Getting solar panels fitted in Spain

MR. FUSION

MR. FUSION

Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Posts
4,300
Likes collected
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Location
Ayrshire
Funster No
23,166
MH
Carado T132
Exp
5 years, feel free to ask me about the Carado!!
I am currently in Valencia and am really regretting not fitting some solar panels, there is a local outfit called www.recaravan.es who offer fitting. Anyone tried them ?? I have an electroblock EBL 99 System with a block for a regulator so am assuming the 3 regulator wires go in there ?

It's probably a bad idea to have this done in Spain warranty wise I know but getting a bit desperate as I can't really wild past 3 days without EHU or using the gennie :(

Any thoughts or recommendations ? Heading back up north on the Spanish French med coast.
TIA for any help.
 
It aint cheap here.:( My local Mh place wants 350€ for a 100w panel & regulator. & that's not fitted.:( I get mine in the UK , batteries as well. Can't afford any here.:LOL:
 
Why not see if you can buy the kit off Ebay and get it shipped out to you there and fit it yourself? I think you may also need a LR1218 solar charge regulator to mate up to your EBL 99.
 
Minxy Girl said:
Why not see if you can buy the kit off Ebay and get it shipped out to you there and fit it yourself? I think you may also need a LR1218 solar charge regulator to mate up to your EBL 99.
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Thanks for that minxy, Well my onboard tool kit would easily cover doing that (Inc cordless drill) just would need to get some ladders !!! Will think about it!
 
You're not over a barrel with the EBL 99 you can ignore it and go via any regulator direct to the battery. So you have nothing holding you back

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Techno said:
You're not over a barrel with the EBL 99 you can ignore it and go via any regulator direct to the battery. So you have nothing holding you back
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Except it won't then keep the engine battery topped up, not an issue if you do move the MH every week or so, but if not then it'll go flat, however the LR1218 isn't cheap by any means and the LRM (ie MPPT) version is eyewateringly expensive!
 
Techno said:
You're not over a barrel with the EBL 99 you can ignore it and go via any regulator direct to the battery. So you have nothing holding you back
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Minxy Girl said:
Except it won't then keep the engine battery topped up, not an issue if you do move the MH every week or so, but if not then it'll go flat, however the LR1218 isn't cheap by any means and the LRM (ie MPPT) version is eyewateringly expensive!
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Thanks for the replies both, @Techno I would like to keep both batteries topped up as I store the MH in secure storage, so often no opportunity to use EHU in the winter.
I am not up on solar panel jargon, so as I understand it the LR1218 would do both batteries, but as an alternative I would require a regulator with a relay directly fitted to both batteries ????
 
Joining the "Green Brigade" Mr Campa Cola?

If visiting Portugal is part of your plans this trip, there is a guy who has fitted solar panels to Funsters' vans... I think he is in Lagos but RayV8 would know for sure...

JJ :cool:

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I'm pretty sure the EBL99 only charges the stater battery at 2amps when on hook up. AFAIK it does not from the solar regulator.
I recall doing one a few years ago and I fitted a CBE
@JeanLuc
 
JJ said:
Joining the "Green Brigade" Mr Campa Cola?

If visiting Portugal is part of your plans this trip, there is a guy who has fitted solar panels to Funsters' vans... I think he is in Lagos but RayV8 would know for sure...

JJ :cool:
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Thanks for the info JJ but I left Portugal a while ago, and won't be back from Spain.......I like my gennie but am not so keen to use it when others are around, and its busy here in Spain!

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Techno said:
I'm pretty sure the EBL99 only charges the stater battery at 2amps when on hook up. AFAIK it does not from the solar regulator.
I recall doing one a few years ago and I fitted a CBE
@JeanLuc
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You may be correct Andy!

I've just read the pdf manual for the EBL99 (we have one) as I was wondering about this myself - we have to keep putting our camper on hook-up to keep the cab battery charged up sufficiently despite having the solar panel connected and the LR1218 clearly having an output for a link cable for the starter battery to the EBL99, I just put it down to the leisure batteries being 'favoured' for the majority of the input from the solar panel.

I've just sent an email off to A & N Caravan Services regarding this and will report back when I get an answer.
 
Too late
As above
Note that on a EBL 99/EBL 29/EBL 119, block BL6 cannot be used to charge the Starter battery, that is done via separate cable harness (included in the LR1218/LRM1218 box).
 
not wishing to be controversial, but can you wild for more than 3 days in a row, is it not then called something else? :D

posted in all seriousness as a short drive would recharge my batteries to a reasonable level, as would running the engine for a while when parked if needed, quieter than a generator as well :)
 
DavidG58 said:
... posted in all seriousness as a short drive would recharge my batteries to a reasonable level, as would running the engine for a while when parked if needed, quieter than a generator as well :)
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The problem is that if you move you could lose your spot so may not be an option.
 
Minxy Girl said:
The problem is that if you move you could lose your spot so may not be an option.
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You can always leave your mat, slippers and Leveller's at the spot as I saw recently :Eeek:

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campa cola said:
You can always leave your mat, slippers and Leveller's at the spot as I saw recently :Eeek:
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You can try that but I've seen people return to find their stuff moved to the rubbish pile when another MH took the spot! There's officially no reserving of spots on aires, sostas etc so if you move you 'risk' not being able to get the same spot again and have no recourse if it happens.
 
Techno said:
Too late
As above
Note that on a EBL 99/EBL 29/EBL 119, block BL6 cannot be used to charge the Starter battery, that is done via separate cable harness (included in the LR1218/LRM1218 box).
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They don't supply that lead anymore.
 
Since when Lenny ?
Both of my stock have all the leads
image.jpeg

image.jpeg
 
As did ours ...

I know I'm gonna regret asking this but ...

Andy ... why have you got 2????? :D
 
Techno said:
I have lots of regulators of better persuasion
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... but why? You're not putting even more panels on your MH are you?
 
I've had a response already from Allan at A&N Caravan Services! How's that for quick service!!!!

This is what I said

Hi, I'm trying to find out if I have a problem with my charger or not! I have a Globecar Familyscout L 2015 (x250) camper with an EBL99 electroblock unit and have installed a solar panel with an LR1218 solar regulator. I've found that the engine battery doesn't appear to be being topped-up via the solar panel, although it keeps the leisure batteries topped up without a problem. It has been suggested that the EBL99 only charges the engine battery when on hook-up (at 2amp?) but not by any other method (ie not solar) - is this correct?

Many thanks. Mel​

and Allan's reponse:

Hello, if it has been installed correctly it should pass some current to the starter battery, but only once the habitation batteries are fully charged.
If either battery is poor it can affect charging of the Starter battery.
​
So as it doesn't charge the starter battery until the leisure batteries are fully charged, with the low light levels of winter, that may be the reason why the starter battery isn't as high as it could be.
 
Lenny HB said:
One I brought 2 years ago didn't have the split loom lead for the ELB 99, previous one about 7 years ago did.
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I wonder if it was an error that you didn't get it as I bought our LR1218 last year and it came with the lead.

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