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 Topic: Help with Solar please
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26/1/2025 at 10:03pm
Location: West Yorkshire
Outfit: Ford Custom Camper V
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Hi all, I really need some help. We have a self built camper, and have decided that we would like to go off grid sometime, or if we go somewhere and there are no electric hook ups. I have already asked in another post about a portable power station, and have been put off buying one now. At the moment we have a leisure battery being charged when the van is driven or by EHU, this also powers the 12v sockets and the fridge. We have thought about getting a 200w solar panel and another battery to link with the other battery, and possibly getting an inverter. Please can some of you tell us what your set up is? What works well for you? I have found out now that I can get a 12v hairdryer, and hair straighteners, and a inverters that can link to the battery or the 12v socket. Sorry for all the questions, but it is all very confusing and I don't want to make an expensive mistake. Thanks in advance for any replies.
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27/1/2025 at 7:34am
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firstly forget anything to do with your hair, it will drain everything you have in about 15 mins and your hair will still be wet/uncontrollable
your fridge should be run on gas when not using ehu.
to give you some idea, we have a 4 berth twin axle caravan and regularly go off ehu, we use gas for fridge and heating and hot water/cooking, we changed all the internal light bulbs to led, we have one 110 amp battery and a 100w solar panel, this easily lasts us 10 days in the summer however that does drop during the winter to a weekend. we hardly ever have the tv on other than for the news/weather
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27/1/2025 at 9:37am
Location: Yorkshire
Outfit: Car & Caravan
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My system is around 20 years old but works well, we don't use a inverter as everything is 12 volt.
For more information you could give these guys a bell
https://midsummerenergy.co.uk/buy/solar-panel-kits
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27/1/2025 at 6:03pm
Location: West Yorkshire
Outfit: Ford Custom Camper V
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Thanks for the replies. I have ordered a 200w solar panel kit and have someone to fit it now. I am so pleased that I didn't just order one, and asked what would be suitable for a Ford Custom first.
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29/1/2025 at 4:12pm
Location: central scotland
Outfit: aztec cantera 9 vango tamor500 vango
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If you want to run any heating items you would need a large battery, at the moment that would be LiFePo technology, this allows a huge energy storage and a big discharge rate to power an inverter. I have a 280 amp/hour battery powering a 2000watt inverter, this is recharged with 200watt solar and a 30amp B2B charger, which charges off the vehicle alternator when driving.
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John
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via mobile 27/1/2025 at 11:17am
