Solar Panels

stan747 · Veteran Member

Solar Panels

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Find another someone, we have been running two solar panels for 9 year now, one is for sunlight the other is for overcast weather, we also have a genni but do not use it.

stan747 · Veteran Member

Thanks Wombat but the manager likes her creature comforts and the aircon in hot weather is one of them. As we intend to free park most of the time, then I'm sure the genny will get used from time to time.

jimbo · Guru

I love this subject..keep it up......Wombat! May I ask again what size panels do you have.....They could'nt run an Air Conditioner could they ?

Jimbo

Lizzieluv · Member

We have two solar panels 2 x 60w , 2 x90amp/hr and a 600w inverter and we never run out of power and camp off power all the time. We have had alot of overcast and wet days and have never run out of power. Our system runs the flat screen tv and combo dvd/vhs system and charges all our battery run accessories, including pressure water pump. Our caravan also supplies back up power to the engel fridge in the car.
Have to mention that all our lighting in the caravan is LED which is a must when camping off power. We don't have to do without anything - as for airconditioning, hey just open the windows right up!!! Okay, use the generator for that if you must!!! Just don't park too near us if you use your generator!!!

Smokeydk · Guru

Get solar.....NO FUEL COSTS....sure it wont run AC.....a good genny will.....but like Kath and Allan....dont park near me........LOL........a good setup with compatable solar and batterys will run most things.....theres plenty of places to get info from.....one thing to remember...everyones needs are different........we go away to get away from TVs...etc...as previously mentioned.......open windows..... and sit under natural AC...."TREES"

Dave

Onedodger · Guru

My advice after having been on the road for a lot of time is to keep your genny to run the air con when most needed and to also have a good solar system installed to keep your batteries charged when bush camped for several days.
We have only 120watts of solar via free standing panels and that is enough to keep our batteries charged whilst stopped and to keep the aux in the tug topped up.
Our genny is only used for the reverse cycle air con when it is a must.
I converted ALL our van lights over to LED's and thus ensures little power is used in lighting. We also have a LCD tv with vid player built in that uses a max of 4 amps when in use however this is only used at night and then sparingly.
Our van is a jayco freedom shower and toilet model to give you some idea of power requirements.
I should add that the genny is seldom used.
Cheers

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Our solar system (around 200W) meets our needs, which are the 12v fridge, lighting, and radio, plus at times the vehicles Engel (beer fridge). Most days our battery is topped up by mid morning, lunchtime at the latest, or mid afternoon on a dull day. Although we have a TV/DVD it rarely gets used when in the bush.

We also carry a genny to boost our battery if required, plus to fire up our air conditioner on those very hot days. So far we have not had to use it other than to fire it up for an hour every couple of months or so to ensure it is working. We enjoy the ambience of the bush away from the trappings of suburbia.

We don't mind campers using a genny for a few hours during the day to top up their battery every now and then. However when they run them for hours on end into the evening/night, that is a different matter.

Sadly with more and more people avoiding Caravan Parks that is becoming a common practice. Interesting to watch them set up. First thing they do is to open the door of the van then head off into the bush some 15-20m away with their genny disbelief .

stan747 · Veteran Member

very new to all of this, still getting things together for our big move. We've bought a Rockwood fifth wheeler and I believe the inverters are built in. It has a coleman Mach 13,500 BTU reverse cycle aircon system and I've been told a Yamaha 2400kw (whisper quiet) should do the job, fridge freezer is also 12v and gas. I've been quoted $2400 for 2x125W solar panels, a 20amp regulator and a juncton box fitted but as I have said, the guy told me that the solar wasn't really necessary. The van has 2xdeep cycle 24mf 86Ah batteries (whatever they are). Just want to get going now so any help very much appreciated and I promise I'll keep the noise to an absolute minimum.

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

stan747 wrote:

I've been told a Yamaha 2400kw (whisper quiet) should do the job,

No generator is "whisper quiet", particularly in the still of the night.

Some make less noise than others is the best that can be said.

stan747 · Veteran Member

same can be said for humans

DellieMay · Senior Member

LOL

stan747 · Veteran Member

Thanks for all the advice and help guys, I think I'll get a few more quotes and go for solar, still taking a genny though.

jimricho · Guru

stan747 wrote:

Thanks Wombat but the manager likes her creature comforts and the aircon in hot weather is one of them. As we intend to free park most of the time, then I'm sure the genny will get used from time to time.

Ok if you're camped alone, but between a genny and an airconditioner you should have much success in really annoying the hell out of your fellow campers.

Beth54 · Guru

I've been camping with others who have gennies and they've not bothered me. My friends were concerned that they were too noisy, but I could hardly hear them, they were so quiet.