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Subject Topic: Camping with solar... Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonIbilboI
04/11/2015 at 11:55pm
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I am looking to run my camping electrics off a leisure battery for camping trips.
I am hoping to top up / recharge the battery using a solar panel....
I am under the impression I need an inverter to run 3 pin devices off the battery...
Is it a case of the solar panel connects to the battery, which connects to the inverter?
Can I then use a plug adapter so I can have a few items plugged in at once?
The plan is to have electric without needing the hook up if possible, any advice?


Personkit352
05/11/2015 at 8:29am
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It's all about your loads. The inverter needs to be able to handle what ever you are going to put on it.
The solar panel will charge the battery which would in turn power the inverter. You need to size everything though. Small stuff like phones and less are easy but if your talking about coolers and tv's it gets a bit more complicated and expensive.
List what you want to run off the battery and lets see where your at.


PersonJTQU
05/11/2015 at 9:05am
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Changing lights that are halogen to LEDS initially will greatly ease living off a battery; if funds are tight then it is changing those lights in prolonged use that should be your focus.
Battery capacity and practical yield from solar are limited and very very different to being on an EHU. Solar at 100watts, is no way near mains at 3600 Watts, and in less than bright sunshine the difference gets far wider!

However, living comfortably off EHU using solar, in summer months, is doable.

Inverters just convert battery power to "mains like" power; but need using with great care in the size loads used and time they are used for.

As said give us an outline of your needs and we can guide on what is realistic.


PersonGrampian91
05/11/2015 at 11:01am
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Inverters can be inefficient also. For every 60watts your device uses the inverter maybe using 100watts.

Wasting 40watts. Your better off getting 12v devices or a DC to DC converter.

Unless its bright sunshine a panel may produce quite a bit less than its ratings.

What devices do you plan on using and for how long each day? What time of year will you be using it?
Nort or south can also affect the figures.


PersonIbilboI
05/11/2015 at 2:11pm
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The main item is my Fridge
For the fridge I cant remember which exact model it is, but checking on the sites its power usage is either 60w or 96w.

Other items, - occasional use of phone chargers / camera charger, bush dab radio - max power consumption 7.5w (according to the label)
Lights are battery for now, but may change
Am I asking too much if I have the leisure battery fully charged before leaving and 'topping' up with a solar panel?


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PersonJTQU
05/11/2015 at 2:49pm
 Location: Hampshire
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With that cool box's consumption you are onto a loser; its 12 volt feature would be okay in a car running off the alternator but it will drain even a robust battery/solar system of a size realistic to be in a caravan.
Fridges here ideally should be gas powered.

It is going to deplete a 110 Ah battery to as low as it can endure 50% [if a quality leisure battery] in 6 hours of running.
A 100Watt solar panel might give typically another two hours before the battery is into damaging territory.

It is just not a suitable cool box for off EHU camping.

Post last edited on 05/11/2015 15:00:17


Personkit352
05/11/2015 at 9:39pm
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The fridge would most likely never work well enough to be useful or easy. Fridges work better once they are cold and stay that way with constant power. You would need to have a lot of battery banks plus panels to keep even a small one going through the night. The hot pull down alone when have to get it cold again will really tax even a robust system unless you have a generator or some other form of power.


PersonFiona W
06/11/2015 at 4:59pm
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Better to use the gas for the fridge, if that's an option for you. Our main drain on the leisure battery is the water pump, but you could avoid that by collecting water as required. And not showering: back to a flannel wash or going to the local swimming pool.

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2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.


PersonGrampian91
06/11/2015 at 11:07pm
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96watts, thats 8amps per hour.

IF.. it ran for 24 hours non stop it would use 2300watts.

Your going to need at least 2 and ideally 4 110ah batteries to store enough energy without running the battery too low each day and you will need to put that power back in less than 5 hours during the winter.

500watts per hour, A solar panel will be under half its rated capacity during the winter so a minimum of 1000watts.

Will it really cool to 40 degrees below ambient? Cynical me says not especially when they advertise a 26L cooler as having a 35L capacity.


PersonIbilboI
07/11/2015 at 10:01pm
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I get the feeling the fridge will kill this idea of solar....

In regards the fridge itself, not sure low far below ambient temperature, but as a trial, I was able to make ice cubes in it....



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