Display for use with LR1218 /EBL99 (1 Viewer)

[namwaldog]

OK, just finished installing a 150 W solar panel through a Schaudt LR1218 charge controller hard wired to the Electrobloc EBL 99.
After getting over the butt-clenching first few miles driving waiting for the solar panel flying off and reading the LR1218 instructions 10 times a day for the last week, everything appears to working as it should.

Our Burstner has a display panel IT 994 and this gives us the state of both sets of batteries (on the left) and the charge /discharge meter (on the right.)

Is there anyone who can recommend any sort of display that I can add to show what the solar panel is producing at any given time. There is a spare cable left over from the LR1218 kit which is for a display panel but wondered which panel if any, anyone had fit to a similar setup?

 

[Xabia]

I installed a Victron battery monitor which gives you loads of information..

https://www.victronenergy.com/

 

[Manic]

The charge/discharge meter should show your solar input, my Hymer one does.
I recently asked Udo Lang at Schaudt about a read out and he suggested something but I'm afraid I deleted the email as the device he suggested was about £200 quid, hence deleting the email.

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[Langtoftlad]

When I asked WildAx about fitting a battery monitor to keep an eye on the battery, output & input from the solar panel - he suggested this:
https://www.roadpro.co.uk/product/0...ronic-1250-solar-computer-monitor-c5588/C5588

It's not what I was looking for, but it sounds like it might be what you're look for.

 

[funflair]

When I asked WildAx about fitting a battery monitor to keep an eye on the battery, output & input from the solar panel - he suggested this:
https://www.roadpro.co.uk/product/0...ronic-1250-solar-computer-monitor-c5588/C5588

It's not what I was looking for, but it sounds like it might be what you're look for.

But that solar computer/monitor has a catV plug that goes straight into a Votronic solar regulator I don't know if it will be compatible with other makes.

Martin

 

[JeanLuc]

Charge current from the LR1218 should show on the right hand meter of your panel.

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[hilldweller]

It's hard to beat this for painting the big amps picture................

 

[namwaldog]

Thanks for all your replies. I think, for the moment I shall do as Philip, @JeanLuc , says above and monitor it from our existing display. Thanks again.

 

[The Lobster]

I'm just compiling my list of bits to do exactly the same thing to my Burstner which has the same Electroblock and control panel... and I was considering the which apparently works with the Schaudt LR1218 solar controller. However they're around £100, which seems a lot to get a digital readout of what the right hand analogue meter on your control panel tells you anyway...

As a matter of interest, here's my planned "bill of materials" - did I miss anything obvious from your experience?

If you click the item links you'll see the different items - I was quite interested in the flexible/low profile 100W panels, mainly because they are harder to see from the ground and easier to remove if required.

Item Price Qty Total
100W flexible panel £114.99 2 £229.98
Fixing kit £15.99 2 £31.98
Entry gland £7.99 1 £7.99 (or I might try this "pro" version)
£61.92 1 £61.92
Y Connector £5.99 2 £11.98
Cable £2.41 5 £12.05 (4mm rec. for >100W panel runs of any length)
MC4 connectors £1.51 2 £3.02
Sikaflex £8.94 1 £8.94

Total cost £367.86

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[Theonlysue]

There may be a problem with the low profile as there us not enough airflow underneath to keep them cool.
But I'm sure someone will advise

 

[Lenny HB]

I'm just compiling my list of bits to do exactly the same thing to my Burstner which has the same Electroblock and control panel... and I was considering the which apparently works with the Schaudt LR1218 solar controller. However they're around £100, which seems a lot to get a digital readout of what the right hand analogue meter on your control panel tells you anyway...

As a matter of interest, here's my planned "bill of materials" - did I miss anything obvious from your experience?

If you click the item links you'll see the different items - I was quite interested in the flexible/low profile 100W panels, mainly because they are harder to see from the ground and easier to remove if required.

Item Price Qty Total
100W flexible panel £114.99 2 £229.98
Fixing kit £15.99 2 £31.98
Entry gland £7.99 1 £7.99 (or I might try this "pro" version)
£61.92 1 £61.92
Y Connector £5.99 2 £11.98
Cable £2.41 5 £12.05 (4mm rec. for >100W panel runs of any length)
MC4 connectors £1.51 2 £3.02
Sikaflex £8.94 1 £8.94

Total cost £367.86

If you haven't bought your bits yet I suggest you buy a better regulator, I'm not keen on the LR1218 as once it reaches 14.2v it holds constantly 14.2v , it's OK with some of the older Elecktroblocks that regulate the solar charge, the EBL99 connections are just a straight pass through. Gel batteries generally survive the LR1218 other types don't. Also I'm not a fan of flexible panels a lot of users have found them failing after less than 2 years also looking at the spec on them they lose 50% of output after 5 years compared to 25% after 20 years for a rigid panel.

 

[The Lobster]

Thanks both for those useful comments... I've asked the semi-flexible panel supplier to comment on performance degradation over time and why they state that the panels don't need to be raised from the mounting surface for ventilation.

Regarding the LR1218, I see from it's data sheet that the more modern LRM1218 looks likely to provide better performance - but at £100 extra on the budget However given that it claims to manage the optimum charge point for the panels/batteries more accurately I guess this could mean I might drop to 1x100W panel. In any case I currently only have one 120Ah leisure battery, so (again from what I've read) that would seem fine... and perhaps if I ever add a second leisure battery I could consider adding a second panel then?

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[namwaldog]

@The Lobster
I bought my items as a kit which included;
150 w solar panel,
4 corner & 2 side feet
Dual charge controller
2 x 5 metre solar extension cables
2 x 1 metre L & N battery cables with terminals
EBay £229

Sikaflex 512 £13

Stainless nuts & bolts £10

LR 1218 charge controller with required cables £79

Total £331

I am sure individual items may be bought cheaper and I now have a surplus charge controller. But it was the ease of connection of the LR1218 to the EBL 99 that took me down that route.

Everything seems to be working fine and it took about two hours of bright sky\sunshine this morning to recharge what we used without EHU last night.
Good Luck

 

[The Lobster]

Thanks for that Barry - so by your (and my) estimates the "kit" price (excluding fitting) for around 120-150W comes out at around £330, or £400 with an MPP controller. So now I'm split between an older LR1218 or more modern LRM1218 (or similar, e.g. Votronic MPP 250 - which also supports the Schaudt EBL "solar" interface). The MPP capability adds a lot of cost but I do believe the claim that it works better in cloudy/shaded areas (like here in Scotland) as that's my experience with MPP controllers on the house solar panels.

The only thing that worries me now is exactly where I should drill that hole in the roof --- I'm erring towards bottling out and getting a local caravan/motorhome engineer to do the fitting for me on the basis s/he'll have done it more than no times (unlike me)...

 

[Lenny HB]

You can use any regulator, I used and a CBE solar split charge relay, the plug housing and pins are available on eBay , CPC & other suppliers so easy to make up a lead for the Elektroblock.

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[jezport]

When I asked WildAx about fitting a battery monitor to keep an eye on the battery, output & input from the solar panel - he suggested this:
https://www.roadpro.co.uk/product/0...ronic-1250-solar-computer-monitor-c5588/C5588

It's not what I was looking for, but it sounds like it might be what you're look for.

It will only fit Votronic Regulators. They are very popular on German forums, I have one and it does what it says on the box.

 

[Minxy]

If you haven't bought your bits yet I suggest you buy a better regulator, I'm not keen on the LR1218 as once it reaches 14.2v it holds constantly 14.2v , it's OK with some of the older Elecktroblocks that regulate the solar charge, the EBL99 connections are just a straight pass through. Gel batteries generally survive the LR1218 other types don't. Also I'm not a fan of flexible panels a lot of users have found them failing after less than 2 years also looking at the spec on them they lose 50% of output after 5 years compared to 25% after 20 years for a rigid panel.

I installed a LR1218 regulator connected to our Schaudt EBL 99 controller along with a 60w semi-flexible panel on to our PVC nearly 2 years ago and it's working fantastically, as good as, if not better, than the 75w rigid Alden panel we had on our previous PVC. Its keeping our batteries topped up brilliantly, no signs of failure ... I just 'glued' it to the roof ridges with Sikaflex - being a PVC it has airflow underneath due to the ridges but it isn't a necessity according to the blurb about them.

 

[Minxy]

The only thing that worries me now is exactly where I should drill that hole in the roof --- I'm erring towards bottling out and getting a local caravan/motorhome engineer to do the fitting for me on the basis s/he'll have done it more than no times (unlike me)...

Wimp! Its easy-peasy with a coachbuilt as you can often measure up more easily where it wants to go, or even feed the cable behind some of the existing exterior, or interior, trim ... its just one little hole in the roof. Just measure, measure, and measure again, then drill a small pilot hole for the cable and check where it comes through so you can easily adjust it if needs be, in fact you might be able to do this from the inside out so you get the right spot first time.

Go on ... you KNOW you can do it ...

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