Being new to this subject I need advice from you old hands - have just got a small caravan - jayco penguin - and it is set up for panel use but no panel. Have asked many dealers and have been recommended from 80 watt upwards. Being a pensioner the cost is of importance. What size would be the most sensible for normal or average use ? Also don't understand supplied equipment in van. There is what I understand is an inverter and a circular switch with 1 / 1 & 2 / 2 / 0 positions on it so how does this operate ? The outside plug for the panel lead to enter is round yet the Anderson plug has been mentioned by one dealer. I imagine the previous owner has been using the fitted round plug but not sure so assumed I would be doing same. Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated to solve my puzzled state of mind.
Rule of thumb.....In my opinion.....once you work out what size solar panel you need...........then double it, cause the sun don't shine all the time and you gotta try to catch as much as you can!
Concur with the comments here; what are your needs (what are you going to be running off them - fridges, TV's, laptops etc etc??) How many house batteries do you have? How much 'free camping' are you going to be doing?
Start with a minimum of 150W and go from there at least - this will put approximately 45 - 50 amp hours in an average day into your system. If you are running your fridge all day long on 12v without moving, then this will draw about 60 a/hrs per day so it is SO important to work out your needs first.
Hi, All that has been said re solar power but carry as much as possible. Recommend at least 160 watt
For your other queries.
Inverter: This is to change 12v battery power to 240v. Range in size from beer can upwards. Power 100w to 6000w. Use to run small appliances, charge phones etc
Circular Switch: This is for when 2 batteries are fitted to distribute power.
1: No 1 Battery
2:No 2 Battery
1/2: No1 & No 2 batteries combined
0: No Batteries. i.e. No Power
Useful to separate batteries for different usages. No 1 use only on odd days, No 2 on even days Sundays alternate. This way can always have backup power. Can be used to separate starting battery from house usage. Also handy to alternate charging if needed.
Round outside plug can be either an inlet or outlet for 240v power.
Inlet is usually on the drivers side & a male 15amp plug. This is to supply all 240v power to van.
Outlet is usually on the passengers side & a female 10amp plug. This is to supply power for small appliances.
Anderson plug (can be more than one) is usually near the tow hitch & is used for 12v power in from tow vehicle or solar.
With your solar it can be either fixed to the top of the van or free standing.
If on top of the roof you will not get maximum charging unless parked in full sun. Not very pleasant.
Free standing need to be moved regularly to face the sun & avoid shade from trees etc. Use security cable to avoid loss.
I expect that the inverter will actually be an onboard charger. The rotary switch, whilst primarily designed for separate batteries will likely in this case be for selecting either the tow vehicle or house battery.
Not a good idea to separate batteries in an RV due to charging limitations.
My thoughts are to run van fridge on gas whilst static and maybe the waeko 35 on battery, if not taking too much power. Perhaps a small tv if reception there, and car stereo and of course lights after dark. Needless to say the odd cups of coffee. I don't think I will be using many other gadgets really.
In our MH, we have a 3 way fridge which always goes onto gas when stopped. We run a 21" flat screen TV, interior lights and of course the water pump when needed. All cooking is done on gas (2 x 4.5kg on board).
We have 1 x 150W solar panel on the roof, a 25amp Charger under the drivers seat which works only when plugged into mains and 2 x 105 a/h house batteries under the passenger seat. This suits our needs very well and we haven't had a problem with this set up. The batteries almost always show a 'voltage snap shot' of around 13.8 - 14v. Occasionally, we will plug into power after a few days of cloud just to 'top them up'.
My thoughts are to run van fridge on gas whilst static and maybe the waeko 35 on battery, if not taking too much power. Perhaps a small tv if reception there, and car stereo and of course lights after dark. Needless to say the odd cups of coffee. I don't think I will be using many other gadgets really.
If your electrical requirements are fairly minimal I wouldn't scoff at 80W of panel capacity. I run a Waeco CF-35 at 4 deg C. I run it off an 80Ah battery and have found that a 40W portable panel easily keeps up with it, i.e. with capacity to spare. I should add that I usually chase cooler weather, not hotter. A van-top panel would need to be larger than this unless you never camp in the shade. This fridge would use significantly more power (2-3x) if run as a freezer, something I don't do but I would expect to need to dedicate at least 80W of panels to it to do so.
Battery capacity is key too. I met another traveller who was running a CF-18 off an 80W rooftop panel but with a battery of only 18Ah capacity. That battery couldn't cope and the fridge would cut out due to low voltage.
Glass solar panels have come down a lot in price over the past year as lighter semi-flexible ones hit the market. Panel cost isn't anywhere near as distressing as it used to be.
Consider also what the consequences are if you do run short of solar power occasionally and need to go without something for a day or three, or drive to where you can get power. How much money would you be willing to spend on panels and batteries to avoid this?
(If by "car stereo" you mean the stereo in your tug) Unless you've installed the capacity to do so, it's unlikely that your van's solar panel(s) will be able to feed your tug's battery for extended use of accessories such as the stereo. There are options here if you need them. Does your tug have a dual battery from which your accessories run?
By car stereo I mean a normal 12 vlt system as are fitted to cars which I would like to fit to the caravan itself. I must have music and a radio is handy at times if signal is available. I dont get on with modern technology so think this is the most economic choice for me rather than ipods and I don't believe it would be too much problem to fit or use much power.
By car stereo I mean a normal 12 vlt system as are fitted to cars which I would like to fit to the caravan itself.
Yes, you could get one from a wrecker pretty cheaply. Just so long as you've got somewhere to mount the speakers (I suppose you could make a DIY ghetto blaster with a few sheets of wood). One with a headphone socket might be handy at times too.
Alternatively you could get a portable stereo that can run on rechargeable batteries and a 12v charger for the batteries, but I reckon changing and charging the batteries would get old pretty quickly.
oakforddavo wrote:
I dont get on with modern technology
You're finding your way around an internet forum so you can't be doing too badly!
I love all the helpful advice I am getting and yes I have managed to get myself around this website - not without confusion at times. by the way the last thing I want is a ghetto blaster - just economic access to a variety of music whilst relaxing at camp.
I had 270 watts of solar on my boat, I never ran out of power, All my electronics ran 24/7, GPS, Autopilot, VHF, Laptop, DVD player, Microwave,
This system is now all on my Coach,
200 Watt panel is $220 delivered in Melbourne, 1600 X 800 mm,
30 Amp MPPT Solar Controler, is around $40-00 in Melbourne,
Thats all you need,
Buy every thing 12 volt, Its common and cheap,
24 inch Colour TV and built in DVD, is $180-00, $20-00 extra for delivery, Kogan, Sydney,
TV's Etc. are 12 Volt, But come with a transformer that converts 110 V and 250 V to 12 volts,
I used my Laptop on my boat, 110 Volts, Just plug it in, I used my Laptop in my house, Just plug it in, 240 Volts,
It wont work in my Coach, I dont have a 110 V or 240 V outlet, Into the Ciggy lighter, Nope, I need a fitting in the back of the TV to make it work, Its an old one tho,
I had a plug that went from 240 to 110 V, Just change the plug on the end of the Appliance,
