Solar panels

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Discussion

bristolracer

Original Poster:

5,561 posts

151 months

Tuesday 8th October 2013
quotequote all
Hi all
As the camper will be seeing less use in the winter, i was thinking of getting a solar panel to keep the leisure battery healthy.
The main van battery will get a cycle as we normally get the van out once a week for a warm up run ( i dont like the idea of a vehicle sat about for weeks on end, liquids and oils all resting etc)

So my research shows up two possibilities
1) a small panel just to keep the battery topped up, rested on the dashboard connected via croc clips
2) something a bit beefier say 60 watts that would run the fridge if we are off grid (fridge is 12v or 240 rated at 43 watts, leisure battery is 85 amp hour so it hammers the battery pdq) I would fit an external socket for this so it could be placed as needed when on site.
So my questions are

Would the large panel be overkill for winter charging?

Where to buy? I see lots on a well known auction site that claim to be "bosch" panels but I guess are chinese copies

Thanks in advance


bristolracer

Original Poster:

5,561 posts

151 months

Tuesday 12th November 2013
quotequote all
That looks a great solution, and they are only an hour away from me.
I will follow that up in the spring ready for next season, means we do a bit more off grid, choose our pitch on where we want to be rather than where electric dictates.

Thanks for that.

bristolracer

Original Poster:

5,561 posts

151 months

Tuesday 12th November 2013
quotequote all
Its a toyota Regius (based on a hiace) 3 Litre turbo auto, Gets me to Cornwall a lot faster than the V dub boys biggrin

Ill dig a pic out and post it on the kit thread