SOLAR PANELS ON 4WD

Bamboo · Veteran Member

SOLAR PANELS ON 4WD

littlenose · Member

Great idea!! Got the same on the BT50!!

-- Edited by littlenose on Wednesday 31st of October 2012 06:51:06 AM

jimricho · Guru

It also gives you the option of moving your panels around to make best use of the direction of the sun.

Jim

PS: Welcome to the forum.

Magnarc · Guru

I can see the idea of panels on the car roof is a good idea, however, 10 metres of lead would seem to cause you to have quite some loss of power. I an told that 5metres is just about enough. Just my two pennorth!!!

Phil B

gst · Senior Member

I have one on my patrol it charges the second battery in the car and keeps it charge when I'm not driving

Bamboo · Veteran Member

Hi,

NOT if you choose the right cable size. Dual core 6mm dia. giving 12 mm dia. overall for each polarity; gives < 0.2 Voltage loss. I can send you a picture if necessary. Its not light.

By the way. The guru whom set this up for me is contactable at jamie@jgmdirect.com, he is located about 12 km out or Nanango, Qld. He not only did the perfect job on my Navara, but fixed up all the voltage loss spots in my caravan as well. Got rid of all the fuse hot spots & installed two circuit breakers.

I will go futher in saying its the cheapest & best job that's ever been done on my van in 7 years of dealing with many companies who really don't know what they are doing.

The 80w panels, were $150 each and the all day labour only a few hundred dollars. There was about 60 metre of wiring done overall. This guy JAMIE is an absolute gem.

I have not hesitation in spreading the word about him.

Bamboo.

brickies · Guru

I have brought LED lights from him by email . When he got my email I was in Townsville he rang me on my mobile to check what I needed and in 2 days the LED lights were in in Townsville So I to can recommend him , I was told about him by a nomad on the road .

Bamboo · Veteran Member

The attached pic. is showing the cable size required to reduce voltage drop to a minimum. Regards.

jimricho · Guru

Taking steps to reduce the voltage drop in any battery charging set up as you have done is good practice. If the solar regulator is located as close to the battery as possible this helps too but keep in mind that the engine compartment is a hostile environment for electronic devices unless they're designed for it.

An alternative to "doubling up" 6mm cable is to use twin 8 gauge cable (note "gauge" not "mm") such as that available from Jaycar (WH-3063) (http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=WH3063)

I mention these things for the benefit of others contemplating a similar set-up.

Bamboo · Veteran Member

The battery pack in not in the engine compartment; but inside the ute/canopy section of the Navara, screwed to the wall. The controller sits next to the batteries, so it is the best set-up as you advise. The batteries are in boxes also screwed to the floor section.

With Regards, Bamboo.

jimricho · Guru

That's a very robust and effective installation

Bamboo · Veteran Member

Jamie is doing so well he has moved his business from his farm to a workshop just out if Nanango, Qld. Got him to make up a bracket for my caravan camera monitor Oct. 2013. Nothing is too hard for this guy. He is getting clients driving up from Brisbane.

We did not connect up to A/C power from Sept. 2013. Even in caravan parks, we ran our van electrics off the car. There is a substantial cost saving in this as well.

Cruising Cruze · Guru

that cable is nearly good to start an Jumbo 747 biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin

Just Joking

what do you do when there is no sun If I may ask

John

Bamboo · Veteran Member

We have 4x80w on the car roof & 120w solar panel on the van. 1x105AH Bat. in the van & 2x105AH bat. in the ute of a Navara. We run a 200L compressor fridge, 1000w inverter, TV, radio, two 12v roof fans, all van lights & a diesel heater. Battery system has not dropped below 12.3V. We were in Bungonia NP camping for three days in rain without any problems in Nov.

If its hot during the night, >25 degs, the fridge runs allot during the night, that is our worst scenario. We carry a generator if that goes on for more than two nights in a row. If in a NP. We turn the compressor fridge off & turn on our smaller 3-way (90L) fridge & transfer essential items across.

If its v.hot during the day, we turn off the compressor fridge when we our out touring. Turn it back on when we re-connect the car with the power pack. The fridge keeps its cool without any issues. We have not run our 'genie' in the last six months & have not needed to change over to the 3-way fridge. The 3 way is mostly used at family gathering, when they want to fill it up with cold ones.