Solar panels

[pluc99]

Thanks , what mean by extended.
So if was going for say max of 7 nights .
The first 2 days would run of fully charged batterys.
So for further 5 nights , would that be extended an I need 2 panels .?
Is that 2 x 120 watts

I installed and can recommend the solution from the @WelshGas post above. By extended, he refers to the fall and winter months.

The idea is to have the solar panels charge the leisure batteries during the day so you will start every evening with a 100% charge. That way you can be off grid for as long as your panels get enough sunshine during the day.

Normally a single 100W panel should be enough in ideal summer conditions, when the sun is shining all day, the temperature is moderate and the panels are positioned at the ideal angle to the sun.

Conditions are not ideal outside of the summer months, which is why I you should install 2x100W panels. In the above recommended solution, you could add a third 100W panel anytime later if it turns out that 2 panels aren't delivering enough charge.

 

[California_Ocean]

There are many ways to approach self-sufficiency, but it depends entirely on your individual requirements.

First step is a power budget ... my worst case usage scenrio looked like this ... the fridge is by far and away the biggest consumer in my system.


Add it all up and get the total, in my case around 0,8kWh per day.

Then go here.... MPPT Calculator - Victron Energy .... enter the location where the van is used and the details of your chosen solar panels. The fridge and heater will be running at night so the batteries need to be sized so the overnight discharge doesn't discharge the batteries too deeply (only really relevant to lead-acid).

The daily yield of your solar system needs to exceed the daily power budget for the months when the van is to be used.

After doing all this I came up with the following system design for my Ocean. 310W of solar includes a fair bit of excess capacity - needed to bridge rainy, cloudy days.



I then sourced all the parts and fitted it myself.

... this system adequately covers MY power used so in the summer I never need any electrical hook-ups and can sit indefinitely off-grid without starting the engine. In practice this doesn't happen very often as the van is also our only means of transport.

I drilled through the pop-top because IMO it looks neater than an extendable curly cable hanging over the back of the pop-top and it also means I can still use car washes without leads getting caught in the brushes and ripped out. I also removed the awning and replaced it with an inflatable one for the same reason.

 

[Little owl1963]

Take your point about drilling hole down to personal preference that ones the in s an outs .
Thanks for info chart .

 

[Little owl1963]

There are many ways to approach self-sufficiency, but it depends entirely on your individual requirements.

First step is a power budget ... my worst case usage scenrio looked like this ... the fridge is by far and away the biggest consumer in my system.

View attachment 115284
Add it all up and get the total, in my case around 0,8kWh per day.

Then go here.... MPPT Calculator - Victron Energy .... enter the location where the van is used and the details of your chosen solar panels. The fridge and heater will be running at night so the batteries need to be sized so the overnight discharge doesn't discharge the batteries too deeply (only really relevant to lead-acid).

The daily yield of your solar system needs to exceed the daily power budget for the months when the van is to be used.

After doing all this I came up with the following system design for my Ocean. 310W of solar includes a fair bit of excess capacity - needed to bridge rainy, cloudy days.

View attachment 115285

I then sourced all the parts and fitted it myself.

... this system adequately covers MY power used so in the summer I never need any electrical hook-ups and can sit indefinitely off-grid without starting the engine. In practice this doesn't happen very often as the van is also our only means of transport.

I drilled through the pop-top because IMO it looks neater than an extendable curly cable hanging over the back of the pop-top and it also means I can still use car washes without leads getting caught in the brushes and ripped out. I also removed the awning and replaced it with an inflatable one for the same reason.

What are the figures in Amp Hours ? , are they better worked out in Amp hours ??