Solar charger question (1 Viewer)

Kool Kroozer

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Can someone please enlighten me what the difference is between 10a and 20a solar chargers/regulators.. I am thinking of saving myself a few hundred £ and plan on fitting a couple of 100w panels but i notice some come with 10a an others offer 20a chargers, the previous one we had fitted was the cheapest i have ever seen anywhere (£4.19) fitted by Spinney motorhomes, i have no idea of ampage it was but it did the job ok - what is the most common 10 - 20 ?
 

tonka

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Depends on what the panels give out..
Example if your 100w panels give 6 amps each, thats 2 x 6 = 12amps..
Then a 10amp regulator is to small and wont handle the power !! Simples..

I only had a single 80w panel on my previous van and a very basic regulator but it worked spot on for 4 years...

See your in Staffordshire.. I am Cannock so if nearby and you want any info let me know..
 

Don Quixote

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Not long enough, but a little common sense helps..........
You may think you are going to save money, but always fit bigger than you need as a few month down the line you will want to add more Solar and the regulator will not take it. The 20 amp will give you room to grow.

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Kool Kroozer

Kool Kroozer

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Tonka many thanks for clearing that up, i was thinking along the lines of something completley different - I am in Cannock too (y)
 

canopus

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If you're planning on ever adding more solar panels then it would be wise to add a 20A or even 30A regulator. Also bear in mind that more power from panels may necessitate bigger cross sectional area cable i.e 1.5mm to 4mm.

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Kool Kroozer

Kool Kroozer

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Cheers canopus, I only want 2 panels, that should be plenty i hope, we had a 120w on our previous van and it served its purpose well, i never would have thought that wild camping would have been so enjoyable... has its ups/downs but with some good solar who needs EHU.
 

meanderer

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Agree with everything above. In the UK, you're unlikely to get the full 200W capability very often. Head a bit further south - quite possible. 200W at 12V is just over 16A. You should go for the larger unit.

Again, price isn't everything. There are so-called MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) controllers that will maximise solar gathering by running the panels at their most efficient voltage across a range of conditions. If you holiday in southern Europe, not such an issue. In the UK it will be more benefit.

Lastly. If you stop for a night and move on, you won't use as much energy prior to recharging from the alternator as you would spending a week on a single site.

Hope that helps.
 
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£4.19 for a regulator...........:whistle:

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