Right! Now what do I do with all this electric? (1 Viewer)

[Barclaybasher]

Go on ............you could fit a sunbed !!

.....or you could sunbathe outside and cut out the 'middle man'

 

[MattR]

Can be done I guess, but you must have a very frugal electric consumption.
Im guessing you watch very little, if any, TV, use minimal lighting (or have led's) and have a convection gas heater rather than blown air....or move a good distance every day.

We are not full-timers but we: watch little TV (only when it is p*ssing down outside), have LEDs and rarely use the heating. We don't move much between days unless we are touring and have only once run the battery down to the lowest indicator light during 100 nights over 2 years.

 

[DanielFord]

How ironic, I am just about to post a new thread on almost this very subject.

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[funflair]

Once my Thetford fridge packs up (inevitable) I will be looking to have a Waeco (Dometic?) fridge fitted which uses excess solar electric power when available. I find that my batteries are normally charged up on a sunny day by 10-11am though I do have 4 x 110A batteries and never let them drop below 80%.

You can run older AES fridges on the leisure batteries when there is spare solar, all you need is a solar controller with AES output and connect it to the D+ with a diode on the end of the alternator wire, newer fridges have a S+ so you don't need the diode.

Martin

 

[funflair]

That's exactly the point, we do have two battery's but have the tv on but not a lot, lights, charge phones and tablets, and never run out but thought it was time to play with solar, and now I have to wonder whatever it's used for, apart from maybe medical equipment, I can't see what you can use it on.

Once you have a sine wave inverter fitted you can have a microwave, coffee machine, kettle and hairdryer, how do people live without them?

Martin

 

[DBK]

That's exactly the point, we do have two battery's but have the tv on but not a lot, lights, charge phones and tablets, and never run out but thought it was time to play with solar, and now I have to wonder whatever it's used for, apart from maybe medical equipment, I can't see what you can use it on.

You've got it in one I think. Don't fit extra solar until you know you need it.

We had a 100W panel and the two batteries were running a bit low after two days off EHU. The main loads were a Dometic compressor cool box and the webasto heating system.

Fitting two panels should solve the problem for us.

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[Minxy]

Have a look at the cooking pots in this thread that I've just started ... they run off electric:

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/interesting-cooking-pots-on-ebay-hmmmmm.128168/

 

[vin0114]

We have a Waeco fridge which works brilliantly and saves us a fortune on gas.

This was also the reason that I've just fitted a 100w panel plus bits for araound £180, the Waeco fridge freezer uses an average of 2 Amps per hour 24/7 so demands the panel to feed 3 x 85 amp bats. Just returned from a trial run with FUN at Newark and all working fine but have just received a Battery Master from Vanbitz that will be going on tomorrow to ensure the Engine battery is also looked after.

 

[Armytwowheels]

what size solar panels and batteries have you got? @Armytwowheels

Hi. We have two 120w panels and two 110Ah batteries. Our inverter is a 1500w pure sine wave which runs anything we want to run. We don't have a microwave as I hardly used the one in the house so we didn't bother in the van.

On this set up, in addition to the items I have already mentioned, I can run the Remoska on a good sunny day and the slow cooker (although I tend to use that when we are on the move).

When staying put for a while we can also tilt our panels to get optimum sun, this can make a big difference especially when the sun is low during the winter. Sometimes though it's just not worth the effort.

As I have said, we are quite heavy users of power but never struggle with this set up, unless it is cloudy for a few days, then we are cautious and don't use as much or if available we will hook up (this has happened about 3 times since October 2015). You have to bear in mind though, that we are not in the UK through the winter, we are where the sun is. I am sure we would either be very frugal or have hook up if we were in the UK for any length of time in the winter, unless touring.

Hope this helps
Sandra

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[Terry]

It is a simple case of overkill -Why if the OP never ran out of power did he pay for solar when he did not need it ?Now he has paid for solar which he does /did not need is he looking for something to waste his not so free power on ?I too never needed solar but it has become so cheap it is now what I consider a no brainier if only to keep batteries topped up and nothing else -to put 2 panels on is the overkill bit, one would do, so take the other off and send it to me -I will make use of it and I promise not to fret or worry about how much it's producing -so long as the little green light is on that's all I need to know Good for techies who all natter about there systems and how much it produces and how much un-used spare power they have
terry

 

[vin0114]

It is a simple case of overkill -Why if the OP never ran out of power did he pay for solar when he did not need it ?Now he has paid for solar which he does /did not need is he looking for something to waste his not so free power on ?I too never needed solar but it has become so cheap it is now what I consider a no brainier if only to keep batteries topped up and nothing else -to put 2 panels on is the overkill bit, one would do, so take the other off and send it to me -I will make use of it and I promise not to fret or worry about how much it's producing -so long as the little green light is on that's all I need to know Good for techies who all natter about there systems and how much it produces and how much un-used spare power they have
terry

My Waeco electric only fridge freezer demands solar power as its a greedy sod averaging 2 amps per hour so no wasted solar power here. Its a necessity to meet our chosen style of 99% wild camping here and abroad. The benefit side of it is a saving in LPG that gets more and more expensive.

 

[Terry]

My Waeco electric only fridge freezer demands solar power as its a greedy sod averaging 2 amps per hour so no wasted solar power here. Its a necessity to meet our chosen style of 99% wild camping here and abroad. The benefit side of it is a saving in LPG that gets more and more expensive.

Not knocking anyone who has got it or uses it If it's there to use then good use it Just saying that if you have too much then it's overkill and wasting money but then again people get anxious over batteries and power so if it stops this then no problem --Me I simply turn something on and it works if it does not then it will not kill me just inconvenient at the time until I either fix it or get someone to fix it
terry

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[chaser]

It is a simple case of overkill -Why if the OP never ran out of power did he pay for solar when he did not need it ?Now he has paid for solar which he does /did not need is he looking for something to waste his not so free power on ?I too never needed solar but it has become so cheap it is now what I consider a no brainier if only to keep batteries topped up and nothing else -to put 2 panels on is the overkill bit, one would do, so take the other off and send it to me -I will make use of it and I promise not to fret or worry about how much it's producing -so long as the little green light is on that's all I need to know Good for techies who all natter about there systems and how much it produces and how much un-used spare power they have
terry

Terry I agree with your every word, but everyone keeps going on about how they can't manage without it so saw a cheap self adeasive panel on eBay, so thought why not lets sick one on , something else to play with, well when it came I wasn't happy with the quality of it at all so complained, anyway after a bit of arguing the bloke said he would refund my money and I could keep it.
So then in for a penny, etc put another twenty quid to it and had a real good one, so I ended up with two, so tried the first one after putting the one on and it worked ok so thought might as well stick it on, which I have done, but now I am seriously in over production, by ten o clock this morning on a grey day it's flashing battery full and 14.2 volts.

 

[Terry]

Terry I agree with your every word, but everyone keeps going on about how they can't manage without it so saw a cheap self adeasive panel on eBay, so thought why not lets sick one on , something else to play with, well when it came I wasn't happy with the quality of it at all so complained, anyway after a bit of arguing the bloke said he would refund my money and I could keep it.
So then in for a penny, etc put another twenty quid to it and had a real good one, so I ended up with two, so tried the first one after putting the one on and it worked ok so thought might as well stick it on, which I have done, but now I am seriously in over production, by ten o clock this morning on a grey day it's flashing battery full and 14.2 volts.

WENT OVER MY HEAD WHEN YOU MENTIONED 14.2 V Stick on another L/Batt you know you want toIt's good that it is keeping your batts full I suppose you could carry a INVERTER AND microwave in which you could make me a milky coffee that's all I use mine for
terry

 

[chaser]

WENT OVER MY HEAD WHEN YOU MENTIONED 14.2 V Stick on another L/Batt you know you want toIt's good that it is keeping your batts full I suppose you could carry a INVERTER AND microwave in which you could make me a milky coffee that's all I use mine for
terry

The solar control thingy cuts out at 14.1 so they are , I presume doing absolutely nothing now for the rest of the day, crazy int it, I think a micro wave might be the next thing even though we manage without one now I'm afraid it's just got me beat what some can use it all on. As I said I had no intention of putting two on but as I had got them why not
Ay up the Suns just come out we shall be frying now

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[Terry]

The solar control thingy cuts out at 14.1 so they are , I presume doing absolutely nothing now for the rest of the day, crazy int it, I think a micro wave might be the next thing even though we manage without one now I'm afraid it's just got me beat what some can use it all on. As I said I had no intention of putting two on but as I had got them why not
Ay up the Suns just come out we shall be frying now

Simple answer is they don't but they do have a smug look on their faces and bragging rights
terry

 

[Boringfrog]

You can run older AES fridges on the leisure batteries when there is spare solar, all you need is a solar controller with AES output and connect it to the D+ with a diode on the end of the alternator wire, newer fridges have a S+ so you don't need the diode.

Martin

Tell me more. How many amps would the said fridge use? I have a RM7505 aes.

 

[MR. FUSION]

Clearly what you need is a satellite dish and system to rival that of NASA's, which switches on and fixes the second you turn off the engine. That way you need never go out to see the place you have just driven miles to go to!

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[chaser]

I started this thread partly joking, but the more you read on here and the more you think about it , there's got to be something you can use it for, saving on gas for one thing, but what will it run , it's ok charging the battery's up but how much spare is there for heating and cooking and hot water, ? When you start doing this does it give up.

 

[TheCaller]

how much spare is there for heating and cooking and hot water, ?

Very little. Remember that 200W is only the equivalent of a couple of old style light bulbs. Yes, you'd burn your hand on them, but not a lot of use for cooking. You would need to be somewhere in Africa at mid-day to get the full 200W anyway.

The benefit you will get from your system is that your batteries will let you carry on doing what you do now for as long as you like in the summer without either moving or having EHU. You will be able to manage without any other power supply earlier & later in the season. You can leave the van standing (outside) all winter without either moving it or connecting it to a charger if you want to (but better still - keep using it ).

On a summer's day, particularly if you are out of the van, you have the potential to generate more than you can store. So the next addition would be more or bigger batteries. But there is no point if you don't need it.

You could buy bigger batteries, an big inverter & a microwave. But for the price of that lot you could buy quite a lot of gas to cook with & your food will taste better.

 

[funflair]

Tell me more. How many amps would the said fridge use? I have a RM7505 aes.

Hi @Boringfrog

Your RM7505 AES should use no more than 175 watts or 15 amps @12 volts (220 watts @240 volts), it would need the 12 volts to come from the same batteries as the solar panels are feeding so that means the leisure batteries, not all fridges are wired to the leisure batts though so check yours. You then need a solar controller that puts out the AES signal, ours is Votronic.

Martin

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[Steve]

during the day i often get a tank of hot water out of the batteries then just topup with gas at night.

 

[Minxy]

during the day i often get a tank of hot water out of the batteries then just topup with gas at night.

I suppose you could get a 'solar' shower to go with your 'solar' panels but it doesn't need the panels ... you just stick it in the sun and it get nice and warm on it's own ... so that won't use your energy either!

 

[SMB]

You can run older AES fridges on the leisure batteries when there is spare solar, all you need is a solar controller with AES output and connect it to the D+ with a diode on the end of the alternator wire, newer fridges have a S+ so you don't need the diode.

Martin

Say what? Sorry but all I know about electrics is that it can kill you! I'm having some work done to the van when I get back to the UK at Roadpro so I will contact hem beforehand to see if they can do it, anything to save me filling up with gas as I hate doing it! Thanks for that Martin

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[chaser]

I do have a small inverter 150w not wired in, just in case we need mains for something but very rarely use it, so I think I will stick to 12 v stuff to save anymore wiring and holes and stuff, but would love to save some gas , that would be a result

 

[funflair]

Say what? Sorry but all I know about electrics is that it can kill you! I'm having some work done to the van when I get back to the UK at Roadpro so I will contact hem beforehand to see if they can do it, anything to save me filling up with gas as I hate doing it! Thanks for that Martin

Well we are only talking 12 volts, but there again when you go in the back of the fridge 240 is there as well so best keep your fingers out. Our regulator came from Roadpro so that's a start.

Martin

 

[pappajohn]

by ten o clock this morning on a grey day it's flashing battery full and 14.2 volts

But that 14.2v is your panels output voltage, not the true battery voltage.
Disconnect the solar, or cover the panel, wait 1/2hr then check battery with a voltmeter....you may be surprised how much lower the true voltage is.

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[ianandkath]

no solar panels, and not needed any. up to now.
if batteries are getting low, just start genny and run heating, hot water, tv,sky,fridge,air con and microwave.
so dont think i will need solar