We have a 45 watt solar panel we put on the roof with the aid of suction cups. We have just had 22 days on Anglesey on a rally and the battery is as fully charged at the end of the holiday as when we started. We have a 10 inch 12 volt/240 television and have used it a couple of hours each day. We paid £245 for the panel 4 years ago at a NFOL rally trade show and are very happy with its performance. We do not use a generator.
Quote: Originally posted by dwares on 11/8/2009
I saw an earlier post that you can connect the output of the Solar panel and regulator to a plug to connect to the Grey Cable on the caravan. I assume that this simulates the car charging the caravan battery and enables the caravan electrics kit to remain connected i.e. no mods required. Is the alternative to connect the regulator output direct to the battery via croc clips leaving the battery connected to the caravan electrics.
Doug
If you have a modern van then coupling via the "grey plug" is not a good solution.
The reason for saying this is that the feed to the battery via the grey plug isolates the whole internal 12 volt system from the battery, via an on board relay. This is so the cars high alternator/ voltage regulator voltage, possibly 15.2 volts with a modern car, does not wreak sensitive equipment in the van.
So first of all with the solar cell coupled that way nothing in the van will work if the current is high enough to close the isolating relay; and secondly your wasting some of the precious solar output pointlessly powering the relay's coil.
Quote: Originally posted by dwares on 11/8/2009
I saw an earlier post that you can connect the output of the Solar panel and regulator to a plug to connect to the Grey Cable on the caravan. I assume that this simulates the car charging the caravan battery and enables the caravan electrics kit to remain connected i.e. no mods required. Is the alternative to connect the regulator output direct to the battery via croc clips leaving the battery connected to the caravan electrics.
Doug
If you have a modern van then coupling via the "grey plug" is not a good solution. The reason for saying this is that the feed to the battery via the grey plug isolates the whole internal 12 volt system from the battery, via an on board relay. This is so the cars high alternator/ voltage regulator voltage, possibly 15.2 volts with a modern car, does not wreak sensitive equipment in the van. So first of all with the solar cell coupled that way nothing in the van will work if the current is high enough to close the isolating relay; and secondly your wasting some of the precious solar output pointlessly powering the relay's coil.
Thanks for that. Is the direct connection to the battery in situ the way to go or do I have to isolate the battery from the caravan electrics.
Doug
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You simply need to connect to the battery somewhere the battery side of the vans charger/controller as that the right side of the isolating relay.[In my case that relay is integral with the controller].
Clearly it must be fuse protected.
Mounting the regulator close to the battery avoids cable losses affecting the battery voltage also if its a decent regulator it will have temperature sensing so needs to be in the same area as the battery to be aware of the temperature of the battery.
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Topic: Just ordered a Solar Panel - 65W
