We just have a portable 80w kit that should not work according to some but as above it works a treat and cost £165. We decided on portable as we also have a boat we use it on.
We had a 50 watt polycrystalline panel fixed to the roof connected to a cheap ebay PWM charge controller, this setup ran all the lights, pump and TV/radio as needed. we never ran out of power.
I have just fitted a 100 watt panel to the new (to us) van again using a cheap PWM charger and it seems to work OK
You dont have to get the top of the range and pay over the odds to have a system that works
We have a freestanding one as we didn't want to invalidate the warranty on the caravan. It's a 110w (I think- it's my husbands toy) and he just clips it to the battery, although our new caravan has a receiver for it. They benefit is that if we are hooked up, we leave it at home, saving the weight, and if not, it's there and charging the battery. We did a fortnight on a holiday last year, with no problems at all and came home with a full battery for the first time ever.
I have friends with roof mounted ones, who used solar solutions in Poole. I know they also did transfers when one couple bought a new van, so they don't only do supply & fit, if that makes sense.
Hi
We have just had ours fiited, 80W, by MCEA approved service caravan engineer:
Black country caravan engineer- Bill McLachlan 07952994745
He done it as well as servicing caravan charged £70 for solar panel fitting.
Hope this helps.
Quote: Originally posted by trog100 on 30/7/2014i have thought about fitting a panel to my van.. 120 watts and on the roof.. fit and forget.. i would fit mine myself just to save money so far i havnt fitted one but there is time yet.. he he
people seem to love making simple things complicated i think its a forum thing.. :)
trog
[/QUOTE
Makes me smile as well. Got a no name panel mounted on the roof very bad. I can't even remember whether it is mono or polycrystalline, whatever this one is my first one was the other. All connected to PVM controller. A total no no if posts here are to believed. And I fitted myself so obviously a recipe for disaster.
Sorry to disappoint you all it just works. It worked at new year. It worked the weekend before last, it worked last weekend, and I'm sure it will work this weekend.
Sometimes there is to much theory. Something either works or it doesn't and mine works for us.
Mmmm, no doubt. There is a difference, however, between things 'working', and 'working properly'.
You could do without a plug on your hoover - just push the bare wires into the AC socket, and hold them in with little bits of wood. It will certainly 'work'
Better to have a plug on the end of the cable, though....
Panels will generally 'work' - unless they're shorted out - but extracting the best possible output from them requires a little bit of efforts and care.
Worth it, though.
------------- I glanced in the mirror, and it was love at first sight...
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Fitting a solar panel
