New Dual Battery Solar Regulators for 2020

[Erbster]

The external display is great! Get it! if you can fit the rest, you'll manage the external display and it looks really professional! (plus you can constantly oooh and aahhhh at how wonderfully full your batteries are and how wonderful the sun's power is.

I haven't actually driven anywhere since fitting it, so i can't give a report on the curly cable, but i will tell you that it is very heavy and solid and, well curly, i'm very happy with it!

Thanks babble. I’ve ordered the panel with external display and a flat cable. Looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and fitting it. Have to confess that it’s partly a lockdown project to give me something to do on my van...

CaliVentures

Adventures in a VW California camper van

caliventures364847572.wordpress.com

 

[Alan Andrews]

I was tempted by the MT11 unit when I bought my dual panel/ dual battery setup recently from Roger.

But I read that the connecting lead is only 1 Metre long, and I struggled to work out where to install it....I did not want to drill any holes in the wardrobe unit!

Your location looks perfect.

Did you have any issues with the lead length?

 

[babble]

I was tempted by the MT11 unit when I bought my dual panel/ dual battery setup recently from Roger.

But I read that the connecting lead is only 1 Metre long, and I struggled to work out where to install it....I did not want to drill any holes in the wardrobe unit!

Your location looks perfect.

Did you have any issues with the lead length?

no issues with the lead length no, I had a bit to spare I think, but i did somehow get lucky with the routing - I used a drain unblocker, pushed it in behind the fridge (you can see in my photo) and it came out, on the third attempt, right by the box in the back (see the other photo of the wires coming in to the controller.)

 

[Roger Donoghue]

Going to get me one of those!

 

[Loz]

I have a set of these that are good for that job.
Mine are a metre long about 5mm dia.

https://www.toolstation.com/draper-cable-access-kit/p75799

 

[Auberg-ine]

Hi babble - looks like a neat job! However, I am not sure if I want to fit a display in the van.

I'm considering one of Roger's solar panels and I wonder if anyone with a "curly cable" would care to comment on whether it has marked the paint and/or flaps about noticeably. It doesn't seem much hardship to tuck a straight cable away when lowering the roof, but the curly cable seems to be "fit and forget" and I've only seen positive comments about the curly cable so far.
Thanks

I'm also looking for a set, but having the same question about the 'flapping about' of this curly cable. @babble, @Roger Donoghue , any experience yet? Is there no elegant entrance way via the canvas? I saw a post about this solution, but the problem seemed to be the folding of the cable. Not solvable?

 

[Alan Andrews]

I've used a piece of the clear bodywork protector that comes with the VW bike rack to protect the upper edge of the roof where I have positioned the curly cable.

The VW bike rack protector normally is positioned under each mounting bracket.

I'm sure that you can buy these clear self adhesive bodywork protector strips on ebay or amazon.

 

[babble]

I'm also looking for a set, but having the same question about the 'flapping about' of this curly cable. @babble, @Roger Donoghue , any experience yet? Is there no elegant entrance way via the canvas? I saw a post about this solution, but the problem seemed to be the folding of the cable. Not solvable?

are you worried about flapping about for reasons of noise or paint damage? I can go and make a little video with the roof down to show the tension in the curly cable for you if you like? i think if it's just paint damage you are worried about, then some clear tape should do the trick.

 

[babble]

This is the only photo i have with the roof down. As you can see, it is not under significant tension, but it is a very big and heavy cable.

 

[Erbster]

Hi @babble - I've got my kit now and I was looking back at your neat installation. What did you use to secure the cables to the wardrobe wall?

Also, to fit the MT11, did you only remove the "vertical" plastic trim?

 

[Auberg-ine]

View attachment 57908

This is the only photo i have with the roof down. As you can see, it is not under significant tension, but it is a very big and heavy cable.

About the noise and the flapping yes. Looking for something more discrete. E.g. flat cable via the canvas.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I have a set of these that are good for that job.
Mine are a metre long about 5mm dia.

https://www.toolstation.com/draper-cable-access-kit/p75799

View attachment 57658

You can get a tiny Bluetooth camera that fits on the end too.
See where you’re fishing via your mobile phone...
Genius.

 

[Auberg-ine]

View attachment 57908

This is the only photo i have with the roof down. As you can see, it is not under significant tension, but it is a very big and heavy cable.

Another question I have seeing your picture: since there seems to be some 1,5cm gap between the roof and the panel, and since I see the thin cable from the left coming from under, till up at the connector thing, is it not possible to have that connector on the underside of the panel. Or would that become a humidity problem?
Just don't like too much fragile cables sticking on the roof.

 

[Auberg-ine]

@babble , @Roger Donoghue , a last question/proposal. Would this not be feasible somehow?:
Or is the cable too stiff for it? In that case a curly cable under tension starting from the awning bracket. The advantage of having it here is that the awning is hiding the cable. Once underneath the tail door it can continue until the rubber hose at the left. Just don't want a too visible cable pointing at the panels.

 

[Alan Andrews]

View attachment 57945

@babble , @Roger Donoghue , a last question/proposal. Would this not be feasible somehow?:
Or is the cable too stiff for it? In that case a curly cable under tension starting from the awning bracket. The advantage of having it here is that the awning is hiding the cable. Once underneath the tail door it can continue until the rubber hose at the left. Just don't want a too visible cable pointing at the panels.

Presently the curly cable is too short to take this route towards the controller unit that is best placed within the Ocean rear cupboard.

I think that the cable is also a bit too large a diameter to pass over the door seal (to get inside the van).

Roger's installation route is via the existing runner cable gaiter, which works very well.

Of course I can only speak from an Ocean owners perspective. Other variants may provide different installation options.

 

[Auberg-ine]

I look for sth like this:


nearly invisible. Or perhaps even more simple, just go under the rubber of the pop up roof, and through the canvas attachment, if the cable can be flat enough. Once inside I can find a way to avoid the cable from folding too sharp.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I look for sth like this:
View attachment 57947

nearly invisible. Or perhaps even more simple, just go under the rubber of the pop up roof, and through the canvas attachment, if the cable can be flat enough. Once inside I can find a way to avoid the cable from folding too sharp.

Interesting...
I like that.

 

[babble]

Another question I have seeing your picture: since there seems to be some 1,5cm gap between the roof and the panel, and since I see the thin cable from the left coming from under, till up at the connector thing, is it not possible to have that connector on the underside of the panel. Or would that become a humidity problem?
Just don't like too much fragile cables sticking on the roof.

In fact that connector on the top is part of the solar panel, so can’t be moved (i think it is where the solar bits all become a cable). All free connectors are indeed under the panel, as you suggest.

 

[babble]

Personally i like the look of the curly cable, but if you are really into a neat solution, i would go for this one:



I got a quote of €1195 fitted from these guys:

Volkswagen Campercentrum - Officiële dealer van Volkswagen Campers

Volkswagen Campercentrum is sinds 2001 specialist in compacte campers van Volkswagen. Deze campers worden zowel verkocht als verhuurd. Ook ..

www.campercentrumnederland.nl

Here is is:

VWCampershop voor Brandrup, Volkswagen en Westfalia accessoires.

De Campershop voor al uw Brandrup, Volkswagen California, Westfalia, Fiat en Mercedes Marco Polo accessoires.

www.vwcampershop.nl

but for me it is more expensive, only 150watts, doesn't charge the starter battery, is glued to the roof, not upgrade-able, etc... Still, probably does the job and very neat!

 

[SimonB]

I'm also looking for a set, but having the same question about the 'flapping about' of this curly cable. @babble, @Roger Donoghue , any experience yet? Is there no elegant entrance way via the canvas? I saw a post about this solution, but the problem seemed to be the folding of the cable. Not solvable?

I've had the curly cable on my panel for about 8 months now and there is no flapping about at all that I can see. It is stretched a bit when put in so the 'spring' in the cable keeps it tight. No visible wear on the roof.
I park my Cali on the street and my only concern is that the curly cable is a little more visible than the original flat one. It could lead a naer-do-well to realise there is something up there whereas the flat cable was pretty inconspicuous. The benefit of the panel outweighs most of my concern. The leisure batteries are always topped up, even during the winter, so I only have to worry about the starter battery. If I put the Cali on hookup from the house it starts to trickle charge the engine battery immediately as the Leisure ones are full so doesn't need long. Or I can run the engine for a short while, but I don't like doing that if I can help it.

 

[babble]

how about this?

 

[soulstyledevon]

Anyone got pictures of the flat cable...?
I must admit, I don’t like the look of the curly cable. It looks a bit rough IMO. Sorry Roger, I’m not trying to be rude. Your kits look great, but surely there’s a better solution for this cable...?

 

[soulstyledevon]

how about this?

View attachment 57998

That must be the new E-California...

 

[SimonB]

Hi @soulstyledevon - I'm afraid this is the best I can find. If you look on the nearside of the roof at the rear you can just see the flat cable as it comes out from behind the raised bit of the roof and goes into the space where the door hinge is. We now have the curly version of it which I can photograph from the same position if you want. The flat cable could be made to be invisible if you tucked it away in the hinge gap when you put the roof down. Roger & I ran it along the groove in the roof and out of the drainage hole which worked well. I was worried in case it got caught as the roof was going up and stretched, but it never seemed to happen. We only changed it as the curly cable looks neater and there is no chance of it getting caught. The only concern I have with the curly cable I have recorded on my post above.

Simon

 

[soulstyledevon]

I wonder about mounting a small connection box waterproof and sealed and running that cable on the inside of the canvas...?

I know the downside is drilling a small hole in the roof, but it would look much better...