Solar Power

ROAMIN · Veteran Member

Solar Power

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

H Roamin,
Our motorhome is solar powered. We don't carry a generator and can camp for unlimited periods.
We run a 130L fridge, 25L freezer, laptop, lights, even a breadmaker and electric blankets (via an inverter) etc, etc, all from solar.
Expensive to set up, but great.

Cheers,
Peter

Dazza · Member

Gee Roamin this is a vext question. how much free camping do you want to do or how long will you stay away from power. there is a myriad of info on the web or various other forums on this subject so let you fingers do the walkin and do some research Work out how much power you will consume to work out how much you need. Apart from cost there is a weight factor if you need say 3 @ 150AH batteries. Books by Collyn Rivers will help. If you go with 3 way fridge you can use gas which will reduce solar power need considerably. keep in mind that medium size fridge/frrezer say 125L will use about 350/450 grams of gas a day (ambient temp of 25% ) so a 9kg gas bottle will last say 18/20 days. good solar can cost thousands but ofcourse once the investment is made that is it. (other than battery replacement)

I am curiuos Peter and Margaret about your setup. What panels and batteries?

Goodluck Roamin

ROAMIN · Veteran Member

Hi Peter n Margaret,
Yes i to would like to know big your panels are plus battery size and how many.
I have a 90 litre fridge freezer.

ThankYou Roamin.

ROAMIN · Veteran Member

Hi Dazza,
You are right it is a vexed question but i have looked at fourms and ever one has a different slant on it.
The reason why asked is i have a 90 litre fridge/freezer and 3, 4litre gas bottles if i stay for 1 month in bush and cook by fire, the bottles will last that long for fridge but i want to cook by gas as at times of fire danger.
I do not want generator extra fuel,national parks noisy weight etc etc.
While solar is dearer to set up its better in long run,all i have to do is work out what equipment and size i need,and that brings me back to the question.

Thank You Roamin.

OutbackAus · Veteran Member

Luv my solar power everything other than fridge powered from solar. Would never go back to the old ways. Costs a bit to setup properly and has been cash well spent. Everything spent on solar setup has been saved 4x over on park fees.
OutbackDave.

Dazza · Member

well Roamin have you considered one of the CHRISTIES range of fast charge petrol driven battery chargers to use in conjunction with Solar to supprt your battery bank for those extended away from power stays. That might allow you to reduce the no of panels and batteries needed

Cheers

OutbackAus · Veteran Member

why would you stuff around with one of those so loud Christie battery chargers and gobbles fuel. What a Christie costs is more than extra 120w solar panel.

I have 2 120w solar panels and never run out of power even in crap weather. They tell me 2 x 120w should be the basic install if you have gas fridge.
my good friend whom I helped fit his solar has a 100L fridge freezer and has 3 120w panels and should not run out of power. Not had long enough to see but others we have met have same setup and not run short of power.
Cost were.
120w mono solar panels $895 x 3 and $42 freight
Prostar regulator $320
150a sealed DC battery $480
another $150 in wire, fuses, plugs to fit.

-- Edited by OutbackAus at 08:39, 2008-03-18

Dazza · Member

sound like a good setup outbackaus..... and it will pay its way with time. As for the Christies units I had not used and take your word on the noise factor. I only suggested as a size option rather than lugging a full size genny.

Cheers

ROAMIN · Veteran Member

Dazza,
These Christies petrol chargers are noisy as per latter post is defeats the purpose of bush camping as i see it .

Tank You Roamin.

ROAMIN · Veteran Member

OutbackAus,
Your post as per solar power sounds like a good set up i mainly want to run a 90 litre absorption fridge/freezer but not sure how it would go.
Whether i would need more or less as per set up on your post.

Thank You Roamin.

OutbackAus · Veteran Member

Roamin I am not guru on this stuff and only know a little. I do know that you cannot power an absorption fridge from solar power. I bought all my stuff from David over at the http://groups.msn.com/Caravanforum/general.msnw

All the advice, tips and changes to my caravan without exception have come from that MSN forum. There are some amazing tips and information there and can say revolutionised my caravanning in every way from TV reception to having lights and power all the time with no gennie. Wonder how managed previously and look back and shake my head. Now all I do is flick switches and everything works.

ROAMIN · Veteran Member

OutbackAus,
I thankyou for your time on telling me as much sa you know it was more than i .

Thank You roamin

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Hi again Guys (we are on the road)

We have the following:
600W of Kyocera panels (typically gives 30A of 12v charging or 200A/hours per day).
600A/hrs of Full River AGM batteries.
Plasmatronics PL60 controller, 200A shunt (Inverter), 50A shunt (house).
1300W SEA sine wave inverter.
130L Victrofrigo fridge (remote Danfos 35 compressor) plus an extra 50mm of urethane insulation.
25L deep freeze ('home' built, with remote Danfos 35 compressor) with 150mm of urethane.

There is no connection between the 'house' and the 'crank' system, except in an emergency.
We usually have enough power to use the inverter to heat water for coffee and washing up (using a 750W Birko drink heater).

Gas cooking, gas HWS. 4kg of gas lasts about 5 - 6 weeks in the tropics.

Cheers,
Peter.

ROAMIN · Veteran Member

Hi Peter n Margaret,
Your set up looks very good but i do not have roof space for what i believe to be able to run my 90 litre absorption fridge.

Thank You for reply Roamin

gitsho · Senior Member

Can you tell me if you connected the solar panel to a caravan and is so where does the wiring go from the panel into the caravan and then to the regulator in the locker box, many than ks gitsho confuse

-- Edited by gitsho at 12:55, 2009-02-22

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

jimricho wrote:
This thread's an oldie! (4 years) How come it's resurfaced now?

somebody has been using the search function, not a bad thing but the initial info maybe out of date

-- Edited by _wombat_ on Sunday 18th of March 2012 09:58:27 AM

Muso · Veteran Member

Hi Roamin, my 120W solar panels came with a 10 metre cable so we can park in the shade but put the panels out in the sun.

jimricho · Guru

This thread's an oldie! (4 years) How come it's resurfaced now?

ChiChi1 · Guru

I have 190w of solar power and 2x75amp hr batteries. These run my 90ltr absorption fridge, lights, TV, computer and charge phone. I don't run out of power if I get a little sun every day. I use my gas for cooking only. I have an heat exchange water heater for hot water, which means I only need to run the van engine for about 10 minutes to heat enough for about 2 days.

coolabah1au · Member

Good on wombat