Solar panel help please (1 Viewer)

Feb 26, 2013
1,647
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Pinar de Campoverde, Spain
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We are off on very long tour next year and want to get a solar panel to help minimise the number of nights we need to pay for a campsite with EHU. We have 2 brand new 110 ah leisure batteries fitted thanks to the kind help of Jaws. We have looked on Bimble.co.uk following a link on this site and googled what MPPT & PWM means so our question is how much better is it to have the MPPT charge controller? There is not much difference in cost for a 12v 290w solar package with an MPPT charge controller and a 12v 480w LDK with a 60A PMW charge controller. Is it better to go for a lower watt panel with a superior controller or is there going to be no noticeable benefit? We will be using our 12v TV 2 or 3 evenings a week and playing an IPod, charging an IPhone, and using a halogen ring to cook on. The bulbs are mostly LED so not much drain there. Any advice would be great and if there is anyone with the skills to fit a panel for a fee and who would like to spend a weekend in East Bergholt (home of John Constable and adjacent to the beautiful Flatford Mill) whilst being plied with home made curry (or paella) and red wine (or beer) let me know!! ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:
 
Jun 17, 2012
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Had I not been off to France then the following would have tempted me to help! Not too far either to that lovely cake shop in Manningtree High St.



12/4/2013
Coolbeanz8
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My homemade triple choc brownies or my double cream filled profiteroles topped with cadburys chocolate (technically miniature eclairs!) also I just experimented with my ice cream machine and made a Tia Maria ice cream that was so good I had to share it with my work colleagues to stop me eating the whole litre! ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:
Janine likes this.

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Coolbeanz
Feb 26, 2013
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Had I not been off to France then the following would have tempted me to help! Not too far either to that lovely cake shop in Manningtree High St.



12/4/2013
Coolbeanz8
Funster

Broken Link Removed

Funster No : 24871
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: East Bergholt
About Me: 2 mid-life cyclists in a motorhome!!
Interests: cycling, travelling, cooking
MH Type: C class
MH Model: Fiat Elnagh Doral
Years Motorhoming: Newbie, 1st trip March 2013
Posts: 107
Thanks: 40
Thanked 25 Times in 16 Posts


icon1.gif





My homemade triple choc brownies or my double cream filled profiteroles topped with cadburys chocolate (technically miniature eclairs!) also I just experimented with my ice cream machine and made a Tia Maria ice cream that was so good I had to share it with my work colleagues to stop me eating the whole litre! ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:
Janine likes this.

Broken Link Removed

Did you not hear that all routes to France are closed until Christmas and I have upped the stakes to include triple chocolate brownies with Tia Maria ice cream!! :ROFLMAO:

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pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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if you use the halogen hob on an inverter then go for the biggest panel you can afford/fit on the roof as you'll need to put a lot of amps back in the battery.

a regular halogen cooker may use 1200watts of power...thats 100amps out of your battery per hour.

far better to use your gas oven and hob.

MPPT is far superior to PWM

a bit like AM and FM radio.....both do the job but FM is far better.
 

hilldweller

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Dec 5, 2008
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how much better is it to have the MPPT charge controller?

You may only get 10% more out of an MPPT controller but considering the price difference it would be silly not to use one.

I've just fitted a 100W panel for ÂŁ175 inc MPPT controller. All off ebay.


PS.....

Just noticed PJ remarking on halogen. No chance on batteries. Doomed to dismal failure.
 
Last edited:

cmcardle75

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Jun 8, 2012
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We are off on very long tour next year and want to get a solar panel to help minimise the number of nights we need to pay for a campsite with EHU. We have 2 brand new 110 ah leisure batteries fitted thanks to the kind help of Jaws. We have looked on Bimble.co.uk following a link on this site and googled what MPPT & PWM means so our question is how much better is it to have the MPPT charge controller? There is not much difference in cost for a 12v 290w solar package with an MPPT charge controller and a 12v 480w LDK with a 60A PMW charge controller. Is it better to go for a lower watt panel with a superior controller or is there going to be no noticeable benefit? We will be using our 12v TV 2 or 3 evenings a week and playing an IPod, charging an IPhone, and using a halogen ring to cook on. The bulbs are mostly LED so not much drain there. Any advice would be great and if there is anyone with the skills to fit a panel for a fee and who would like to spend a weekend in East Bergholt (home of John Constable and adjacent to the beautiful Flatford Mill) whilst being plied with home made curry (or paella) and red wine (or beer) let me know!! ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

It isn't normal to use a solar powered halogen hob. Do you not have a gas hob? Everything will revolve around providing enough power to it. You'll need a huge inverter, lots of panels and probably bigger batteries. Or you could just use gas. The LEDs and TV will probably use less than 5% of your total usage on the hob.

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OP
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Coolbeanz
Feb 26, 2013
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It isn't normal to use a solar powered halogen hob. Do you not have a gas hob? Everything will revolve around providing enough power to it. You'll need a huge inverter, lots of panels and probably bigger batteries. Or you could just use gas. The LEDs and TV will probably use less than 5% of your total usage on the hob.

We have a gas cooker so based on the comments so far I clearly need to restrict the halogen hob to EHU only. ::bigsmile:
 

vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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have you got a gas cooker with an oven . thats the way forward then with solar you may never need ehu again , i havent used it for 13yrs . cook with gas heat water with gas only 12v pump to pump the water . gas lights use far less leccy than led . heating with gas . have lots of leccy then for fridge .washing machine, spinner . tv .computers etc . bit like a space film from the 50,s and 60,s .
 
Jun 17, 2012
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Did you not hear that all routes to France are closed until Christmas and I have upped the stakes to include triple chocolate brownies with Tia Maria ice cream!! :ROFLMAO::Eeek:

You are so cruel !:Angry::cry:

But then I've got one of these :ROFLMAO:

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bernardfeay

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Nov 18, 2009
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Don't spend another penny on solar panels, dump the halogen hob and spend your money on a gas cooker/hob. We have only one leisure battery and we always watch TV if it is cold outside.
 
Apr 29, 2012
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1990 Gulfstream RV
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I cant believe everyone doesnt have a solar panel on their motorhome. My group of RV nuts have followed my set up by having a 250 watt house type panel, and a 30w controller.....ÂŁ230 from ebay. I then added a volts display and an ammeter display, so I know what is going on. They cost less than a tenner for the pair. We never have hook up and often do a week away. It also charges my scooter batteries at night, and puts back the power in the daytime. The panel ind. light comes on even before it is properly daylight

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Coolbeanz
Feb 26, 2013
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Don't spend another penny on solar panels, dump the halogen hob and spend your money on a gas cooker/hob. We have only one leisure battery and we always watch TV if it is cold outside.

We already have a gas cooker and hob. We need a solar panel to maximise the time we can spend off hook up as we will be away for months at a time :Smile:
 
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Coolbeanz
Feb 26, 2013
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Electricity is a minor problem, you can always run the engine.

But poo - have you got a cunning plan for the toilet cassette ?

No cunning plan, just going to mix France Passion, Aires, wild camping and the odd campsite so I'll make sure hubby can do his toilet emptying duty! We have several Aires books and Apps so it will be easy to find a service point hopefully ::bigsmile:

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Feb 9, 2008
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I would agree with the general consensus of removing the halogen oven and getting the biggest solar panel you can carry.
I too have 2x110 Amp L. batteries and a 120 W Solar panel and it more then meets our needs. Like you we have led lighting and run our fridge and cooking of gas (2 x 6Kg Gaslow bottles).

Happy trails.
 
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Coolbeanz
Feb 26, 2013
1,647
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Pinar de Campoverde, Spain
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Since March 2013
I would agree with the general consensus of removing the halogen oven and getting the biggest solar panel you can carry.
I too have 2x110 Amp L. batteries and a 120 W Solar panel and it more then meets our needs. Like you we have led lighting and run our fridge and cooking of gas (2 x 6Kg Gaslow bottles).

Happy trails.

We don't have a halogen oven, just a single portable halogen ring that I use when on EHU. We have a gas cooker with 3 gas rings. :Smile:
 

vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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theres sewage covers all over europe no probs getting rid of sewage . i go for 6 months at a time no campsites .usually no aires just free camping .

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