Solar Panel Cali T6

[Kaybee]

Hello, I'm thinking of putting a solar panel on my Cali T6 ( Elec. roof). I'm in N Glos/Herefordshire but can't find anyone local to do it and one guy thought it wasn't possible. Any advice please, Is it possible? and is it worth doing? Thanks

 

[Alied]

Hello, I'm thinking of putting a solar panel on my Cali T6 ( Elec. roof). I'm in N Glos/Herefordshire but can't find anyone local to do it and one guy thought it wasn't possible. Any advice please, Is it possible? and is it worth doing? Thanks

Solar Panels for VW California and Mercedes Marco Polo Camper Vans

DIY easy to install Solar panel kits for VW California / Transporter and Mercedes Marco Polo camper vans. Zero drilling or gluing.

www.solarcampersolutions.co.uk

Based near Taunton.

 

[Vagophile]

As @Alied says. The panel(s) can be self fitted (lots of forum members have done this) and in my opinion it is worth doing, especially if you want off grid camping or don't have easy access to an EHU at home.(for intermittent charging to keep batteries in good condition)

 

[Cloudbreak]

Easy to fit, solarcampersolutions.co.uk kit comes with everything cut to length, good instructions. You need no prior experience to do it as long as you can shuffle the leisure battery out of the incredibly tight locker. Roger suggested a steel ruler or paint scraper, both which I used to shimmy it out to fit the cables to the terminals.

 

[66tim99]

Ok time for my daft question:
Can the leisure batteries be charged via a solar panel on the roof under artificial light?
I think the clue's in the name - SOLAR panel, but this would solve a problem for me.
(My Cali will be parked in a communal underground car park with electric light, but no power point for hook up. I am concerned about the leisure batteries depleting as they should ideally be charged monthly via hook up, and as I live in London its limited use as a vehicle when not going camping isn't going to be ideal for the leisure batteries...)

 

[westfalia]

Ok time for my daft question:
Can the leisure batteries be charged via a solar panel on the roof under artificial light?
I think the clue's in the name - SOLAR panel, but this would solve a problem for me.
(My Cali will be parked in a communal underground car park with electric light, but no power point for hook up. I am concerned about the leisure batteries depleting as they should ideally be charged monthly via hook up, and as I live in London its limited use as a vehicle when not going camping isn't going to be ideal for the leisure batteries...)

It would be interesting to know if anyone has, either
from bright street lights or garage lights.

 

[yossarian]

Ok time for my daft question:
Can the leisure batteries be charged via a solar panel on the roof under artificial light?
I think the clue's in the name - SOLAR panel, but this would solve a problem for me.
(My Cali will be parked in a communal underground car park with electric light, but no power point for hook up. I am concerned about the leisure batteries depleting as they should ideally be charged monthly via hook up, and as I live in London its limited use as a vehicle when not going camping isn't going to be ideal for the leisure batteries...)

Basically no. Imagine a 80w tube some metres away from your collector. If your tube was 100 percent efficient, your solar panel was large enough to collect all the light emitted and 100 percent efficient then you'd recover 80w. A florescent tube is around 20 percent efficient converting to visible light, a few percent would hit your panel, and at best about 20 percent of that converted back to electricity.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Ok time for my daft question:
Can the leisure batteries be charged via a solar panel on the roof under artificial light?
I think the clue's in the name - SOLAR panel, but this would solve a problem for me.
(My Cali will be parked in a communal underground car park with electric light, but no power point for hook up. I am concerned about the leisure batteries depleting as they should ideally be charged monthly via hook up, and as I live in London its limited use as a vehicle when not going camping isn't going to be ideal for the leisure batteries...)

Apparently you can:

Can You Charge a Solar Panel With a Light Bulb? - SolarPowerGenie.com

There’s no doubt that the effects of solar panels are amazing. They can power just about anything, too! But what if you don’t have access to the sun and need a charge on a solar panel? That leads us to the main question and topic of our article. Can you charge a solar panel with …

solarpowergenie.com

 

[Hamish S]

If indoors I'd use my hook-up, far more efficient.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

It would be interesting to know if anyone has, either
from bright street lights or garage lights.

You can light the whole of sussex from the streetlight that they recently put outside our house. No star gazing for us anymore, even the birds are confused!

 

[66tim99]

If indoors I'd use my hook-up, far more efficient.

I don't have a hook up as its a communal basement garage.

 

[Hamish S]

I don't have a hook up as its a communal basement garage.

Shame, that's me stumped for ideas.

 

[WelshGas]

I don't have a hook up as its a communal basement garage.

Are the underground car park lights on 24/7?

If they are, or for a substantial portion of the 24hrs, you can park close to, or underneath, and the batteries are fully charged when you park up, then there could be a distinct possibility that the amount of charge generated could keep the Leisure batteries fully charged.

I know the charging efficiency is very low but should be sufficient to maintain the charge level.

 

[Kaybee]

Solar Panels for VW California and Mercedes Marco Polo Camper Vans

DIY easy to install Solar panel kits for VW California / Transporter and Mercedes Marco Polo camper vans. Zero drilling or gluing.

www.solarcampersolutions.co.uk

Based near Taunton.

Thank you, that's very helpful

As @Alied says. The panel(s) can be self fitted (lots of forum members have done this) and in my opinion it is worth doing, especially if you want off grid camping or don't have easy access to an EHU at home.(for intermittent charging to keep batteries in good condition)

That's really encouraging. Thank you so much

 

[66tim99]

Are the underground car park lights on 24/7?

If they are, or for a substantial portion of the 24hrs, you can park close to, or underneath, and the batteries are fully charged when you park up, then there could be a distinct possibility that the amount of charge generated could keep the Leisure batteries fully charged.

I know the charging efficiency is very low but should be sufficient to maintain the charge level.

50% of the lights are on 24/7. The other 50% come on when someone/vehicle enter the garage. I have just read that the monthly hookup advice has been withdrawn ... so I’m just hoping now that you’re correct that a 100w panel will maintain the charge level