Solar and Victron cost and is it worth it

[Al n Val]

So it’s been about 10mths since Offgrid Power Solutions did my electrical upgrade/installation

This comprised of 830W solar, 560ah Lithium, with appropriate Victron controllers, Victron multiplus II 3000W, Cerbo and display.

We returned from our 90day winter holiday yesterday and not been on hookup once, the 3 Victron MPPT controllers tell me that they generated very nearly 1050 (1046)Kw of energy.

So working this out at 70c a Kw which is the average Spanish charge, I’m chuffed to bits to have saved approximately £800. This tells me that this system should have paid for itself in around 4 x 90 day trips based on this last one.

It’s also saving me masses of lpg as we can run the fridge more or less 16hrs everyday using the multiplus

We’re heavy users of electricity so can’t thank RogerIvy & nigelivy enough, guys to me you are legends

 

[yorkiebar]

We're off to offgrid on Tues for a lithium install with Fogstar 300Ah battery, Victron Orion XS B2B, Victron MPPT solar controller, Victron SmartShunt and an Ablemail AMT12-2 trickle charger. We already have 320W of solar on the roof. Hope it will transform our use of the van.

 

[jumar]

Have you been paying 70 cent per kWh in Spain...that extortionate... I'm out of touch if that's what campsites charge..
We pay about 14 cent per kWh in our apartment..

 

[Just smiffy]

Nice one Al, I only had battery anxiety once or twice with my two 85a gels now I have 280a lithium over three times more power I can relax now. And I’ve saved a fortune in gas going to a compressor fridge too…

 

[Raul]

So it’s been about 10mths since Offgrid Power Solutions did my electrical upgrade/installation

This comprised of 830W solar, 560ah Lithium, with appropriate Victron controllers, Victron multiplus II 3000W, Cerbo and display.

We returned from our 90day winter holiday yesterday and not been on hookup once, the 3 Victron MPPT controllers tell me that they generated very nearly 1050 (1046)Kw of energy.

So working this out at 70c a Kw which is the average Spanish charge, I’m chuffed to bits to have saved approximately £800. This tells me that this system should have paid for itself in around 4 x 90 day trips based on this last one.

It’s also saving me masses of lpg as we can run the fridge more or less 16hrs everyday using the multiplus

We’re heavy users of electricity so can’t thank RogerIvy & nigelivy enough, guys to me you are legends

I must say that is impressive, an average of 3.4kwh per day.
I have allot of catching up, if work wouldn't get in the way.

 

[Wh05apk]

So it’s been about 10mths since Offgrid Power Solutions did my electrical upgrade/installation

This comprised of 830W solar, 560ah Lithium, with appropriate Victron controllers, Victron multiplus II 3000W, Cerbo and display.

We returned from our 90day winter holiday yesterday and not been on hookup once, the 3 Victron MPPT controllers tell me that they generated very nearly 1050 (1046)Kw of energy.

So working this out at 70c a Kw which is the average Spanish charge, I’m chuffed to bits to have saved approximately £800. This tells me that this system should have paid for itself in around 4 x 90 day trips based on this last one.

It’s also saving me masses of lpg as we can run the fridge more or less 16hrs everyday using the multiplus

We’re heavy users of electricity so can’t thank RogerIvy & nigelivy enough, guys to me you are legends

1,046kw from 830w of solar seems to high? That's about 12kw per day or nearly 15x stated output?
Our angled south facing home roof will only give a max of 6-7x ?
Am I missing something?

 

[Raul]

1,046kw from 830w of solar seems to high? That's about 12kw per day or nearly 15x stated output?
Our angled south facing home roof will only give a max of 6-7x ?
Am I missing something?

It's over 10 months, approximately 3.48kwh per day. Is doable as we have 600w flat on the van and have days of 3-3.3kwh if we use it.
Traveling south you get better harvest some days my solar stays in bulk for 13hrs.

 

[Wh05apk]

It's over 10 months, approximately 3.48kwh per day. Is doable as we have 600w flat on the van and have days of 3-3.3kwh if we use it.
Traveling south you get better harvest some days my solar stays in bulk for 13hrs.

That makes sense, I read it as being over 90 days, and the installation was 10 months.

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[Al n Val]

We're off to offgrid on Tues for a lithium install with Fogstar 300Ah battery, Victron Orion XS B2B, Victron MPPT solar controller, Victron SmartShunt and an Ablemail AMT12-2 trickle charger. We already have 320W of solar on the roof. Hope it will transform our use of the van.

You’ll not be in better hands, these guys are brilliant

 

[Jon Stewart]

So it’s been about 10mths since Offgrid Power Solutions did my electrical upgrade/installation

This comprised of 830W solar, 560ah Lithium, with appropriate Victron controllers, Victron multiplus II 3000W, Cerbo and display.

We returned from our 90day winter holiday yesterday and not been on hookup once, the 3 Victron MPPT controllers tell me that they generated very nearly 1050 (1046)Kw of energy.

So working this out at 70c a Kw which is the average Spanish charge, I’m chuffed to bits to have saved approximately £800. This tells me that this system should have paid for itself in around 4 x 90 day trips based on this last one.

It’s also saving me masses of lpg as we can run the fridge more or less 16hrs everyday using the multiplus

We’re heavy users of electricity so can’t thank RogerIvy & nigelivy enough, guys to me you are legends

Delighted to hear that as we're booked in for that with Nigel and Roger (minus the solar, which is already there) early in July.

 

[lorger]

Have you been paying 70 cent per kWh in Spain...that extortionate... I'm out of touch if that's what campsites charge..
We pay about 14 cent per kWh in our apartment..

The most we’ve seen is 50p kw and thought that expensive.

 

[Steve and Denise]

It gives me a warm glow that I fitted my own lithium set-up plus solar and has worked well for at least 3 years now.

 

[nigelivy]

Hi Al! Glad to hear it's worked well for you guys! Looking forward to catching up with over the summer!

 

[oldiesontour]

Your initial costs were so much greater than mine .. but still make it more than self financing....It has to be worthwhile BOTH financially and for the added convenience and financial benefits...for any of us

 

[Kannon Fodda]

It gives me a warm glow that I fitted my own lithium set-up plus solar and has worked well for at least 3 years now.

If you have a warm glow, is your choice of wiring a bit undersized

 

[Carpmart]

Morning Al, hope you’re both well!

Couldn’t agree more… quite satisfying being energy independent…

Your stats are amazing… I can’t get anywhere near you numbers per W of roof panels per day, so you’ve clearly got a very highly optimised set up!

I also did need a little weather/tree related ‘plug in’ assistance in Jan/Feb and once in Nov ‘24, so in eight months of the current tour I’ve spent circa €15 on electric.

Catch up soon!

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[jumar]

Why it took me so long to go lithium and add extra panels, was down to entering into the unknown...
But since doing so, and also adding to our system, it's truly amazing what can be achieved...parking overnight in beautiful Spanish villages and being self sufficient is a pure delight..and with virtually unlimited solar energy makes this sustainable way of motorhoming very rewarding..

 

[BusyBuilder]

We had two exide 90ah gels and 250w solar in our previous Hymer and used most of it each day away.
We also visited Offgrid, with our present Hymer, added to existing solar, Fogstar 280ah li and 1600w inverter. We now look at what we've used at night when away and chuckle as we have 150+ ah left in the battery and we have everything electrical going even now use electric kettle. So yes it's a nice feeling to have no worries re battery power

 

[MisterB]

Why it took me so long to go lithium and add extra panels, was down to entering into the unknown...
But since doing so, and also adding to our system, it's truly amazing what can be achieved...parking overnight in beautiful Spanish villages and being self sufficient is a pure delight..and with virtually unlimited solar energy makes this sustainable way of motorhoming very rewarding..

For us the benefit is simple, being able to use a 240v kettle and not have to stand over the gas hob first thing in the morning can't be underestimated

We have now gone to cooking everything via 240v and would love a compressor fridge freezer and a diesel combi in a move to reduce our lpg consumption even further.

 

[roadwarrior]

jeez, and i thought 300a was over the top .... we only have an 80w solar but if we move every couple of days and the van charges over a couple of hundred miles each time we should be ok shoulnt we ?

 

[quentinsf]

jeez, and i thought 300a was over the top .... we only have an 80w solar but if we move every couple of days and the van charges over a couple of hundred miles each time we should be ok shoulnt we ?

Yes, if you have a small van like ours, there's a limit to how much solar you can put on the roof. But a small van is likely to be moving around much more, exploring, so I find that compensates!

 

[jumar]

For us the benefit is simple, being able to use a 240v kettle and not have to stand over the gas hob first thing in the morning can't be underestimated

We have now gone to cooking everything via 240v and would love a compressor fridge freezer and a diesel combi in a move to reduce our lpg consumption even further.

Amazingly a couple of years ago this type of thread would have received far less interest..
As an improvement to our current set-up I would replace our gas only kettle and put in a multi fuel type as we have at home, this would then work on our very efficient single induction hob or gas..
Now we are into May we have to consider cooking outdoors whenever possible, mid to late 20's is the outside temperature, but inside much hotter, being made unbearable due to cooking is not what I appreciate..

 

[steveclv]

How did you cope with the extra weight of 500+ AHr of Lithium?

 

[MisterB]

Amazingly a couple of years ago this type of thread would have received far less interest..
As an improvement to our current set-up I would replace our gas only kettle and put in a multi fuel type as we have at home, this would then work on our very efficient single induction hob or gas..
Now we are into May we have to consider cooking outdoors whenever possible, mid to late 20's is the outside temperature, but inside much hotter, being made unbearable due to cooking is not what I appreciate..

we also use a george foreman grill via 240v for outdoor cooking, aswell as a double induction hob and sometimes a pizza oven. - hence why i am strongly considering the move to a diesel combi in the first instance, reducing our dependence on LPG but utilising the power available (often free) via the battery to do the tasks we would have used lpg for ..... the combi diesel could be used via the inverter for short periods/boosts as we do already.

(and i know nothing is free as there is usually a large up front payment ....)

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[headlight]

How did you cope with the extra weight of 500+ AHr of Lithium?

I replaced 2 x 100AH lead acids weighing 58kgs with a single 230AH LifePo4 weighing 23kgs.
2 x 280AH LifePo4 , so 560AH, only weigh 50kgs

 

[Growly bear]

we also use a george foreman grill via 240v for outdoor cooking, aswell as a double induction hob and sometimes a pizza oven. - hence why i am strongly considering the move to a diesel combi in the first instance, reducing our dependence on LPG but utilising the power available (often free) via the battery to do the tasks we would have used lpg for ..... the combi diesel could be used via the inverter for short periods/boosts as we do already.

(and i know nothing is free as there is usually a large up front payment ....)

Can I ask what model was your double induction hob and what inverter do you have?
I have 280ah lithium and a 2000 Renogy invertor (and soon to have 420watts of solar)...

 

[roadwarrior]

how does this compare against the simple way of getting a power station and no wiring , but im confused by lithium using AH as a definition and the power banks as Wh, so .... how would a 1000wh power station compare to a 300ah lithium battery ?
is a power bank just a short term thing to do a job for a while ?

 

[roadwarrior]

how does this compare against the simple way of getting a power station and no wiring , but im confused by lithium using AH as a definition and the power banks as Wh, is a power bank just a short term thing to do a job for a while ?

 

[oldiesontour]

how does this compare against the simple way of getting a power station and no wiring , but im confused by lithium using AH as a definition and the power banks as Wh, so .... how would a 1000wh power station compare to a 300ah lithium battery ?

Divide Watts by volts = amps
Multiply volts by amps = watts

 

[roadwarrior]

ta
no competion eh ?