I have a Roma van bought from Christies Beach which we have used for about 7 years in caravan parks, having spent a life time in tents and camp trailers.
We are now getting ready to start free camping and making sure we have everything in place, which brings me to my question.
When we bought the van we had a solar panel installed, works fine under normal conditions (keeping the battery charged at home) but I don't know whether it will be big enough for free camping. Unfortunately we seem to have misplaced any info we may have had on the panel.
How do I identify the output of the panel it measures 1360 mm x 740 mm and has no identifying marks on the unit and the company we bought the van from no longer exists.
Anybody got some idea of the output?
BTW great forum I'am really enjoying it
Chris
Dougwe said
08:25 PM Sep 1, 2013
Welcome Pam and Chris, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Going by those dimensions it sounds like a 120w Solar Panel. There should be a label on the rear giving all the info you want. You could also take a pic and go visit a Jacar store as they will have all the info as well.
There are plenty of knowledgable people about this subject on the forum so sit back and enjoy all the replies you get then just pick the one/s you will take notice of.
Don't forget to check out all the sections of the forum as well and the front page, all good.
bill12 said
09:34 PM Sep 1, 2013
Get your self a multimeter, and put the display on amps. Disconnect the positive terminal between the panel and the battery.On a 120 w panel,It should show about 7 or 8 amps indiect sunlight. Make sure you have a fuse in the multimeter as you will blow it up , otherwise. Older and newer panels have different outputs, and this will tell you what it makes.I have an volt meter fitted in my system, and it shows 14v during the day and 12.7v at night, depending on what I am running. I hope this helps. Bill
oldtrack123 said
11:42 PM Sep 1, 2013
HI Chris
If you have a multi meter
First disconnect the panel from the battery , either at the regulator input or output
Set the meter to DC volts ^ measure the voltage between the PANEL pos & neg terminals with the panel facing DIRECTLY into bright sun
You should get a voltage reading around 21V for a nominal 12V panel
Then do a current test with the panel still fac,ing direct into BRIGHT sun set the multimeter to DCAmps [at least the 10A scale]w
Now connect the meter pos to the panel pos & meter neg to panel neg
multiply the Amp reading you get by 17 or 18 will give you the approx PANEL wattage
if the sun is not bright or the panels are not facing directly into the sun, the readings will be incorrect
PeterQ
-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Sunday 1st of September 2013 11:43:33 PM
VKPORTABLE said
05:23 PM Sep 4, 2013
Amps has to be measured in line with the circuit.
oldtrack123 said
07:21 PM Sep 4, 2013
HI
Short circuit amps are what we are concerned about in determing the Solar panel rating
THAT is checked by connecting a suitable rated ampmeter DIRECTLY across the PANEL TERMINALS.,
WITH THE LOAD DISCONNECTED!!!
PeterQ
-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Wednesday 4th of September 2013 07:23:43 PM
Pam_Chris said
02:51 AM Sep 5, 2013
Thanks All
Up to now I've been short on time to do anything about testing the circuits but now I have a bit of time the weather is going bad so as soon as everything comes together I'll run the checks and let you the out come.
G'day All'
I have a Roma van bought from Christies Beach which we have used for about 7 years in caravan parks, having spent a life time in tents and camp trailers.
We are now getting ready to start free camping and making sure we have everything in place, which brings me to my question.
When we bought the van we had a solar panel installed, works fine under normal conditions (keeping the battery charged at home) but I don't know whether it will be big enough for free camping. Unfortunately we seem to have misplaced any info we may have had on the panel.
How do I identify the output of the panel it measures 1360 mm x 740 mm and has no identifying marks on the unit and the company we bought the van from no longer exists.
Anybody got some idea of the output?
BTW great forum I'am really enjoying it
Chris
Going by those dimensions it sounds like a 120w Solar Panel. There should be a label on the rear giving all the info you want. You could also take a pic and go visit a Jacar store as they will have all the info as well.
There are plenty of knowledgable people about this subject on the forum so sit back and enjoy all the replies you get then just pick the one/s you will take notice of.
Don't forget to check out all the sections of the forum as well and the front page, all good.
HI Chris
If you have a multi meter
First disconnect the panel from the battery , either at the regulator input or output
Set the meter to DC volts ^ measure the voltage between the PANEL pos & neg terminals with the panel facing DIRECTLY into bright sun
You should get a voltage reading around 21V for a nominal 12V panel
Then do a current test with the panel still fac,ing direct into BRIGHT sun set the multimeter to DCAmps [at least the 10A scale]w
Now connect the meter pos to the panel pos & meter neg to panel neg
multiply the Amp reading you get by 17 or 18 will give you the approx PANEL wattage
if the sun is not bright or the panels are not facing directly into the sun, the readings will be incorrect
PeterQ
-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Sunday 1st of September 2013 11:43:33 PM
Amps has to be measured in line with the circuit.
HI
Short circuit amps are what we are concerned about in determing the Solar panel rating
THAT is checked by connecting a suitable rated ampmeter DIRECTLY across the PANEL TERMINALS.,
WITH THE LOAD DISCONNECTED!!!
PeterQ
-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Wednesday 4th of September 2013 07:23:43 PM
Up to now I've been short on time to do anything about testing the circuits but now I have a bit of time the weather is going bad so as soon as everything comes together I'll run the checks and let you the out come.
Once again thanks All
Chris