Plug and play pirtable solar?

[Rachael]

Hi I want to use 200W PORTABLE solar power panel to extend time off grid, we need this for the fridge and heating.

We have a 6.1 Ocean.

Is there anything on the market that allows you to just plug the portable solar into the 12V to charge the leisure battery? Or plug and play solution?

I don't want to be using crocodile clips or changing electrics myself, I also don't want to invalidate our warranty.

The only 'plug and play' solution i have found would require buying a power bank such as the Delta 2 which we can charge with solar and then plug then into to the external hook up socket on the van as a way to 'charge the lesiure battery'. This would be an expensive work around! Surely there is a simpler way?

Thanks for suggestions

 

[CamperFam]

You'd need a Victron Solar MPPT or equivalent to transfer the energy into the batteries. Plugging it into the 12v wouldn't work, as it an output not an input.

I doubt warranty would be affected in installing an MPPT as you aren't changing any existing wiring; simply attaching the MPPT onto the battery; you've got just as much risk of invalidating warranty if you were to connecting jump leads to your starter battery; it's the same principle.

I'd always recommend Solar Camper Solutions; solar panels on the roof is by far the easiest, convenient and safest way (security wise), and allows for the power to continually flow into the batteries as opposed to requiring any kind of setup and trailing cables around the van/pitch.

 

[chockswahay]

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/thread...rtable-solar-panels-to-leisure-battery.48986/ ?

 

[dspuk]

Just a slight counter point to @CamperFam is I believe you can technically plug a portable unit into a lighter socket and it will charge, as long as the unit has an MPPT built in, which most portables units do and the 12v socket is not ignition enabled. It is essentially just a wire from the battery via some fuses and gubbins to the socket. There are plenty on sale to slow charge your starter battery via the 12V and a screen mounted panel.

But. The manual is quite explicit you should never do this. One assumes the wires are not the correct rating and the safety measures are not in place to protect any circuits if something goes wrong. Doing so will invalidate any warranty you may or not have and likely to harm the van.

I may be wrong, but the above has always been my read on the technicalities and warnings.

 

[CC44853]

Search Amazon for solar inverter, renolgy do one for 150 quid I believe

Then solar > solar inverter > electric hookup cable on the outside of the van.

No wiring needed