.
Thanks for comments and watching, Martin
Thinking of getting a solar panel, as my battery is no longer charging from Hook up, and needs a separate charger. It's not really a big deal, but would make it all a bit easier. Cheers and subscribed!
Sounds like the van charger is not working, have you tried KTG caravans & Campers for a replacement? Thanks for the sub 🙂
Nice one Martin not been on here for ages now I’ve got the bug back and we can go out might consider one of these too, I do the same as you disconnect the battery and leave in garage in trickle charge
Hi Andrew, yes I lost my enthusiasm for it for a while. With the staycation appealing to more and more the caravan industry is on the up. The downside is that the prices of vans in the used market has increased!
The solar panel is working a treat, been to check it and all is fine.
Thanks for comments and watching, Martin
Another great job Martin. Ideal solution for keeping battery in good nick during storage.
Hi Colin, hopefully this should do the trick, early indications show it’s doing it’s job. Thanks for the support, Martin
Great video, would a 60 or 80 watt be better for being behind perspex windows, just want to keep my battery charged whilst in storage?
It probably would be, I only paid £20 for it so just does the job. Might fit a bigger one on the roof on day.
Thanks for watching
Could not have had a much better fit if you had it made to measure Martin, good job and even in the front window it will provide adequate input to keep your battery in great condition... 👍🏻✅
Hi Rog, I’ve been looking at the solar panel at home for months thinking how I would fit it in the front window, I didn’t think it would fit. That was my first mistake, I should have just measured it! Fits like a glove, I have been up to check it and it’s doing it’s job.
Thanks for your continued support, Martin
You should install solar PV system at home. You can get a 5kw system now for less than £5k all installed..
Hi Mark, We have had solar at home for about 6 years, along with LED's and Hive heating control we have reduced our gas & electric bills by half. Thanks for watching, Martin
The Caravan Nut that’s great to hear. We have 2 electric cars so we are very keen to install solar at home.
Hi Martin don't blame you not fitting to the roof of van it not worth it if u not wild camping I think what u done is the best option as all u want is to keep battery tops up and plus u can take it with u if u change your van aswell nice one .kev
Hi Kev, This is a much better option it being in the window. Saves all the drilling! Thanks for the support, Martin
Great job can I ask inline fuse what fuse did you use because I have a 120 watt solar panel I’m installing in my caravan (I’m new to caravanning) I have been told 10 amp......20 amp.... WHICH many thanks Graham
Hi Graham, now I’m not an expert on this but as far as I am aware it goes of what the output is from your solar panel control unit. I have put a 10amp fuse in mine. I would phone the manufacturer of your control unit and they should be able to advise you. Hope that helps, thanks for comments and watching, Martin
Solar is the way forward. Done a lot of research and fitted 400w on the roof with MTTP. Allows us to go off grid with all the power we need. Inverter powers the microwave, charges 140 amps on average a day back into the batteries in Summer months. Never need EHU again.
I seen a few go down that route, Lithium batteries also seem to be the way forward. Much lighter and last longer. I need to do a bit more research! Thanks for comments and watching, Martin
Hi Martin have you got any idea where it was originally bought from cheers from another Martin
I was originally bought from Sunstore, good little solar panel. Cheers
Won't that cause overheating and distortion of the inner window face, due to heat build-up in sunny conditions? After all, we are advised not to leave blinds completely closed for extended periods in daylight for that reason
I haven’t noticed anything, but will keep an eye on it. cheers
Hi Martin,
I have just purchased and fitted a 40w solar panel in the same w\y as you an am very interested to note the comment re the in-line fuse from |Nick T. Thank you Nick, I'll get on to that. I am confused about the in-line fuse. The solar panel is 40w and the charge controller is 10amp. The in line fuse that came with the kit is a 30amp. I'n no electrician but that seems a little on the large size to me. I'm wondering whether to change the fuse to a lower rating. Could you provide any feedback to help me out?
Thanks
Great channel
Rick P
Hi Rick, I have put a 10amp fuse in mine as it’s the same output as your controller, I looked it up and that’s what it suggested. As for putting it in the battery compartment, the fuse is in a insulated fused holder so can’t see any problem with that. Hope that helps, Cheers Martin
Hi
Is the solar panel worth getting I'm looking for one. Can you recommend any please.
Cheers Andy.
It’s keeping the battery topped up at the storage so I would say yes. Have a look at these; www.sunstore.co.uk
@@TheCaravanNut thanks for getting back. Would 30w be good just keep battery charged up.
Think it would be ok, you have to take into account the amp hour of the battery. I’m not that technically in the know with them, we have a 40w panel which works well. If you phone them up they will give you better advice. Hope that helps
Hi Martin. Great channel. Very informative. Can you tell me the dimensions of the panel please. We've got our eye on a Unicorn, and if bought wil be doing the same.
Cheers...... Andy.
Hi Andy, The panel is H 620 W 540 D 35
as you can see fits well and charges the battery well. Cheers Martin
@@TheCaravanNut Thanks Martin. You're a star.👍
I got a 100w panel last year and still haven’t got round to putting it on the roof, I just put it in the front window and remove it before we go away, not ideal but kept the battery fully charged last winter
I thought about it for a while but glad I chose to put it in the window, didn’t fancy putting a hole in the roof!
Thanks for comments and watching, Martin
The Caravan Nut the hole in the roof doesn’t bother me, it’s more to do with finding a neat and tidy cable route from the roof to the battery, especially as on my Bailey, the battery box is under the caravan floor so will need another hole drilling in the floor 😐
Is there not a air vent in the under a cupboard in floor that you can put the cables through rather than drilling a hole?