Solar panel solution in Europe

[Krisdoff]

Really thrilled with this kit. Literally took 1:40 hr to fit (and I'm not a particulary speedy DIYer). 2 x 155 Watt monocrystalline panels (cell efficiency of 23%) in a sleek bespoke package specifically for the California. Very excited to go off grid now. Plenty of sunshine here in Valencia, so don't think I'll be short of a Watt or two. If anyone in Europe is looking for a solar solution (btw - not sponsored), check this out https://www.califaktur.de/en/produc...vw-california-t6-310wp?variant=45695945113864.

Not cheap but very complete and bespoke.

 

[pluc99]

It's a nice looking kit. I'm happy, however, to have bought mine from the UK from @Roger Donoghue especially when I compare the €1600 price tag for 310W panels to the 200W ones I got from Roger at less than €1000 including timely shipping from the UK.

 

[dspuk]

Big fan of this setup. The panel mounts are much more professional looking than Rogers alu frames. I believe you can get them separate online from Germany but I’m not sure I could get my existing panels mounted etc.

One day.

 

[myvanrodney]

I love these too, but sadly they wont ship to the UK.

 

[myvanrodney]

Really thrilled with this kit. Literally took 1:40 hr to fit (and I'm not a particulary speedy DIYer). 2 x 155 Watt monocrystalline panels (cell efficiency of 23%) in a sleek bespoke package specifically for the California. Very excited to go off grid now. Plenty of sunshine here in Valencia, so don't think I'll be short of a Watt or two. If anyone in Europe is looking for a solar solution (btw - not sponsored), check this out https://www.califaktur.de/en/produc...vw-california-t6-310wp?variant=45695945113864.

Not cheap but very complete and bespoke.

View attachment 127358

Very interested to hear how well they perform (how real power you can generate)

 

[Krisdoff]

Very interested to hear how well they perform (how real power you can generate)

I'll keep you posted, but as a starter, once I'd moved the van from under the tree I was using to shade myself during installation, with a little of bit of cloud at around 11.30 am outside IKEA in Valencia this morning, the Victron app was boasting up to 240W. Which bodes well.

 

[myvanrodney]

I'll keep you posted, but as a starter, once I'd moved the van from under the tree I was using to shade myself during installation, with a little of bit of cloud at around 11.30 am outside IKEA in Valencia this morning, the Victron app was boasting up to 240W. Which bodes well.

awesome.

 

[dspuk]

I love these too, but sadly they wont ship to the UK.

My daughter lives in France so luckily anything like this we just ship to her and pickup when we over. Just got some cracking chairs we ordered from a camping shop in NL. Saves both import tax and excessive postage and the issue that most EU sellers just don’t bother shipping to the UK anymore.

 

[myvanrodney]

My daughter lives in France so luckily anything like this we just ship to her and pickup when we over. Just got some cracking chairs we ordered from a camping shop in NL. Saves both import tax and excessive postage and the issue that most EU sellers just don’t bother shipping to the UK anymore.

Thats great. Yes I got the feeling that this company doesn't want to ship to the uk because of the export admin hassle.

 

[Flower Power]

Some of you are not happy because EU sellers are not shipping to the UK. Likewise here, I am not happy because UK sellers I used are not shipping to the EU. I wonder how all this developed? (sarcasm)

 

[WelshGas]

Some of you are not happy because EU sellers are not shipping to the UK. Likewise here, I am not happy because UK sellers I used are not shipping to the EU. I wonder how all this developed? (sarcasm)

I have no problems importing goods directly from countries outside the EU, such as USA, Canada, India, Australia, Singapore and Ukraine etc. And sending stuff to some of those countries.

 

[Flower Power]

I have a v ery similar setup from: www.solar-tx.com in CH. Often on sale with 100 eur off.

 

[myvanrodney]

I have a v ery similar setup from: www.solar-tx.com in CH. Often on sale with 100 eur off.

Interesting. Altho these panels seems to be a little less powerful (110w). I wonder how they compare the 155w above in the 'real world'. Always sceptical when retailers quote power ratings. Im not sure what other specification helps determine how much real energy the panel produces in similar conditions - 'efficiency'?

 

[Krisdoff]

Very interested to hear how well they perform (how real power you can generate)

Pitched up on a campsite on a beach for a couple of days (Oliva outside Valencia). I made no attempt to face the panels towards the sun (I wanted to face the ocean). I left the roof up, so the panels were actually facing the sun directly from around 2pm. There were a few cirrus clouds floating about. The battery state was Bulk (I'd had a fan running on the inverter all night, the cool box on max and 5 devices on charge - teens on board!!). So it appears the panels peaked at 272W and generated a total of 1.35 Kw. In this real world scenario, I'm pretty sure these will be sufficient from me to avoid the EHU and give me all the freedom that that brings (esp. without the onboard teens). All in all, very pleased.

 

[dspuk]

Pitched up on a campsite on a beach for a couple of days (Oliva outside Valencia). I made no attempt to face the panels towards the sun (I wanted to face the ocean). I left the roof up, so the panels were actually facing the sun directly from around 2pm. There were a few cirrus clouds floating about. The battery state was Bulk (I'd had a fan running on the inverter all night, the cool box on max and 5 devices on charge - teens on board!!). So it appears the panels peaked at 272W and generated a total of 1.35 Kw. In this real world scenario, I'm pretty sure these will be sufficient from me to avoid the EHU and give me all the freedom that that brings (esp. without the onboard teens). All in all, very pleased.

View attachment 127825

Idea position for panels to point for all day use (in our hemisphere) is south. You should get max sun, time of year dependant, about 2pm. So sounds like you were actually lined up perfectly.