Solar panels/camping
Solar panels/camping
Author
Discussion

agric

Original Poster:

367 posts

215 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Need some advice on what I need.
Would like to run a small TV together with an interior light
(Both 12V) of an evening
Using leisure.battery as as reservoir,
But would like to know if a panel would be enough to top it up during. Sunny daytime.


Presently the battery WIll power both for a couple of hours during evening OK. As its 100AH capacity (IIRC)

wombat172a

1,458 posts

214 months

Timmy35

13,014 posts

229 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Probably easier, cheaper and safer to just book into a campsite that has a power supply. Solar cells are pretty low yield at the best of times.

agric

Original Poster:

367 posts

215 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
I shall take a look at this link at home it won't work on this phone unfortunately.

Can someone. Offer any guidelines in the meantime.

If its of use I was pointed to some 80W panels

Might they be too much though?

Mexic0

1,292 posts

203 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Can you not just sit in the car and watch tv ?

Timmy35

13,014 posts

229 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
agric said:
I shall take a look at this link at home it won't work on this phone unfortunately.

Can someone. Offer any guidelines in the meantime.

If its of use I was pointed to some 80W panels

Might they be too much though?
I don't think they'll be too much, I guess 2 80 panels might be okay, depends how long you're running the devices for. But seriously it's going to cost you several hundred pounds in kit.

This book is a really good primer if you're interested, and the costings are quite accurate.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-Electricity-Handbook...


BigBob

1,471 posts

256 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
A 100ah battery will be more than big enough to run a small TV and lamp for several nights. Take a pair of jump-leads with you and if it goes flat fire up the car and use the jump leads to charge it up again. 30-40 mins would be plenty for another few nights.

BB

dirty boy

14,871 posts

240 months

dirty boy

14,871 posts

240 months

agric

Original Poster:

367 posts

215 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
I was initially thinking of buying a quiet generator as I'd been following that thread with interest,

But partly with an eye on their prices and the amount of use in a years weekends away,
My thoughts turned to a one-off payment for panels.

Anyway reading these links of Dirtyboys now

Tom_C76

1,923 posts

219 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
agric said:
I was initially thinking of buying a quiet generator as I'd been following that thread with interest,

But partly with an eye on their prices and the amount of use in a years weekends away,
My thoughts turned to a one-off payment for panels.

Anyway reading these links of Dirtyboys now
Quiet gennies aren't quiet enough to use on a campsite without causing grief with the neighbours. But in any case isn't camping about getting away from the TV?

Matt_N

9,044 posts

233 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Tom_C76 said:
agric said:
But in any case isn't camping about getting away from the TV?
+1

plg

4,106 posts

241 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
How about a laptop + car charger + shared headphones?

(please don't take a TV to a campsite... no-one wants to hear your film through the tent walls)

agric

Original Poster:

367 posts

215 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Oh dear I feel I ought to clarify,
Its for a demount-camper so no noise issues, and hardly even the 'magic lantern blue' through the curtains.
And its for the odd rainy afternoon while it blows over, and more
Especially I like to catch the news at bedtime.

I did recently however buy a dish,
as opposed a delicate aerial that kept getting bent being bolted together each time

plg

4,106 posts

241 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Have a look at yacht battery solar panels as well - seem to be good for trickle charging. Otherwise a couple of car batteries with appropriate wiring should see it run for some days. A laptop with an USB TV dongle with a connection for the ariel otherwise?

Bill

58,886 posts

286 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
agric said:
And its for the odd rainy afternoon while it blows over, and more
So not exactly prime recharging weather?

Bill

58,886 posts

286 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
agric said:
Oh dear I feel I ought to clarify,
Again?

Justayellowbadge

37,057 posts

273 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Bill said:
agric said:
Oh dear I feel I ought to clarify,
Again?
I don't understand why, but if you insist.

agric said:
Oh dear I feel I ought to clarify,
Its for a demount-camper so no noise issues, and hardly even the 'magic lantern blue' through the curtains.
And its for the odd rainy afternoon while it blows over, and more
Especially I like to catch the news at bedtime.

I did recently however buy a dish,
as opposed a delicate aerial that kept getting bent being bolted together each time

Bill

58,886 posts

286 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
banghead

Justayellowbadge

37,057 posts

273 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
hehe