A solar panel (1 Viewer)

Apr 18, 2009
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Not long enough!
Hi Guys would this Link Removed
be enough to charge my battery on my Pascara, I think its 85amp, and would I need to buy anything else???? and lastly is it a good price??:Blush:

Tim
 
S

stagman

Deleted User
Hi Guys would this Link Removed
be enough to charge my battery on my Pascara, I think its 85amp, and would I need to buy anything else???? and lastly is it a good price??:Blush:

Tim

Yes that should do it ,looks ok , and price not bad but you will need a regulator ,and fixing kit .:thumb:
 

robinmclaren

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Feb 23, 2009
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20+ if you include vw campers and the like
i wish it was 85a , would be buying them all, i recon about 6 -7a max charge rate and probably 3-4a on a normal day , so should put around 18-48a into batteries each day dependant on time of year and intensity of light , it all depends on how much power you take out and how much battery storage you have to hold the power, we have 220a of batteries and cannot take all the charge from 300w of panels , usually fully charged back up from previous night by 10am when on hols but over 20ah from panels in sunlight

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S

stagman

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i wish it was 85a , would be buying them all, i recon about 6 -7a max charge rate and probably 3-4a on a normal day , so should put around 18-48a into batteries each day dependant on time of year and intensity of light , it all depends on how much power you take out and how much battery storage you have to hold the power, we have 220a of batteries and cannot take all the charge from 300w of panels , usually fully charged back up from previous night by 10am when on hols but over 20ah from panels in sunlight

I think it's his battery that is 85amp .:thumb:
 
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wizzer59
Apr 18, 2009
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Not long enough!
Thanks for the advice fellas, another quicky do you think its possible to stick this on the roof without drilling holes all over the place?????:Blush:
 
Nov 30, 2009
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Since 2009 with motorhomes several caravans then tents before that.
Ralph stuck ours on with brackets and Sikaflex (sp)
We have Trojan batteries too they are brilliant and find we dont need hook up . www.trojanbattery.com
 

tonka

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Jul 2, 2008
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Panel looks ok and a reasonable price..
You can get 80w panels now for £150 ish.. Check out ebay. 10amp regulator about £20.
Ref fitting... Some 2" ali angle from B&Q £10, cut into say 4 x 5" lengths, drill 2 holes in one side of each bracket and self tap into the frame of the solar panel. Then use some SIKAFLEX 221 £8 a tube to stick it down on roof. No need to drill any holes..
You will need some good 4mm cable from the panel down to the regulator to reduce any power loss. Connection from regulator to battery, fit a fuse !!

NOTE IMPORTANT TIPS... Always connect the regulator to the battery first for a few minutes before you connect the solar panel.
Also remember the panel is active and giving voltage once it's seeing any daylight. So cover with a blanket while your working on the connections..
Good luck... DIY fitted mine 18 months ago and it's been great..

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Road Runner

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Jul 26, 2007
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I would be looking to add another 85 amp battery.

I have a 270 amp battery in my bus with 2 x 80 watt panels.

On my caravan 2 x 85 amp batteries with a free standing 80 watt folding panel which on a sunny day works great.
 

tonka

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Jul 2, 2008
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Wizzer, just found some pics of when i DIY fitted my panel..
See in my album in case they are any help for you..

Link Removed
 
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wizzer59
Apr 18, 2009
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Not long enough!
Thanks again guys n gals:thumb: I see for the full kit its an extra £53, sound about right?

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chrisgreen

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Jul 26, 2009
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Hi Chris That means absolutely nothing to me:Blush: What are you saying??:helpsos:
im saying that if it was pointing at the stongest brightest sun it would produce 3.41 ah so over a 10 hour day 34.1 ah.
on a dull day 1/2 ah.???
p/v solar is a better option per watt:thumb:

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tonka

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Well spotted on the ampage, that is low for a 100w...
Here's an 80w on ebay at £149... giving max 4.65 amp...

Link Removed

Wizzer.. Simple example, the above panel is rated at 4.65watts per hour. But that is a very maximum. So over say 10 hours you have the possibility of getting 46.5amps of charge into your battery (4.65 x 10).. However you wont get Max and I always work on an average of 1/2 that so = 23 amps... Depending on time of year and weather it may even be less..
Remember as well you have an 85amp battery, once it's full thats it.. So you can have the brightest hottest, longest day and get 50amp plus from your panel BUT if you battery is only part empty and only needs say 20amp then that's all it will take..
The regulator stop or cuts down the charge once the battery is full.. If you do fit a panel then maybe consider a change of battery at same time to a 110amp.

The 2 things to look for in a panel are PV (photovoltaic) and Moncrystalline..
 

chrisgreen

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Well spotted on the ampage, that is low for a 100w...
Here's an 80w on ebay at £149... giving max 4.65 amp...

Link Removed

Wizzer.. Simple example, the above panel is rated at 4.65watts per hour. But that is a very maximum. So over say 10 hours you have the possibility of getting 46.5amps of charge into your battery (4.65 x 10).. However you wont get Max and I always work on an average of 1/2 that so = 23 amps... Depending on time of year and weather it may even be less..
Remember as well you have an 85amp battery, once it's full thats it.. So you can have the brightest hottest, longest day and get 50amp plus from your panel BUT if you battery is only part empty and only needs say 20amp then that's all it will take..
The regulator stop or cuts down the charge once the battery is full.. If you do fit a panel then maybe consider a change of battery at same time to a 110amp.

The 2 things to look for in a panel are PV (photovoltaic) and Moncrystalline..
:thumb::thumb::thumb:correct:thumb:
 
Jul 28, 2010
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do not do as i did
Paid £600 for a 230W panel 10amp regulator and fitting
after a few weeks it leaked in water every time it rained !
as it had just been fitted i thought no way could it be the panel it must be the wheel holder i had had fitted well after spending another £ 300 to have the top rail seals redone along with another £300 to reseal the roof vents the rain still poured in summer 2010 it was wet and the water kept coming in I got up on the roof (not easy with a spinal injury) i found the cause of the leak was the solar panel fitting i replaced all the fittings and resealed and have had no more water ingress
if you want the name of the poor solar provider just PM me would not want others to have the same ripoff done to them Yours Ian

:thumb:

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Apr 27, 2008
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do not do as i did
Paid £600 for a 230W panel 10amp regulator and fitting
after a few weeks it leaked in water every time it rained !
as it had just been fitted i thought no way could it be the panel it must be the wheel holder i had had fitted well after spending another £ 300 to have the top rail seals redone along with another £300 to reseal the roof vents the rain still poured in summer 2010 it was wet and the water kept coming in I got up on the roof (not easy with a spinal injury) i found the cause of the leak was the solar panel fitting i replaced all the fittings and resealed and have had no more water ingress
if you want the name of the poor solar provider just PM me would not want others to have the same ripoff done to them Yours Ian

:thumb:

Seems odd, a 230w panel would require a 20amp regulator, I don't think a 10amp would be enough as a 230watt panel should give nearly 15amp in ideal conditions. The biggest single panel I have seen is 120w, are you sure it is 230watt ?
 

pappajohn

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Seems odd, a 230w panel would require a 20amp regulator, I don't think a 10amp would be enough as a 230watt panel should give nearly 15amp in ideal conditions. The biggest single panel I have seen is 120w, are you sure it is 230watt ?
mines a single 170w panel...around 2mtr x 1mtr (maybre slightly less)
 
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wizzer59
Apr 18, 2009
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Englishman in Mid Wales
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Hymer B584, A Class
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Not long enough!
do not do as i did
Paid £600 for a 230W panel 10amp regulator and fitting
after a few weeks it leaked in water every time it rained !
as it had just been fitted i thought no way could it be the panel it must be the wheel holder i had had fitted well after spending another £ 300 to have the top rail seals redone along with another £300 to reseal the roof vents the rain still poured in summer 2010 it was wet and the water kept coming in I got up on the roof (not easy with a spinal injury) i found the cause of the leak was the solar panel fitting i replaced all the fittings and resealed and have had no more water ingress
if you want the name of the poor solar provider just PM me would not want others to have the same ripoff done to them Yours Ian

:thumb:

Hi Ian
Thanks for that, but don't worry once Ive sucked all the info I can from you guys:winky: (in the nicest possible way) and the internet, I will be fitting them myself:thumb:

Tim
 
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wizzer59
Apr 18, 2009
3,569
3,367
Englishman in Mid Wales
Funster No
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Hymer B584, A Class
Exp
Not long enough!
Well spotted on the ampage, that is low for a 100w...
Here's an 80w on ebay at £149... giving max 4.65 amp...

Link Removed

Wizzer.. Simple example, the above panel is rated at 4.65watts per hour. But that is a very maximum. So over say 10 hours you have the possibility of getting 46.5amps of charge into your battery (4.65 x 10).. However you wont get Max and I always work on an average of 1/2 that so = 23 amps... Depending on time of year and weather it may even be less..
Remember as well you have an 85amp battery, once it's full thats it.. So you can have the brightest hottest, longest day and get 50amp plus from your panel BUT if you battery is only part empty and only needs say 20amp then that's all it will take..
The regulator stop or cuts down the charge once the battery is full.. If you do fit a panel then maybe consider a change of battery at same time to a 110amp.

The 2 things to look for in a panel are PV (photovoltaic) and Moncrystalline..


Hi Tonka
Yes I was thinking the battery was a little on the small side (he says knowing absolutely bugger all):Blush:
Tim

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chrisgreen

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Link Removed


What do you guys think of this panel?:thumb:
its ok
but you would be better going with this on as it comes with a regulator:thumb:

Link Removed

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wizzer59
Apr 18, 2009
3,569
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Hymer B584, A Class
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Not long enough!
its ok
but you would be better going with this on as it comes with a regulator:thumb:

Link Removed


Thanks Chris
Was thinking the flexable one would be easier to stick on and less drag maybe, I'm assuming it can be just stuck on the roof:Blush:

Tim
 

Wildman

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A solar panel generates more than leccy, it generates heat and a lot of it, thats why panels are raised off the roof to allow airflow to cool it. Whilst a flexi panel would appear to be convenient I would still want it raised off the roof. Anywhere close to a roof opening will risk creating leakage problems due to expansion.
having said that fitted to the front, (curved) part of the motorhome at least part of it will be at most effective angle to the sun when parked up facing south.
 

hilldweller

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Hi Brian
Whats that mean??
Tim

It means that, as is quite normal on a forum, someone gives inaccurate or partial advice.

------------------------------------------------------
im saying that if it was pointing at the stongest brightest sun it would produce 3.41 ah so over a 10 hour day 34.1 ah.
on a dull day 1/2 ah.???
p/v solar is a better option per watt:thumb:
------------------------------------------------------

Shall I put this right....

The panel will output 3.41A. No h.
3.41A over 10h is 34.1Ah - this meaningless.
p/v is better..... They are all photo-voltaic - latin - photo = light, voltaic = volts. There are 3 types of cell, monocrystalline is the most expensive with best output ( ignore amorphous and polycrystalline ).

Now back to the 3.41A. He missed the 43V peak. This tells me it's designed to work at about 36V. The controller will take in 36V at 3A and convert it to 12V at 9A ( approximate figures to make it easier to understand ). That 12V at 9A = 108W is in line with their sales figure.

But you never get anything like that 100W in the real world.

And the "h" that keeps creeping in. That is connected with time to charge or drain the battery. An 85Ah battery, will provide 8.5A for 10 hours. Yes ? NO. Because you can't take a battery down to empty without killing it that 10 hours is dropped to 5 hours for a normal battery or 7 hours for a deep discharge battery.

Back to your 100W panel. Take a guess at 50%, 50W. Your 85Ah battery is half discharged so you need 45Ah to go back in.

50W from panel. 50W / 12V = 4A

45Ah needed so 4A for 11h does it. But when do we get 11h of sunshine :Sad:

[ All number have been simplied to make it easier to understand ]

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