Solar Power

Mike Harding · Mike Harding

Don't get carried away by hype or posts about how solar will solve all your problems, it has much merit but has limitations too: 13th May 2022, 3pm, 20km north of Kerang north western Victoria: 4 X 200W freestanding solar panels facing the sun feeding into a Victron MPPT controller producing 60W as the...

Mike Harding · Mike Harding

I'm currently camped at around latitude 34d south and decided, it being 2nd May, to change the angle of my solar panels to their winter setting; or from about 45d to 60d. Doing so has increased panel output by about 11% as determined from an 11am test. When I made the legs for these 4 x 200W panels I calcula...

Nomad2019 · Nomad2019

Am researching the purchase of a solar blanket to supplement the 2x150w panels on the roof of my caravan as the current situation means I run out of power after say three days off grid. Any information would be very much appreciated as I understand it's not as easy as taking the blanket out of the box and p...

Gary and Barb · Gary and Barb

I have a Trayon slide-on and recently upgraded my batteries with two lithium 100ah set up in series. I keep it all charged with a 250w solar panel. The resultant 200ah of stored power is ample to run the fridge (2.5ah), water pump, diesel hot water and lighting for weeks, but because I do a lot of remote ca...

Cliff Wilson - Sooty · Cliff Wilson - Sooty

Good afternoon all, I'm looking at buying a generator for my motorhome. While surfing the net I came across the Bluetti AC200P solar generator. I was just wondering if anybody has had a good look at this system. I found two reviews on Youtube about this unit. 1 - Best in-car/4WD portable battery power...

LC80 · LC80

Hi All, I was hoping for some recommendations on a 20A to 30A mppt controller for lead acid deep cycle with 2 80w portable panels in series. Currently looking sub $140 at Renogy Li 20 , 30 Tracer AN BN (AN seems to be re-badged at jaycar. ) Kickass Tm. ??? Wondering if the cheap Bluetooth available is wor...

Chrisrich · Chrisrich

Jayco 2005 poptop has a battery installed under a bed, and are looking at folding portable solar blanket connected via anderson plug on drawbar to charge when 240 mains power not availableWould I need a controller/ regulator of any kind or does Jayco have some sort of management system ? I have no ide...

Hitting the road · Hitting the road

G'day all, I am a newbie here as well. Just a general question of the techy type people here, I've just bought a s/h Jayco Journey Outback...lucky me some will say...It has the standard electrical syhstem fitted, the house battery as usual is a basic 100amp AGM, the charging system is through jayco's B...

Sarge9 · Sarge9

My understanding is the solar controller needs to be as close to the battery as possible, do I have this right and what sort of loss are we talking. Scenario is: Daughters Jayco poptop has a battery installed near the drivers side wheel arch under a bed, they are considering folding portable solar pane...

jpd1009 · jpd1009

Hi, I have a 250w panel with integrated mttp controller. I am about to fit a DC-DC charger near the battries that also has a dedicated mppt solar input. Optiona are... 1. Ignore the mppt on the DC-DC charger and keep using the solar panel untouched into the DC input to the battery. 2. De-commission the mp...

goldenyears · goldenyears

Lead Crystal Batteries can be discharged deeper & recover to full rated capacity over & over!Compared to lead acid, lead gel and AGM batteries Lead Crystal batteries can be discharged deeper, cycled more often (even in extreme temperatures) and have a longer service life. Lead Crystal b...

VK2FJW · VK2FJW

I was ripped off and paid $44,500 for a Snowy River SR18 that had a 240 volt fire in the walls, it had a BMPRO 30-35 so thinking I had a good van I purchased a BMPRO BatteryPlus35-II-HA and 4 new 160 amp solar panels and 4 100 amp lithium batteries. I can't find another van in my price range max. $40,000 with BM...

goldenyears · goldenyears

Hi all i have a redarc bms 30 connected to a roof top solar panel on my motorhome .. when parked in the shade i want to use my portable solar blanket hooked up with its own regulator directly to the battery .. At the moment when vehicle covered i hook up the portable sometimes to put a charge in battery .. the...

RichardK · RichardK

After much procrastinating we finally obtained a solar blanket to lessen the use of the generator in certain conditions. Got a cheapie to see how it will go and will try out in the next couple of weeks. Spent a day last week making up a portable stand for it and here is the results, no doubt some tweaking wi...

Long Weekend · Long Weekend

I thought I had posted this a while ago but it seems that it disappeared. I think it was because I didn't start a new topic. There are several sites in America covering a new(?) concept of having solar cells on the van awning. Called XPanse Solar Awnings the awning is simply rolled out and with the whole aw...

Mike Harding · Mike Harding

Recent threads got me thinking about solar panel directions and angles so I've done a little research and this is a good site for data: Solar panel angles calculator The calculator allows country and town selection and will calculate optimum panel angle for each month or the year. *NB* the angle it ca...

RobDor · RobDor

My current setup is 300watt solar panels and 200AH (2 x 100AH) Lithium Batteries. Based on some testing over past week, the batteries will deplete after about a week because it doesn't get enough charge during the daylight hours to sustain the power draw (mainly fridge running 24/7). Fridge will dra...

iana · iana

The system on our van is 3 x 145w solar panels coupled into a GSL mppt 60 amp regulator. I have wired the system up so that there is a removable jumper connection, made up of Anderson plugs. The reason I did this is two fold, one to easily disconnect the solar panels before working on the batteries, and to en...

Tailor · Tailor

Hi, Recently installed lithium batteries in our van using a victron 100/30 blue solar controller and victron blue battery charger. Reason for using Victron, other than their good reputation, was the blue tooth facilities available with my iphone. So far. so good, both systems are working OK. howe...

Eremita · Eremita

G'day everybody! Would someone know a good electrician in Sydney or around, capable of re-doing a not so well done job on a Ford TRansit? Thank you for any referral.

Topic		Started By	Replies	Views	Last Post
	Solar panel output (Preview) Don't get carried away by hype or posts about how solar will solve all your problems, it has much merit but has limitations too: 13th May 2022, 3pm, 20km north of Kerang north western Victoria: 4 X 200W freestanding solar panels facing the sun feeding into a Victron MPPT controller producing 60W as the...	Mike Harding	26	2860	09:42 AM Feb 8, 2023 by Aus-Kiwi
	Solar panel angle ( 1 2 ) (Preview) I'm currently camped at around latitude 34d south and decided, it being 2nd May, to change the angle of my solar panels to their winter setting; or from about 45d to 60d. Doing so has increased panel output by about 11% as determined from an 11am test. When I made the legs for these 4 x 200W panels I calcula...	Mike Harding	49	4370	07:18 AM Sep 18, 2022 by Cassie63
	Purchasing a solar blanket (not panels) for my caravan (Preview) Am researching the purchase of a solar blanket to supplement the 2x150w panels on the roof of my caravan as the current situation means I run out of power after say three days off grid. Any information would be very much appreciated as I understand it's not as easy as taking the blanket out of the box and p...	Nomad2019	5	1161	06:02 PM Apr 28, 2022 by TimTim
	Inverters ( 1 2 ) (Preview) I have a Trayon slide-on and recently upgraded my batteries with two lithium 100ah set up in series. I keep it all charged with a 250w solar panel. The resultant 200ah of stored power is ample to run the fridge (2.5ah), water pump, diesel hot water and lighting for weeks, but because I do a lot of remote ca...	Gary and Barb	34	3696	06:28 PM Oct 1, 2022 by Dick0
	Bluetti AC200p Solar Generator - 2000w (Preview) Good afternoon all, I'm looking at buying a generator for my motorhome. While surfing the net I came across the Bluetti AC200P solar generator. I was just wondering if anybody has had a good look at this system. I found two reviews on Youtube about this unit. 1 - Best in-car/4WD portable battery power...	Cliff Wilson - Sooty	19	2010	02:20 PM Feb 22, 2022 by Whenarewethere
	Cheap MPPT Recommendations (Preview) Hi All, I was hoping for some recommendations on a 20A to 30A mppt controller for lead acid deep cycle with 2 80w portable panels in series. Currently looking sub $140 at Renogy Li 20 , 30 Tracer AN BN (AN seems to be re-badged at jaycar. ) Kickass Tm. ??? Wondering if the cheap Bluetooth available is wor...	LC80	25	3558	04:26 PM Nov 13, 2022 by TimTim
	Solar blanket (Preview) Jayco 2005 poptop has a battery installed under a bed, and are looking at folding portable solar blanket connected via anderson plug on drawbar to charge when 240 mains power not availableWould I need a controller/ regulator of any kind or does Jayco have some sort of management system ? I have no ide...	Chrisrich	9	1434	09:29 PM Feb 25, 2022 by Hylife
	Additional solar panel input question... (Preview) G'day all, I am a newbie here as well. Just a general question of the techy type people here, I've just bought a s/h Jayco Journey Outback...lucky me some will say...It has the standard electrical syhstem fitted, the house battery as usual is a basic 100amp AGM, the charging system is through jayco's B...	Hitting the road	7	1318	12:44 PM May 9, 2022 by TimTim
	solar controller where to install (Preview) My understanding is the solar controller needs to be as close to the battery as possible, do I have this right and what sort of loss are we talking. Scenario is: Daughters Jayco poptop has a battery installed near the drivers side wheel arch under a bed, they are considering folding portable solar pane...	Sarge9	7	1429	10:05 PM Feb 23, 2022 by Hylife
	Multiple MTTP controller conundrum (Preview) Hi, I have a 250w panel with integrated mttp controller. I am about to fit a DC-DC charger near the battries that also has a dedicated mppt solar input. Optiona are... 1. Ignore the mppt on the DC-DC charger and keep using the solar panel untouched into the DC input to the battery. 2. De-commission the mp...	jpd1009	7	1102	08:05 PM Mar 8, 2022 by Hylife
	why ...... lead crystal batteries (Preview) Lead Crystal Batteries can be discharged deeper & recover to full rated capacity over & over!Compared to lead acid, lead gel and AGM batteries Lead Crystal batteries can be discharged deeper, cycled more often (even in extreme temperatures) and have a longer service life. Lead Crystal b...	goldenyears	4	1132	02:17 AM May 16, 2022 by dorian
	Installing a stand alone system in a caravan? HELP NEEDED (Preview) I was ripped off and paid $44,500 for a Snowy River SR18 that had a 240 volt fire in the walls, it had a BMPRO 30-35 so thinking I had a good van I purchased a BMPRO BatteryPlus35-II-HA and 4 new 160 amp solar panels and 4 100 amp lithium batteries. I can't find another van in my price range max. $40,000 with BM...	VK2FJW	10	1589	04:17 PM Jan 13, 2022 by VK2FJW
	REDARC MANAGER 30 help needed (Preview) Hi all i have a redarc bms 30 connected to a roof top solar panel on my motorhome .. when parked in the shade i want to use my portable solar blanket hooked up with its own regulator directly to the battery .. At the moment when vehicle covered i hook up the portable sometimes to put a charge in battery .. the...	goldenyears	16	1329	12:40 AM Jan 10, 2022 by Mamil
	Solar Blanket Stand (Preview) After much procrastinating we finally obtained a solar blanket to lessen the use of the generator in certain conditions. Got a cheapie to see how it will go and will try out in the next couple of weeks. Spent a day last week making up a portable stand for it and here is the results, no doubt some tweaking wi...	RichardK	15	3241	05:45 PM Jul 12, 2022 by RichardK
	Solar Awnings (Preview) I thought I had posted this a while ago but it seems that it disappeared. I think it was because I didn't start a new topic. There are several sites in America covering a new(?) concept of having solar cells on the van awning. Called XPanse Solar Awnings the awning is simply rolled out and with the whole aw...	Long Weekend	1	1390	07:35 AM May 9, 2022 by dorian
	Solar panel angle (Preview) Recent threads got me thinking about solar panel directions and angles so I've done a little research and this is a good site for data: Solar panel angles calculator The calculator allows country and town selection and will calculate optimum panel angle for each month or the year. NB the angle it ca...	Mike Harding	14	2257	09:24 PM Dec 9, 2021 by Tony LEE
	Can I boost my battery charging with portable solar panel when required ? (Preview) My current setup is 300watt solar panels and 200AH (2 x 100AH) Lithium Batteries. Based on some testing over past week, the batteries will deplete after about a week because it doesn't get enough charge during the daylight hours to sustain the power draw (mainly fridge running 24/7). Fridge will dra...	RobDor	13	1478	01:07 AM Nov 16, 2021 by peatop
	Series circuit and adding an extra portable panel. (Preview) The system on our van is 3 x 145w solar panels coupled into a GSL mppt 60 amp regulator. I have wired the system up so that there is a removable jumper connection, made up of Anderson plugs. The reason I did this is two fold, one to easily disconnect the solar panels before working on the batteries, and to en...	iana	20	1425	12:58 PM Nov 17, 2021 by yobarr
	Lithium battery bank with victron blue solar controller and victron blue charger (Preview) Hi, Recently installed lithium batteries in our van using a victron 100/30 blue solar controller and victron blue battery charger. Reason for using Victron, other than their good reputation, was the blue tooth facilities available with my iphone. So far. so good, both systems are working OK. howe...	Tailor	3	1018	03:40 PM Oct 23, 2021 by Tailor
	Electrician in Sydney - or arround. Electrician solar panel (Preview) G'day everybody! Would someone know a good electrician in Sydney or around, capable of re-doing a not so well done job on a Ford TRansit? Thank you for any referral.	Eremita	0	794	01:00 PM Oct 19, 2021 by Eremita
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