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Subject Topic: Roof Solar Panel Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonOh so camp
08/3/2019 at 10:00am
 Location: Bolton
 Outfit: Award Tristar Caravan View Oh so camp's Profile View Profile   Reply to Oh so camp Reply   Quote Oh so camp Quote  
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Got a new to us caravan with a 160 watt roof mounted solar panel fitted. Caravan is going to spend its time in France and Spain. We have just fitted a new 110amp leisure battery fitted as we have a mover. In summer conditions can we switch the on board caravan charger off? Reason we ask we get charged for electric in Spain and just thought we could save a few euros, it is not a deal breaker if we can't. And finally are all solar panel regulators the same or are some better than others?
Any other solar panel tips?


Persontango55
08/3/2019 at 10:12am
 Location: Lichfield
 Outfit: Coachman Amara 450 View tango55's Profile View Profile   Reply to tango55 Reply   Quote tango55 Quote  
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A word of advice that you will need to wipe the solar panel surface clean from time to time as the airborne dust and dried rain droplets will accumulate creating a fogging of the surface thus slowly reducing the charge. I know a couple of people who had a solar panel on the caravan roof who encounterd this problem but they didn't know at the time thinking that their leisure battery was defective. They purchased a new battery and the same happened again over several months until they took the above advice from an expert in that field.
Some may disagree but you don't need a degree in physics to understand a logical explanation as to why windows need cleaning.


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Personmarg6
08/3/2019 at 10:36am
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yes you can turn off or simply unplug the electrics from the post, however you wont be able tu run things other than those that work on 12v, so no water heater, no electric kettle and more importantly no running the fridge unless using gas which will cost you more than electric to run. I would be more concerned about overcharging the battery (cooking it) as in those conditions the battery wouldn't take long to charge it up, around 2 days max


PersonJTQU
08/3/2019 at 4:09pm
 Location: Hampshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova S View JTQU's Profile View Profile   Reply to JTQU Reply   Quote JTQU Quote  
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First lets get the order of saving by not using an EHU to charge the battery into perspective. Setting aside inefficiencies for a moment your 110Ah battery only holds at the very most 1.3 units of electrical power. So the potential saving are minimal, as it only needs a bit of recharging.
Functionally it will work, taking "tango's" very valuble warning into account. Dust will degrade it but a bird dump could all but wipe out any yield, so keeping it clean is important.
Using local lpg gas in Spain might be cheaper than electricity so going that route for the fridge [probably your most expensive power user in summer] and pulling out the EHU and using that very large solar for all your lighting etc needs might save you some money.


PersonMITIE1
08/3/2019 at 7:34pm
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hi if its just stored i woulg buy a soler panal and put it in the van pull back the sunroof blind lay the solar panel on then run the lead to the battery i do that over here in storege for the last 6 years and its worked a treat cheers .tom


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Personsaxo1
08/3/2019 at 8:11pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: None Entered View saxo1's Profile View Profile   Reply to saxo1 Reply   Quote saxo1 Quote  
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Decent solar panels are self cleaning as far as dust and raindrops are concerned but bird droppings need removing.

saxo1


PersonTrunnion
11/3/2019 at 2:28pm
 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 3x 60W solar panels, they are not fixed, so I slide one 60W on the roof, This has a hard wired regulator inside the van wired to the battery. The other 2, fold up like a suit case, these I just face them in the sun, at the side of the van, & moved round as required. I have a plug socket, which is wired to the battery terminal, I then just plug it into the socket, the regulator being on the back of the solar panels, they work a treat. If I am on ehu, I just plug in as normal, not bothering with the panels. I hope this helps.


Personthechief
12/3/2019 at 2:11pm
 Location: Teesside
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As Marg6 says, the solar panel will only top up your leisure battery and that only allows you to use your 12v items. That might be ok if you can use gas on your water heater and fridge (although I understand running your fridge on gas in hot conditions is neither overly effective not financially prudent). We have a solar panel on the roof of our van and it works a treat for the 12v circuit.


Personrichard0805
12/3/2019 at 10:39pm
 Location: Cardiff
 Outfit: Swift Challenger View richard0805's Profile View Profile   Reply to richard0805 Reply   Quote richard0805 Quote  
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Quote: Originally posted by marg6 on 08/3/2019
yes you can turn off or simply unplug the electrics from the post, however you wont be able tu run things other than those that work on 12v, so no water heater, no electric kettle and more importantly no running the fridge unless using gas which will cost you more than electric to run. I would be more concerned about overcharging the battery (cooking it) as in those conditions the battery wouldn't take long to charge it up, around 2 days max

The regulator for the mains charger and for the solar panel will ensure that the battery is not overcharged



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