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Subject Topic: off grid Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonChalkie56
07/6/2012 at 7:40pm
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My wife & I had a great weekend off grid despite being wet and 6degrees. The battery held out well the solar panel seemed to be ok. Watched quite a lot of TV while it was chucking down and battery never seemed to wane even after 4 days. Was it just a good battery or did the panel keep the battery topped up, how will I know

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PersonTrunnion
07/6/2012 at 8:31pm
 Location: Lancashire.
 Outfit: ELLDIS INFINITY554 .SKODA KODIAQ View Trunnion's Profile View Profile   Reply to Trunnion Reply   Quote Trunnion Quote  
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What size of panel have you, I have a 60W 4amp  110amp battery and use it with all the usual caravan equipment when not on hook-up.We go to Fragley park in August for car sprint then onto  Newark to chill out, 10 days in total and the battery lasted ok, so we must be doing something right! My wife and I love Lichfield.


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PersonJax365
08/6/2012 at 12:12pm
 Location: south cheshire
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these look interesting, bit on the expensive side, but if it saved having to pay £3-odd per day for EHU, it would be worth shelling out for.

We need someone who has got one to come on here and let us know which ones works well!!

Chalkie I would say that if your battery never waned in that time, the solar charger was definately working and keeping the battery topped up. Which one/what make have you got?

this one is only £25 - but I don't understand how much charge this would give a battery! Nice and handy and fold away though!

Post last edited on 08/06/2012 12:20:07

Post last edited on 08/06/2012 12:21:02

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PersonFrancophile1947
08/6/2012 at 12:42pm
 Location: Norwich
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Quote: Originally posted by Jax365 on 08/6/2012
these look interesting, bit on the expensive side, but if it saved having to pay £3-odd per day for EHU, it would be worth shelling out for.

We need someone who has got one to come on here and let us know which ones works well!!

Chalkie I would say that if your battery never waned in that time, the solar charger was definately working and keeping the battery topped up. Which one/what make have you got?

this one is only £25 - but I don't understand how much charge this would give a battery! Nice and handy and fold away though!

Post last edited on 08/06/2012 12:20:07

Post last edited on 08/06/2012 12:21:02

Watts divided by Volts gives Amps.
Therefore, the first one would give a maximum of 5/6ths of an Amp and the second one only 1/3rd of an Amp. Neither would be much good for charging a leisure battery.

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Cheers
John


PersonTrunnion
08/6/2012 at 3:48pm
 Location: Lancashire.
 Outfit: ELLDIS INFINITY554 .SKODA KODIAQ View Trunnion's Profile View Profile   Reply to Trunnion Reply   Quote Trunnion Quote  
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I have a confession to make, I go on quite a few sites where their is no electric so purchased a 60w-4amp- per hour solar panel to power the caravan electrics plus a 12 v sat dish & tv.But depending on the brightness of the sun depends how much power goes into the battery, so ration tv usage also check the condition of the battery with a multi meter, the panel complete is around £200 +, its cheaper in the long run than a genny.swings & round-a-bouts.


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PersonChalkie56
08/6/2012 at 7:01pm
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I bought a panel (the type that goes on house roofs) so I had to add a leg so I was able to tilt it and had to add a plug. Hi Trunnion where do you stay when around lichfield, I live on the outskirts in a village and only walk about 300 yards and am in fields, I am very lucky. You will never be hungry or thirsty in Lichfield.

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A barman is just a pharmacist
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PersonJax365
08/6/2012 at 7:57pm
 Location: south cheshire
 Outfit: VW Caddy Maxi View Jax365's Profile View Profile   Reply to Jax365 Reply   Quote Jax365 Quote  
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Would I just be better getting a second leisure battery then?

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PersonChalkie56
09/6/2012 at 2:26am
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I believe my panel was a 60 or 80watt panel and I really didnt skimp on my power usage and was quite shocked on how well it lasted. We had some serious rain for a day and half. So we had quite low light conditions. I wish I had taken my voltmeter because the meter on the van is just a light which is green and turns amber then red when finished. It never turned to amber so the panel must have been doing its stuff. So based on that Jax the panels your are talking about are probably not sufficient so are probably wasting your money.

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A barman is just a pharmacist
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PersonJax365
09/6/2012 at 10:05am
 Location: south cheshire
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Thanks for the reply, Chalkie!

I don't really want to spend a fortune on a panel, but the price of EHU means that perhaps it would be a good investment in the long run. Or a second leisure battery!

I never go away for more than a week or two at a time, but this year going to a THS for a week, then onto campsite with EHU for a second week.

Next year though, might be able to get about more without having to include EHU in the holiday costs.

60 watt solar panel: here at £185...

gel leisure battery around £50-60. Could carry fully charged one around in my locker in the caravan??

Post last edited on 09/06/2012 10:13:57

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Personbirder99
09/6/2012 at 10:41am
 Location: Cambs
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If you search arund you should be able to get a bare pv panel for not much more than a quid a kWp. You would need to make a stand/legs and install a regulator plus cables the whole lot for a 80W panel should not come to much more than 120 quid diy. 80W should be ample for most uses but if you go away in the winter months you will get much less power from the panel and therefore a second panel can often be handy. All depends on what your usage is.My 30W panel is over 20years old but still works well even if it is not enough for my present power needs so despite it costing a fortune at the time it has been a good investment whereas I have probably got through about 4 or 5 batteries in that period of time. Don't forget that the more power you have available the more you will use it!

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'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'


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PersonChalkie56
09/6/2012 at 1:09pm
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Birder I agree with you - I did exactly that. Just made a leg - fortunatel;y the controller came with it but it is not the type that tells you what it is chucking out at the time. There was about 100mm of cable so I connected a flat type plug and socket at the panel end and the same at the battery end just before I threw out my old burnt out hover mower I cut off the cable and used that so I think it conforms as it is orange but it is only about 1mm so hope its enough I may cut in half as it is about 10mts long. Siliconed everything so its water tight. At the battery end I bought quick release battery connectors this aids taking the battery out quickly and connected the socket with about 1/2mtr of the orange cable and attached to the connectors if I dont use the panel I just tuck socket in side the battery box if I do use poke it out the bottom just where the hook up lead goes.

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A barman is just a pharmacist
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Personmjcreed
09/6/2012 at 4:53pm
 Location:  Norwich Norfolk
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Quote: Originally posted by Jax365 on 09/6/2012
Thanks for the reply, Chalkie!

I don't really want to spend a fortune on a panel, but the price of EHU means that perhaps it would be a good investment in the long run. Or a second leisure battery!

I never go away for more than a week or two at a time, but this year going to a THS for a week, then onto campsite with EHU for a second week.

Next year though, might be able to get about more without having to include EHU in the holiday costs.

60 watt solar panel: here at £185...

gel leisure battery around £50-60. Could carry fully charged one around in my locker in the caravan??

Post last edited on 09/06/2012 10:13:57

Before anyone heads off to buy a gel battery it is worth having a read of this article

http://www.sterling-power.com/support-faq-2.htm

it explains all you need to know about the various battery types, .......
Mark



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here today , where tomorrow?
yet another full timer,


PersonTrunnion
09/6/2012 at 8:56pm
 Location: Lancashire.
 Outfit: ELLDIS INFINITY554 .SKODA KODIAQ View Trunnion's Profile View Profile   Reply to Trunnion Reply   Quote Trunnion Quote  
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JAX350, We stay by the Shenstone sprint track Fragley, just off the A38, I have a 1980 Reliant Scimitar [not a 3 wheeler] 3ltr V6, through the year the car club have a competion side & a social side. Fragley is the sports bit inter car club sprint, I think 9-13 Aug then onto Newark social bit for a week, I dont use the Scimtar for towing the van I have MG Zt.My wife & I really enjoy round Lichfield end up in the Mucky Duck Fragley junction by the canal, if its sunny!


PersonChalkie56
10/6/2012 at 9:02am
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Trunnion - Shenstone is about 5 miles or so from there. Its called the Curborough Sprint Track at Curborough. I have a friend that tends the fire truck there (Mark). Just about 1/2 mile down the road you can hire a racing cart thats great fun. The Mucky Duck (White Swan) at Fradley which is a fair walk. Lichfield centre has has quite a few shops closing due to the recession and high rent costs. In fact the death knell for the shopping centre is the recent arrival of poundland you know you have hit rock bottom when they arrive.

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A barman is just a pharmacist
with a limited inventory


PersonJax365
10/6/2012 at 9:25am
 Location: south cheshire
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Quote: Originally posted by mjcreed on 09/6/2012

Before anyone heads off to buy a gel battery it is worth having a read of this article

http://www.sterling-power.com/support-faq-2.htm

it explains all you need to know about the various battery types, .......
Mark



Read and contents noted - thanks for the heads up!

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PersonTrunnion
10/6/2012 at 12:59pm
 Location: Lancashire.
 Outfit: ELLDIS INFINITY554 .SKODA KODIAQ View Trunnion's Profile View Profile   Reply to Trunnion Reply   Quote Trunnion Quote  
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I forgot to say Curborough, we have been going to the meet for about 15 yrs, its where the RSSOC, club north & south members meet up, in the middle of England.We have a lot of good friends who attend some we only see once a year at Curborough plus theirs some good racing[ sprint] when we go to the Mucky Duck my wife drives back, but leave to car at the end of the tow path, she has a habit of catching every speed bump with the exhaust! I will look out for your friend next time.



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