Caravan Solar Panels
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- Опубликовано: 17 авг 2016
- We discuss our solar panel and point out some basics of solar systems inside a caravan. I share what panels we use when away, and how we mount them in the caravan. This set up has been perfect for off grid caravanning and not needing any electric hook up.
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I am so grateful that I found this video. I had a caravan shipped to Cyprus from the UK and although the battery is only one year old I'm fairly certain that it's flat as lots of things were left on during shipping. I'm a complete novice at caravans but boy am I learning.
Just brought my first caravan and a complete newbie.. watched some of your videos and great easy to understand information. Thanks!
Thanks for these videos's Dan. They are superb points of reference for a new caravanner. I've replicated this set up in our van now to keep our battery topped up!!
Hi
Dan and family we are new to caravaning, after trailer tenting for 13years. We are working our way though your videos, there are lots of new things for us to learn about.
solar panels on my list for next year
keep up the good work, good to see all your family taking part
HI Victor, many thanks for your comment,
Glad to hear you are moving onto a caravan. Have you decided which one you are getting yet ?
Take care
Dan
Thanks Dan that has helped . Best wishes to you and family
Thanks, Dan. Great video that will help me with my future purchase and how to get it all set up.
My word Dan. You make some really useful videos. Thank you so much.
Saw you on the telly...just want to say, love all your help for us beginners...
Thank you. Really appreciate your kind comment.
Take care Dan
Next on my wish list great video .
Thank you for your reply Dan . Any more forward with getting a new van.
useful stuff mate.. wondered about the load connection now i know cheers
Great informative video, thanks Dan..
Thanks Dan for the very informative video. My question is if I want to remove my battery do I have to disconnect the solar panel from the control box to avoid damaging it.
Another great informative video. Thank you!
Thank you
Take care
Dan
very good, thanks for the Information on panels..
Thanks Dan , really helpful
Thanks we also have them wired in series through Morningstar controllers mppt
Hi Dan. We bought our lovely 2nd hand caravan in May and your videos have been invaluable. I've bought a solar panel, but it has crocodile clip fixings to attach to the battery terminals. This is fine for charging up when we're not needing to use the battery, but I've got no idea whether it's possible to attach it in a different way so that we can charge and use at the same time. I'm happy to do DIY but don't want to mess up!
Thanks for the great videos. I'm all set up nicely with solar. but I do have a question. I'm looking for an awning for my coachman 450 and I really like the look of the one showing at the beginning of this video. Is it black? I love it! Would you mind telling me the make of it? Is it easy for one person to erect? Thankyou
great video as always! Cheers from Italy!
Thank you !
Take care
Dan
Hi Dan, I've learned so much from your videos, they have been a great help. I have a suitcase solar panel but one side had got smashed. I had bought another one for outside, but after seeing this video, can I separate them and use the good one for keeping a trickle to the battery all year?
Hi Dan
I've been following you Chanel since we purchased our Knaus Sport 500 FDK. We are also a family of 4 living in Groningen in the Netherlands from Australia. My Wife has her career here now and I'm the stay at home dad with Jack 11 and Oliver 8.
I find your video. Clips very entertaining and informative for someone who has not been a caravan person previously. We are currently on our 2nd caravan trip for 4 days quite close to home and getting everything sorted in regard how it works, what we need going forward. You right about packing the kitchen sink and more not needed as you've said previously!
My main thought processes are now towards off grid camping. We are getting 12v TV & DVD player. The only thing that does not work is the hot water which is 230V, I could have got the mix including gas but in the excitement of the order of the van did not think of it. We also have Aircon which today 30C is working a treat on powered site here. So all our lighting, heating, fridge will work away from mains power. So the question in my mind do I go for a inverter generator to cover hot water and aircon. We can get solar panel setup for battery supplied areas of the van. I'm also looking at investing in satellite Dish Snipe 2 which is auto tuning and will run off 12v DC.
Our plan is to do a 3 week trip to Scotland in summer and all the Caravan club sites have power so Generator situation not urgent at present.
Going off grid is a real dream for me here as we have a great opportunity to explore Uk and Europe and beyond very easily and economically.
I look forward to maybe crossing paths one day for a chat as you seem to be very like minded in your approach to you Caravaning. Also thank you for us for all you and your families advice towards our Caravanning future.
All the Best
H. Chris Denison
Chrisdenison52@gmail.com
Hi Hugh,
Great to hear - and I'm glad our videos are providing you with some help. As for running Air Con & hot water from an inveryert - it really would flatten your battery quicker than you could ever pump charge back into them, even with 2 heavy batteries it wouldn't take long to flatten etc. As for A/C - I'm not sure, but for hot water simply boil the kettle when off grid.
I would always recommend the solar option, its fairly inexpensive, can supply some good charge and will allow you to live fairly normally when no where near any services.
I hope that short answer helps,
Take care
Dan
Great informative video thank you
Great video again Dan. Another advantage of your system over a roof panel is that you can direct yours towards the sun for better solar gain. Having said that, my 100w (I think) on the roof keeps me going all summer long off-grid, but I don't have a TV and use the tablet over the laptop wherever possible, which of course I charge up during the day. You've inspired me to finally do a video about my off-grid set up...once I make the time! :)
Excellent stuff, we are going off grid next weekend with the full intention of showing its freedom & limits. Will be great to see your off grid setup !! Speak soon D
Hi Dan, what are your thoughts on a flexible solar panel stuck on the van roof and the wires down the unused awning channel so no drilling of the roof.
Excellent explanation Thanks
Hi Dan great video - quick question please; when you have the solar panel connected to battery for charging do you need to shut system down at fuse box?
Hi Dan thanks for this video. As new to all dis I bought a solar panel but did not know I needed a controller. So this is a big help but I have another problem! Hi do I connect controller as don’t have same one or connection’s? And also to battery?
Hi Dan do think a free standing panel or a roof mounted one is better option thanks
Hi, I'm interested in getting this set up very soon, my questions:
1)how do you access the battery box.
2) if my battery does have the same connections as yours do I connect directly to battery terminal +ve & -ve?
Very good, new intro much better.
Great Vid Dan (as usual) - can you remember if the surface gets warm of the panel when in the window? We have a very similar Lunar and probably going for the 120w version of this and just wanted to check especially on hot days when in storage - Thanks and keep safe
Hi dan would it be better to get a 30amp controller and not need all 30amps or a smaller amp controller and push it harder if that makes sense? Thanks
Thanks for the info :-)
Hi,it would be really good to have a video on how you use the solar,after you attached it to the battery,do you switch it onto mainsor 12 volt?Sorry but no idea about any of this :) Thanks
hi there what if the weather is dull (not uncommon in the uk)
Hi guys i have just picked up a Lunar Clubman SI 2017 , it`s been on my drive with a good battery and solar panel fitted . I left it for 2 days without hookup and now a flat battery, please can you point me in the right direction as to what im doing wrong. I thought the solar panel would charge the battery, thanks for any advice you can give me.
Hi, Love your channel very informative especially as we're just starting out.
Regarding your solar set up what size male spade connections did you use for the inline fuse ?
Thanks
Dave
Hi Dave, the fuse(s) that i use are the standard automotive blade type. I use an inline fuse holder that I purchased from Maplins (www.maplin.co.uk/p/black-splashproof-blade-fuse-holder-kk80b) I soldered, and heat-shrank the fuse holder in line and as close as possible to the battery itself.
Thank you for your kind words, and i hope this has helped.
Take care
Dan
Hi Dan, I'm about to purchase a 100 watt solar panel which has a 15 amp controller, what size is your controller? Also what gauge 12v wiring would you recommend as I want to install a couple of usb sockets? thanks in advance, always appreciate your videos.
Watched a lot of your stuff Dan, and over a couple years at that.
Always good and very helpful.
Thank you very much, and keep on going with the videos :)
great video Dan
Thank you Danny. Take Care, Dan
I what size is the watt meter. Thanks keith
Dan thank you for all your great tips. Can you help me . Can you make wire from solar panel longer or not
Hi Tony, yes you can, you can increase any amount of cabling, but be warned : too long and you will start to see some drop in performance. So if you can keep them as short as possible.
Hope that helps
Dan
What is the best solar charger for a 100w panel. 10amp or 20amp
Would I need an inverter if I want to hook a solar panel and battery up to my hydroponic garden system to get a continuous charge?
this is awesome educational tools for renewable power.. hope you let me borrow it.. thanks..
Please feel free to share.
Dan
we have 2 on the roof 2x125 watt and 2 portable 2 x 100 watt and we find we get a lot more power following the sun with the portable panel but for a normal weekend rally our top ones are more than enough but if the weather is dull we have still drained the battery this is down to our tv although after 12 months and 10 days its now packed up so we wont be buying Samsung again.great video as always keep up the good work
HI, thats great information. We are going away next weekend for 4 or 5 days and we are 100% off grid. I was going to show how we get on etc. I have heard that a tilted panel will out perform a flat panel, but having never compared them I cannot comment etc. but it seems you have the proof.
Thanks for the comment, will report back on how we get on off grid (possibly in an upcoming video )
Dan
excellent video thx
Morning, sorry for delay
Thank you, im glad it helped.
Is there a video on how to change a in built charger in a caravan mine has given up the ghost ???
Enjoy following Trudgians online from Australia. We have a panel fixed to our roof and also additional panels to set on ground when on site. Comment I have is do you think your setup may be a fire risk? Admittedly we get more sun, but we can’t touch the panels, need to allow them to cool before storage. Keep up the videos guys, really enjoy them.
Hi Dan, just a quick question, the link brings me to a 50w panel, is this what you have or is it the more expensive one?
Hi Dan interesting video and something I am planning myself, just a question, how well does this setup work in the winter months.
Thanks Steve
Hi Steve, based on the winter months in the UK and around 4 solar hours of usable charge this set up performs very well.
even with the tinted windows, and it half obstructed - the panel always supplies a charge to the battery in daylight hours.
I hope that helps.
Dan
Could one of these charge a mobile phone and if so could it be connected to controller at all? Sorry if it seems a silly question I'm not very clever!
Hi, new to caravaning and love your videos, very informative for me being a novice. How do you get the battery lead from inside the van to the outside when on pitch etc. Is there a large enough hole for the small plug to pull through or do you have another lead for the outside?? Hope that makes sense. By the way I see a lot of these panels for sale with crocodile clips would it be better to remove them and make a firm fixing??
Thanks
David
Hi David. Have a look at this video of ours, it shows the connection on the battery and also shows the route from the battery box to the panel.
I hope that helps, any further questions - please feel free to ask
ruclips.net/video/hwA-6A7_VM4/видео.html
Hi Dan, New to caravanning in this my retirement year but as an ex shopfitter I am quite handy on the tools. Great video by the way but then they are all good so far! I was going to ask how you managed to get the cables into the battery box but you have answered that one but I still would like to ask a few questions. What is the amp size of the fuse you used? What length are the cables' on the panel? If have to extend the cables what are the best connecting methods just to be on the safe side? Cheers !
I love your little annex , would be much better and easier then using an awning and annex
New Sub and a cracking video. Nice to see a simple set up that works. To many people over complicate their systems. We did exactly this when we were tuggers but now in the motorhome we have two 150W on the roof. No inverter as we are all 12v or below :-)
Hi Desmond, Welcome aboard ! I am trying one video at a time to de-mistify and simplify all the subject matters regarding caravans & camping.
How do you get on with your 150W panels ? can they tilt or are they fixed in place ?
Take care
Dan
Yes I like the KISS principle. Desmond is the MH btw. Name is Dave. We live in NE Scotland and wild camp all year, at least every other weekend and four 10 day trips, planning to full time in a while. We caravanned for 30+ years before changing to the MH. We went for two panels so I could mount them at right angles to each other. One across the roof at the front and one in line at the rear. They are not tiltable because although the extra 30% output may be useful we think the chances of leaving them up is to high. They are connected in parallel with a PWM controller and meter. I did not go the MPPT route as I did not want to put the panels in series. The dual controller feeds two batteries. One is 110Ah leisure battery for me Ham radio gear, the other is 135Ah for domestic. Even in winter we can run the blown air gas heating and not have a low voltage problem. Longest solar trip in the MH two weeks but we once did a month in the caravan with no hook ups years ago. Pop across to the channel and see what we do, it has taken awhile but I am beginning to get on camera myself :-)
Thats Awesome Dave. wow, 110Ah for your radio gear ! I use a 8Ah LIPO for my radio gear, but to be honest when away - I'm limited to either the KX3, or FT817 as the boss said "No radio gear" in the van. But - i snuck one in for some early morning QSOs etc.
It is amazing how much you can run from the solar set ups these days, in fact I did record a video on why everyone should try an off grid set up once or twice. We use the panel, and a bottle of gas and have exactly the same facilities as with EHU !!
Thanks again - speak soon.
Dan
I started out the same with an 817, now have TS480 and DM710 both have separation kits so all you see in the van is a small table with the two heads on. It keeps me out of trouble the boss says :-)
Hello Dan,
Useful video with key points covered in a easy to follow manner. Is a 100w solar panel enough to keep the leisure battery topped up when at storage or off grid?
Thanks Anthony
Hi Anthony. 100w has always been what we have used. And, we’ve never had an issue. 👍
@TheTrudgians Thanks for the reply and it's a great fit in the window to charge when in storage.
Hi Dan, Great Video. Which direction does your van face? I am considering the same set up you have (from your links) just to keep the battery trickle charged and in good condition, I turn everything off and no alarm so the drain will be small. The trouble is our van front window faces North, do you think it would still charge?
Thanks and keep up the good content. Tig :)
Hi Jason, we face almost south east with our van, so not dead south etc, we get the morning sun better than the afternoon etc. I would say give it a go, sure it won't be direct sunlight, but with a big enough panel, a small amount may be good enough.
Sorry i cannot be more help than that.
Dan
Nice setup. One thing I noticed was that one of the panels is obscured by the window's frame... this creates shade on some of the cells on that panel and will limit its output current. If you could find panels that fit perfectly to the window, that'd be ideal!
Hi,
Yes, you are right. The panel behaves like a 40w when inside the van. The 1st cell is not obscured so the current drain is minimal. but still not perfect. The problem is also compounded as the windows are also slightly tinted, however, this set up is fine for maintaining a trickle for the battery, and perfect for when we are off grid.
Thanks for popping by.
Take care
Dan
Solar Steve I
Hi Just wondering if you could answer me a quick question we are new to caravanning and like yours our caravan has an alarm we are going to purchase a solar panel but could you tell me where you have put the watts up meter on yours as I didn't notice it on the video when you showed your set up.
Hi Neil, many thanks for your comment, on the "actual" panel install, not my small portable unit - i don't usually have the Watts Up meter connected. But when I do, it goes in line with the cable that connects the panel to the battery. That way I can see what the voltage is in the battery and if the panel is charging the battery etc.
For the majority of the time the controller on the panel gives me enough information - it has LED notification to show if the panel is charging and if the battery is fully charged or not. The other item to check, that i didn't in this video - is the main panel of the caravan to see the state of the battery.
I hope that helps, any questions - feel free to ask.
Dan
nice work Dan.
when you said connect to the battery in the battery box did you drill through it to pass the leads through and of so did you then seal the hole again with a committee or mastic of some kind.
also what would the max you would expect the controller to reach voltage wise before switching off to save cooking the battery.
ray.
Morning Ray, Thanks for the comment. So the physical connection is done via a hole in the box (a blanked hole to start with) then i used a gland to cover up the hole and hold the cable in place. I used one of these - www.caravan-spare-parts.co.uk/product/battery-box-cable-gland/
The Controller (on the caravan solar panel) will ramp up to 13.7v when charging and level off at 13.6v when idle. As we have a constant drain on the battery from the alarm & tracker, the controller will stop charging at about 10:30am and start again late afternoon in the height of summer on a clear day.
I hope that helps - and i knew i should have filmed the battery box ;-)
Dan
Thanks Dan for the reply that helps a lot
Dan could you please tell me the best wattage folding panel for a large battery on our caravan
Hi Tony, sorry for delay you would be looking at 100w + the bigger the better. but practically the size of the panel needs to be within reason. We find the 100w folding panel is superb and we went off grid for 10 days and never ran out of charge.
Hope that helps
Excellent video, I'd just point out it might be worth checking how much heat is generated in direct sunlight. We had to replace the front windows of our van because of distorted windows, probably caused we think by the blind being left down by a previous owner while in storage and the heat of the sun.
HI, this is a excellent point. The panels will capture the heat, which is why we have them stood back from the windows. we ensure that no blinds are down in summer time, but curtains instead are closed etc.
Thanks again
Dan
Very good
Thank you !
Hi great video 👍
Just one question do you get much heat generated/reflection between the panel and the windows just a bit worried about heat damage to the windows
Thanks graham
Hi Graham, virtually no heat between panel and window, i think this is because the panel was never tight up against the window, but sat back to allow air movement and dissipation of heat.
Thanks for your help I've just ordered one to do the same
All the best graham
Hi Dan, your videos are excellent I've watched almost all of them. I'm on my 2nd caravan now and absolutely love it. I plug my caravan in on my driveway, will it trickle charge or could this damage it??? Maybe a trickle charge guide soon 😉 keep up the good work 👍👍👍
HI Rikki, a trickle charge wont harm the battery, but do check out my video on using a smart charger. That will help any leisure battery.
@@TheTrudgians I will watch that straight away. Many thanks pal 👍
Awesome
Informative Vid Dan, Technical Question! In your setup you have solar panel in front window AND occaisionally set up outside , so could you please tell me more about the cabling please?
1. I assume you have crocadile clips to connect to battery, yes? did you make the hole in battery box for this function (where is the hole? top, bottom, sides? and how big is the hole?).
2. OR, do you have a permenant connection to battery? with some sort of easy disconnect in battery bo (A-to go into caravan, B-to go outside of the caravan) so that you meraly have to disconnect
cable on inside and when you take out solar panel along with this disconnect (sorry don't know what its called?) and go outside, you can just cable connect it back up from outside in battery box , to make it work from outside.
If No. 2 is correct? what are the disconnects called? and where can you get them?
Thanks Dan! if you can answer this I will be surprised? as I am almost not understanding above myself? but I believe the way you use your system is great (inside & outside) but the techniques of
EXACTLY how are too obscure? so now you know, (I hope)
`Hi Bryn,
Lets see if I can help here. The set up is really easy and very straight forward. The panel sits inside the caravan and is connected to the battery through a hole in the back of the battery box. have a look here - you will see the access and the connection to the battery. ruclips.net/video/hwA-6A7_VM4/видео.html
The cable is long enough that I can drop it through the front window and outside when I use the panel in front of the caravan.
The connections i have chosen are IEC - kettle style plug and socket. I chose this as you cannot the the polarity around the wrong way, and they are easy obtainable from the store, if one should break.
And thats it. I hope that helps.
Dan
One question - you connect the unit to the main battery of the Caravan. What happens if I do not unplug that and I plug the caravan to the 220V - that mean that the main battery charger start to work together with the solar one? thx
Hi, the Solar controller can detect when it no longer needs to send charge to the battery, so you can leave the solar panel connected if you are on 220v.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Do you know what should panel be charging at. Caravan dealer says mine on swift fitted is charging at 0.7amps. Asking as my last brand new battery went flat over 8 weeks with everything switched off. They suggest cleaning panel. It is clean.
Hi Brian, at 0.7amps that would indicate a charge rate of just 8.4watts and Im guessing you have a 100w panel, cleaning a panel will help - but wont provide 92watts of extra power. - I suspect somthing is wrong either with the panel, or the charge controller. Look at the panel for any signs of damage, debris or heavy coverage.
hope that helps.
Dan
Hi Dan my wife and I are new to caravaning and was after a bit of advice please. The caravan we have purchased comes with a new leisure battery and we are wondering what is the ideal wattage solar panel to fit whilst the caravan is in storage? I have watched a lot of your very informative videos and have found them very helpful. Keep up the good work best regards John.
HI John, to be honest, the biggest the better. However we manage with a 100W panel, and a 110Ah battery on the Lunar, the solar was half covered in the window, yet still kept the alarm and tracker operational even in mid winter. On the Bailey, its a 100W panel again, but with a 100Ah battery. Again throughout winter it was perfect.
I hope that helps.
Hi again thanks for your reply, I will check the Ah of the battery that is fitted when we pick the caravan up next Saturday. We have watched lots of your videos and have found them very helpful indeed.
Keep up the good work.
Best regards John.
Quick question Dan. Most panels of this size and type online seem to have a 10amp controller fitted, yours appears to be a 20amp. In fact following your link to ebay, leads to an EcWorthy panel with a 15amp controller, so I was wondering if I order a panel that is 100w and has a 10amp controller, will that do the job or should I be looking for a 15 or 20amp controller for 100w? Alpha Batteries have a 100w one, 10amp controller and with a 5 year warranty and German Solar Cells for £149, so that was my preffered supplier at the moment. Excellent video, you have convinced me to try off grid caravanning next year.
Oh I wish he replied to your comment I'm looking to buy a big setup I want the best one possible but unsure what to order 🫣
Hi, does the power of the caravan need to be in the on or off position when using the solar panel whilst in storage?
Hi Cara, switch the caravan off. The solar panel will have a direct connection to your leisure battery
just watched this with Mad professor Dub me crazy in the background. Hear me now!
HI Dan, I want to do some off grid stuff through Caravan club book, Andrew raised a good point in his off grid blog about why he went for a roof fitted setup as worried about getting portable panel stolen, what are your thoughts on the two different setups of solar power ? Thanks Andrew
HI Andrew,
Okay great point. The titled panel will always gather more power than a flat panel. Also, being a loose fit, you can move it and aim it at the sun. But, the risk of theft is always there. I chain mine to the jockey wheel, not perfect I know, but it removes the spontaneous theft quite a bit.
A roof mounted panel will be a far more secure option, but will need to be kept clean and will never gather as much power as a tilted panel. However - it will do a great job.
I hope that helps.
Dan
Thanks :-)
We have a 160watt solar panel in a suitcase configuration. Do we put a fuse between the positive output of the controller to positive battery terminal. and what rating of fuse do we need to use?
Hi Pieter, so some simple maths where Current = Wattage / Votalge (P=IxV) 160/12 = 13.33 so the nearest fuse to that would be 15Amp.
@@TheTrudgians Thank you Dan.
How long can you keep the panel connected to the battery?
Hi Paul - as long as you have a solar charge controller fitted then the panel could be permanently fitted to the battery with no harm. In fact, it could be argued it will benefit the battery as it will trickle charge to keep the battery topped up for those periods it is not in daily use? V... 👍🏻 🐍
hi like the vid but i was wondering when you set it all up like you have can you still have a hook up on aswell or would they clash hope for a reply thanks
You can yes, but we don't. As the panel on our installation is temporary and only for when we are off grid / in storage.
If you mounted this panel permanently on the roof the wiring would be pretty much the same. So you can have it on EHU at the same time.
Hope that helps
Dan
hi thanks for the reply But i have one more question if you dont mind...so if i was on EHU and the solar panel was hooked up to my bat can i use the EHU to charge the bat at the same time as the solar panel i just dont want it to go pop just to make sure thanks again for replying to me
Hi, if you are connected to the EHU, usually (unless you ve disabled it) the caravan will charge your battery. This will create a higher voltage (13.4v etc) which will prevent the solar panel controller supplying any charge to the battery, so you will be fine.
Hope that helps.
Dan
thanks alot feel happy now, its my first caravan took years to save up for it and the last thing i want is for it to go bang so thanks again
Hi Dan
Apologies if this is a repeated question but I've just purchased the same solar panel you have and I just want to get my head around the connection that you have bolted on the battery to the actual solar panel, am I right in thinking that we can see the connection when you show the back of your panel in the video? If so I assume you just have this connection and cable loose under the front bed when not in use? Would love a link to this product so I get it right first time?
Hi Kevin,
Im sure i can help here. So the cable to the battery literally comes off the controller, under the bed through the back of the battery box and straight onto the terminal. (There is a blade fuse just on the top of the battery rated at 10amp that is inline etc)
The WattsUp meter I don't currently use on the suitcase solar panel, as the caravan has a meter that I use (by the front door)
If this hasn't helped or answer your question, please pop over to our Facebook page, and send us a direct message. Will be happy to help.
Dan
Thats great, thanks for the advise, just wanted to make sure because this is the first time trying out a solar panel siimilar to your set up.
Can't find a link?
ve 1 question, hopefully, you can answer it for me please? What solar panals should I need for a set up like yours (no idea of amp hours on battery, in storage?) I know you said you got 2 x50watt panels and thats ok for you! could I get away with a solar panel of between 10 and 20 watts to trickle charge the van in storage all the time? or maybe 1x50watt? I have no idea? can you help
HI Bryn,
If you choose a 50w would you be mounting it the same as us ? i.e behind the window facing south ? if so, then i would think a 50w would be fine. anything lower simply wouldn't do anything to charge your battery. I hope that helps.
Dan
looking at this youtube with interest as i need to do something similiar, however came across the following on a solar panel supplier's site on their FAQ
Can I Use a Solar Panel Inside my Caravan / Boat Next to the Window?
Even if it looks as if there is a lot of light inside the caravan /
boat it is actually much better if a solar panel is located outside.
Even in the middle of the day, a caravan solar panel is going to get
more direct sunlight when it is situated outside where the efficiency
and power generated by the solar panel will be higher.
Besides, if a solar panel is kept inside, even next to the window, it
is quite likely that some solar cells will be shaded. This reduces the
efficiency of the solar panel and puts some strain on shaded solar cells
to pass current generated by sunlit solar cells which is not
recommended.
HI Gordon,
So, using a panel behind a tinted window will reduce its performance. BUT, we only use it behind the window when we are charging the battery up. In reality the panel is behaving like a 40w with cell no.1 being covered and a reduction of light getting in.
When off grid the panel lives outside, and behaves perfectly.
I hope that helps
Dan
hi,
What fuse do you use between Solar panel and battery?
HI Joe, I have a 10amp blade fuse connected as close to the battery terminal as I can get. In reality the panel will create a 8.3amp current but that is only on the brightest of days with the battery being really low on voltage, as we cannot get an 8.3amp fuse i went for the next rating up, which will still blow if there is a serious problem.
Hope that helps.
Dan
The Trudgians Thanks Dan that's a big help.
Went on our first weekend in a caravan this weekend and couldn't have managed without your advise. jeep the videos coming.😁
Hi Joe, thats really good to hear, and I'm really chuffed our videos have helped.
Take care
Dan
All explained well, thanks. when I was in NZ, I saw most of the caravans had the English style panoramic front window, which are hardly ever seen in Australia, haha, shite roads here.
Camera quality is great what are you using?
Hi Rich,
This video should be able to answer your questions.
ruclips.net/video/UFhtBy1izVE/видео.html
Thanks
Dan
Wow! So that's why your videos are such great quality! They stand out from the rest I can tell you 👍 great work my friend 🇬🇧
Questions 1) how do you connect 12v devices to you Solar power 2) what devices do you normally connect to ?
HI Merv, I connect all 12v devices to the leisure battery, and not use the Controller output which many of the controllers have. The solar panel is used a charger only, whereas the controllers can select where best to get the 12v supply form (either the solar array, or the 12 connect battery etc)
Typical devices include a 12v TV - a selection of USB chargers, running the caravan, the 12v controller for the fridge, all our lighting and radio.
I hope that helps.
yes thanks for that mate I have an off grid caravan on my plot of land in the bush here in Tasmania I have a solar panel on the roof plus E2000i generator I might get another small solar panel for charging and tv etc
WHY don't you fix the solar panel to the roof of your caravan ?
That is a really good question, we don't fix it to the roof simply because It works perfectly fine as is. Plus a tilted panel will always out perform a flat panel, finally when we go to a site with EHU, we remove the panel all together thus freeing up more weight for more payload.
Hope that helps.
Dan