I am looking in to the possibility of supplying a mobile solar panel unit for the caravan industry . Does anyone think there would be a market for this ?
Yes for rallies and cheaper sites, but there is the problem most are looking for a low cost option. Generators too noisy, wind generators too expensive,
Solar complete kit, Nothing that needs drilling or sticking with sufficient output. Lightweight, idiot-proof. Also must be able to travel, and over our roads.
Can you produce a workable model and bring it in at a reasonable cost. If so then you could also have the present users interested. As for the trade LEDs low powered lights are now being fitted in new vans so it stands to reason the the next step to make the caravans more GREEN will be solar panels as an extra.
------------- Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
As said there are already a number of "after market" suppliers of solar panels for caravans, both portable and roof fixed variants. The roof mounted fixed ones are practical in the summer but are lacking performance-wise in the shoulder and winter seasons and need an act of faith to have fitted and by definition are not that portable to subsequent vans
I am not aware of a portable one being supplied to the "industry" that the caravan builders themselves have adopted even as an option.
Only part of the buying public would need one as many caravan users would not dream of using sites without a mains electrical hookup [ehu]. How big a market that leaves I have not got a handle on but I would not be surprised if it is less than a third of buyers. So I suspect at best any van builder would only take it up to offer as an option.
For us regular non EHU caravanners I found the market poorly served in well sussed portable solar panels to the extent I did my own packaging. The primary weakness in what is available is a low hassle method of transporting the size panel needed; at best they provided a tote bag but you still need to take this into the van and find a good safe place to stow it. Where the panel is 30 or sub Watt rating that is tolerable but IMO such a panel is too small for all but peak season use in the UK. I would not recommend people who want a panel offering even a hint of autonomy taking them into the shoulder caravanning seasons to go below 55 Watts. Personally I have and would strongly suggest that an 85 Watt panel about optimises viable output and the limit of portability. At this size the tote bag method of stowing etc is seriously lacking in practicability. My solution was to make a cassette to slide it into that was in turn bonded to the rear underside of the caravan. My cassette is a thin marine ply box with plastic angle slides, but a folded aluminium one would be a more viable commercial option. It has a locked entry/exit flap down door. To minimise the depth of this cassette I needed to make the panel's stand such that it hinges within the frame of the panel itself. In respect to the stand this needs to cater for the low inclination needed in summer to the significantly higher angle needed in the shoulder seasons. The panel "kit" also needs something to ensure it can stand on grass without blades of grass throwing shadows on the cells. My measurements show this shadowing has a very detrimental performance effect and the very nature of our use means we are in a grassy field, often quite long grass at that. My solution is a square of "groundsheet" with a "vee-block" wood edging that the stowed sheet can wrap around and the bottom edge of the panel can securely rest in the vee.
A second failing in "most" other units is that the controller is stupidly bonded to the rear of the panel. Here the inevitable heat screws up any "battery temperature" compensation feature and the cable losses cant be managed by the controller.
Any kit needs to come with all the cabling and connectors as practical low loss plugs and sockets I found difficult to source. The cable working length needs to be at least 5 metres to enable placement at optimised positions around the van without falling too readily into late season shadows. The kit also needs a security system to stop it being "lifted"; mine is based on a long stainless cable I had made up in a local boat chandlers.
I think you are a bit late with the idea as we have had our panel for our caravan for 10 years and there are many specialists already supplying them especially if you go to a caravan/ motor home show.
Also unlike PV's on houses they is no money back from the government so an expensive outlay, unless going to non electric pitches. When we bought out you paid each site for your electric separately, so we were making a saving but a few years ago it changed, so now we only take it if we are rallying etc.
There are a lot of solar panels on caravans out there already and a lot of suppliers. If you look on eBay, you will see it is quite a competitive market.
From what I understand, you need a minimum of 50 - 100 watts to be fully sufficient in a caravan although in the summer you should be able to squeeze a decent period from a leisure battery with a smaller panel. If you look on eBay you will see 50 watt kits available for a little over £100. Could you compete with that? If so, I'll take one.
I would also have to disagree with the previous statement that some caravanners would not buy a solar panel because they would not consider going without EHU. If you have unlimited free power, why would you need an EHU?
The reason that many people like EHU is to run their fridge, heating and for cooking, not to mention hair dryers and etc - yes some of it you can run off gas but that is relatively expensive, or get an inverter but that would have its limitations as to how much you could run.
Being early in to PV we have quite a small panel juts 25 w , but its fine for us and we did 11 days on it, in the summer using gas for fridge and cooking (didn't need heating this summer) we found that the gas for just 7 days this time, cost us over £20.
We had been looking at new solar panels this year, but decided for less money we could change our halogen light bulbs for the LED - which made a huge difference.
The other reason people prefer EHU, is that non EHU often means less other facilities.
Just had another thought PV isn’t free electricity as you have quite a high outlay to buy the panel initially so unless you know you are going to save that much in electricity its not worth it. If we are being really green and think we are saving the planet by using one, you also need to add in the carbon footprint of its manufacture and distribution, plus the additional weight it adds to an outfit when towing.
So in reality, while EHU is included in most pitch fees, I think solar for caravans is only going to appeal to those of us that use more basic sites or rally.
I purchased a pv panel about 20 years ago and in those days a lot of sites did not have ehu and we used the panel most times we were away in the 'van, but nowadays I rarely need it as the majority of sites including CS and CL's have ehu and it is only on rally fields when staying for more than about 5 or 6 days that I need the panel. A spare leisure battery is often an easier alternative especially in the winter months as most sites have somewhere where you can charge a battery if you are staying for any length of time.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
Many also use a small Solar panel over winter to keep the battery charged. As caravans come with alarms or are post fitted, they need a power supply but are rarely on EHU in storage.
A specific over winter system, could have possibilities.
------------- Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Quote: Originally posted by Ecocamping on 20/10/2011
we found that the gas for just 7 days this time, cost us over £20.
You really need to change your gas supplier or look for a major leak if your fridge uses all that gas. I have calculated our gas usage to approximately £1 per night on average, with some of that using the gas heating too. (actually worked out just under £1)
Quote: Originally posted by DaveCoaches on 20/10/2011
Quote: Originally posted by Ecocamping on 20/10/2011
we found that the gas for just 7 days this time, cost us over £20.
You really need to change your gas supplier or look for a major leak if your fridge uses all that gas. I have calculated our gas usage to approximately £1 per night on average, with some of that using the gas heating too. (actually worked out just under £1)
We were cooking with it too - all meals, not to mention teas and coffee's. Plus I should have mentoned it may depend what gas bottles you are using we use the sligtly more expesive calorlite.
Just a thought, but is anyone else wondering if OP is just advertising their existing business/ fishing for business, as most of what we are telling them they would have found out with a quick internet search and they have not replied?
Not after business ... New to solar pv so thought would ask ...
I have used uk amosite before under different login but couldn't remember login so I thought I do this ... I have never noticed any solar panels on caravans before so I thought it would be a new idea ... Was more thinking of static caravans but will look into portable ones
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Topic: SOLAR PANELS FOR CARAVANS ???
