dadof7kids
Member Since: 23 Aug 2011
Location: sunny Doncaster
Posts: 1303
  
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| Anyone use solar panels on tintents? |
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Thinking of going to some sites that don't do electric, so, 
Do they work and what watts are you using?
will they keep a battery charged for say 3 days?
cheers Paul java Black D3 gone : (
Club Lux : ) GONE : (
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 20th Mar 2013 7:42 pm |
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tintenter
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: Oldham
Posts: 1113
 
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yes they work and work very well so long as you have a charge regulator so as to stop them over charging and also to stop them draining at night (Diode would do same but not as efficient) i have 250 amp hour in batteries which gives me easily 4-5 day even with out the solar panels but the panels allow me to go for at least a week, but it is all relative to how you use the batteries, if you watch loads of TV then they are going to drain faster and the panels may not put back all you take out especially with british summers. Tintenter
Corris Grey Discovery 4 HSE
Bigger permagrin now installed
Semper in excretum, sole profundum moveat.
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| 20th Mar 2013 8:08 pm |
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D4mation
Member Since: 29 Jul 2011
Location: Ruralshire
Posts: 593
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This website may give some clues on costs and fitting http://www.mycaravan.org.uk/Solar.html MY12 D4 HSE Ipanema Sand
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| 3rd Apr 2013 10:48 pm |
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dadof7kids
Member Since: 23 Aug 2011
Location: sunny Doncaster
Posts: 1303
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maple that looks a nice piece of kit!  java Black D3 gone : (
Club Lux : ) GONE : (
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| 4th Apr 2013 2:14 pm |
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maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
 
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Just waiting for this month's CC bill to pass then I'm ordering mine in time for the new season.
Always assuming Colin @ BBS doesn't come up with his new Nanocom in the meantime of course 
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| 4th Apr 2013 3:22 pm |
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Whitey1973
Member Since: 31 Oct 2012
Location: the swampy fens
Posts: 74
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I think a few people on here are suffering a bit from overkill, I have a twin axled eldiss, I have one panel mounted flat on the roof permanently its an 80Watt panel, this is conected through a regulator to one 120Ah battery, we have three young kids and regularly go away for weekends to caravan rallies where there is no hook up. as the kids are still young our evenings are spent in the van waqtching tv from about 8.30 onwards until bed at about midnight, the kids have a flat screen at their end of the van which is on pretty much all the time we are actually in the van, I charge up my mobile phones, ipads and the wifes laptop during the day, on a bright sunny day the battery is back to be fully charged by mid afternoon .
I have the same setup as the father in law and he goes away with the retired caravaners for 2-3 months at a time and is rarely on hook up (as they are all tight) and he manages no problem.
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| 18th Apr 2013 6:02 pm |
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mal_NW
Member Since: 04 Mar 2008
Location: Garstang, Lancs
Posts: 937
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My 200W panels may be overkill when it is sunshine but during the winter months in storage my battery lasts around 30-40 days as this winter there was rarely sunshine.
I have just been to Pooley bridge and was on a cramped pitch for £44/night and would have preferred to be without electric for the 3 nights as I am yet to go without a hook up. Also a member of avforums.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmjr/
Ex disco 3 owner - http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic87659.html
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| 7th May 2013 9:21 am |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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We've done 10 days at Easter on 2 120AH batteries with no charging so don't think you have to have solar or a generator, but I guess it is comforting to have the back up! DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
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| 7th May 2013 11:06 am |
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tintenter
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: Oldham
Posts: 1113
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i have a 160w panel and use it to keep the 250 Ah fully charged (was charging at 6+ amps over this last weekend  ) so no need to have mains, it is one thing managing, but i like the comforts of a few hours Tv now and again plus not having to sit in the dark of an evening and still being able to use the mover to put the van away when i get back home and as its 2 ton + van and four wheel mover, i leave the rest to your imagination Tintenter
Corris Grey Discovery 4 HSE
Bigger permagrin now installed
Semper in excretum, sole profundum moveat.
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| 7th May 2013 11:57 am |
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maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
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Finally took the plunge and bought an 80W kit from SunStore (www.sunstore.co.uk). Probably be doing the dangerous stuff of drilling a hole in th eroof, on Saturday.
Fingers crossed
Steve
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| 13th May 2013 2:49 pm |
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grenvillew
Member Since: 08 Feb 2013
Location: Sussex
Posts: 32
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I have 4 100w panels on my motorhome and never need a hookup, even though I use hairdrier, kettle and toaster via an inverter. They charge all batteries including the one that starts the engine.
I have a little square 10w panel for the Disco as well to keep the battery up when I'm away for months. I've modified it slightly by putting on magnetic tape to hold it on the roof, incorporating a fuse in case of any accidental short circuit, and changing the connector to a 12S plug. Cable just goes in the top of the tailgate and out the bottom. Max charging rate is about 0.5A which is plenty to keep the battery in good nick so it will actually start..
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| 13th May 2013 8:20 pm |
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maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
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That's interesting - which inverter do you have. I'm fitting the one panel at thg emoment but with it in mind to fit others as required.
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| 14th May 2013 8:27 am |
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