Solar energy (1 Viewer)

chrisatisis

Free Member
Jun 6, 2012
3
0
East Sussex
Funster No
21,333
MH
Hymer S660
Exp
I'm a newbie
Hi all,

I am wanting to become self sufficient on elec and so will be fiiting solar panels. Any body go any exerience or advice out there. I am the recent owner of a 1988 Hymer S660.

Wish you all well

Christopher
 

europeansnailtrail

Free Member
Jun 6, 2012
1
0
Swindon
Funster No
21,338
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2007
Hi there, I was previously going to fit 2x100w panels with twin 120ah batteries via a 30A duo battery contoller and LCD display for our impending European tour however 2 weeks ago the world changed for us and we're now selling the van and everything we bought to kit it out for a 12-18mth trip. Look out for my classified ads or drop me a private message if you are interested in a very reasonably priced Solar set-up with everything but never even opened :cry:

Matt

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stcyr

Free Member
Apr 11, 2011
1,765
1,160
Normandie
Funster No
16,005
MH
A class
Exp
On & off, since 1966 - fulltime since 2005
We have 2 panels at the moment, a 60w and an 80w, feeding one 110a battery. Works well for us, living in the MH permanently. Two winters spent in present MH with the above set-up, with no probs at all. Previous van had 80w panel and 2 x 110a batteries, also no probs. :thumb:
 
OP
OP
C

chrisatisis

Free Member
Jun 6, 2012
3
0
East Sussex
Funster No
21,333
MH
Hymer S660
Exp
I'm a newbie
We have 2 panels at the moment, a 60w and an 80w, feeding one 110a battery. Works well for us, living in the MH permanently. Two winters spent in present MH with the above set-up, with no probs at all. Previous van had 80w panel and 2 x 110a batteries, also no probs. :thumb:

Thats helpful advice. Though there is probably as much light in the South east as you you in North france?

Not gonna run a tv, mainly lights, laptop, dab radio/amp and a fridge that doesnt seem to work very well:Sad:

I'm not technical/electrical but I guess 110 a is out put - The batter will be 12 volt?

I too intend to live in this permanently. Have given up my flat and see how it goes. Does Normandy have advatges over England, such a a more relaxed attitude to 'parking up'?

Thanks for yur response all the best

Christopher
 
OP
OP
C

chrisatisis

Free Member
Jun 6, 2012
3
0
East Sussex
Funster No
21,333
MH
Hymer S660
Exp
I'm a newbie
Hi there, I was previously going to fit 2x100w panels with twin 120ah batteries via a 30A duo battery contoller and LCD display for our impending European tour however 2 weeks ago the world changed for us and we're now selling the van and everything we bought to kit it out for a 12-18mth trip. Look out for my classified ads or drop me a private message if you are interested in a very reasonably priced Solar set-up with everything but never even opened :cry:

Matt

Hi Matt, Thanks for your response, I'll take a look at classifieds

Best wishes

Christopher

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Last edited:

stcyr

Free Member
Apr 11, 2011
1,765
1,160
Normandie
Funster No
16,005
MH
A class
Exp
On & off, since 1966 - fulltime since 2005
Thats helpful advice. Though there is probably as much light in the South east as you you in North france?

Not gonna run a tv, mainly lights, laptop, dab radio/amp and a fridge that doesnt seem to work very well:Sad:

I'm not technical/electrical but I guess 110 a is out put - The batter will be 12 volt?

I too intend to live in this permanently. Have given up my flat and see how it goes. Does Normandy have advatges over England, such a a more relaxed attitude to 'parking up'?

Thanks for yur response all the best

Christopher

We've spent three winters in west Wales, year before last snowed in for 6 weeks. Main difference 'tween France & UK is that over there they don't pander to 'pikeyphobia' - at the moment we are visiting family in Derbyshire, so many carparks have height-barriers, really winds me up. Not that I particularly want to use these carparks - but if I did ... :Angry:

We run l.e.d lighting, water-pump, twin fan Truma heating, 12v chargers etc..., laptops. Gas for fridge,cooking,heat.

No real difference in light levels there/here.

Battery is 12volt, 110 amp/hours. :thumb:
 

John & Joan

Free Member
Mar 30, 2010
1,425
774
Darlington
Funster No
10,851
MH
A Class
Exp
10 years this time
We have the Hymer S700 so it is roughly the same body as yours.

We fitted 2 x 130 watt panels. One across the back sideways and the other in the centre, inline with and behind the large saloon rooflight. The are "Solara" Panels and we fitted a Morningstar Duo (25amp) Regulator.

These panels are rated at 7.5 amp output and we had 14.95 amps out of them 2 days ago at one point. These are coupled to 3 x 110 Ah batteries in the Gas Locker. We fitted an 85 litre gas tank under the van under the water tank.

01/06/12 total output 75.5 ah Bright Sun
02/06/12 total output 43.4 ah Dense high cloud/Sunny intervals
03/06/12 total output 19.7 ah Low Cloud
04/06/12 total output 87.4 ah Light high cloud with sunny intervals
05/06/12 total output 10.93 ah Thick low cloud and rain
Today it started very dull and the output was very low (1.2 amps) but as the day went on it got brighter and the output has gone up to over 18.11 amps max (according to the meter) this afternoon. By 18:30 we had obtained 62.4 ah so far today and the panels output had dropped to 1.24 amps.

As you can see solar output in the UK is very variable.

I take my daily readings at 09:00 every morning at present and the stated outputs are for the preceeding 24 hours.

The Duo regulator keeps the vehicle battery topped up on a 90% leisure Battery /10% Vehicle battery split, so even when parked up the vehicle battery is showing 14.05 volts peak each day.

We are near Barrow in Furness on the coast.

John
 

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