Solar panel - yay or nay?

[KatrinK]

We are soon heading off full-time travelling through Europe and are first making a stop at SAP in Doncaster for all kinds of work, including getting two new Lithium batteries. We are umming and ahing about whether to get a solar panel too.

We are thinking that we will mostly be staying at hook-up campsites/parking places. There could be the occasional off-road overnight stay. We are literally complete newbies so hard to foresee...

Has anyone here been in a similar "boat", has a solar panel and has found it to not be needed OR has no solar panel and wishes they would have installed it?

Trying to figure out whether it’s worth the initial, and later, maintenance costs.

 

[Speve]

Yes get solar as much as you can fit to keep you self sufficient if you are having lithiums you won’t need hook up in the long run it will save on site fees and you will be able to wild camp without worrying about your battery state

 

[jollyrodger]

Definitely yay!

If your going to be on ehu all the time Nay!

But wilding or on Aires much better for you.

 

[kevenh]

Do you have much of an off season or other periods of Motorhome inactivity?
A solar panel is good for keeping hab & cab batteries topped up - trickle charged

 

[poppycamper]

Yes get solar as much as you can fit to keep you self sufficient if you are having lithiums you won’t need hook up in the long run it will save on site fees and you will be able to wild camp without worrying about your battery state

Agree with Speve.. however if defo using EHU then nay. Solar not required.

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[jollyrodger]

Last couple of vans 250W plus on the roof with mppt regulator.
6wk tour of Scandinavia and not plugged in once.

Off at beginning of June Spain /Portugal maybe some ehu but mostly not.
Saves lots

 

[Stealaway]

Yay in spades.
You will save more than the cost of panels in the first six months avoiding paying for campsioand hookup.
It's a no brainer

 

[PP Bear]

Defo get solar, it’s a must for sure, you certainly won’t regret it.

 

[stevewagner]

If you always stay onsite with ehu why would you have lithium batteries?

 

[eddie]

Why have lithiums if you plan to normally have hook up?

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[kevino]

What Eddie said.

 

[Jo662]

Definitely get solar panels,especially if your having lithium fitted to get the most out of them. It is a no brainer .

 

[AgeingAndrew]

If you always stay onsite with ehu why would you have lithium batteries?

...and if you stay mostly on campsites with EHU why would you need solar or lithium batteries??

 

[Reallyretired]

As youre planning on being on the continent long term bear in mind most sites in France close from October to April so you may be constrained if youre relying on ehu. Anyway its a waste fitting lithium if youre stayong on sites, any old cheap lead acid battery will do for that.

 

[62272]

If you’re full timing, unless you have a robust budget, you will find your funds burn through quite quickly if you just stay on EHU and on ‘proper‘ campsites. Which is fine if you have budgeted for it as a one off year following say retirement or redundancy, but you can make great savings and freedom by staying on aires or the occasional free camping.

In which case solar panels are a must, unless you are doing lots of miles each day to keep the batteries charged up.

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[599]

as much as you can fit

 

[KatrinK]

Thank you to everyone who has shared their advice and experience - I really appreciate it

As for the "why lithium batteries" questions: Whilst staying mostly on campsites is the plan, we are aware that there will be days when we might not (giving us a bit more freedom and flexibility), and on those days we’d still like to have reliable power . If you have any experience/knowledge that proves that this is the wrong approach, then I am all ears. Like I said: We are newbies to this.

 

[Rob Turner]

Definitely go for solar, 250/300w would be ideal and preferably with a decent MPPT (Victron or Votronic).

With a Victron you have the app on the phone that gives you all the information you will need. Also, you might as well fit a battery shunt while you are on, again Victron and you'll have the app for it. Oh, and a decent B2B. SAP will know what you mean.

This will then enable you to never bother with hookup and also not have to worry.

 

[DBK]

The cost of fitting solar panels will be negligible spread over a year or more.

Given you are new to this then I think it is very likely you may change your plans as you gain experience and decide to do things differently.

I would also get a pure sine wave inverter fitted at the same time. It doesn't have to be huge, 1500W perhaps and this will give you the option later to run 240V stuff when not on EHU.

I would also get a MiFi to give you easy internet access. You could use your phones of course but a MiFi, ideally with a roof mounted antenna, will get you a signal in most places. The MiFi can also then be on a local sim card.

I'm assuming you have EU passports if you are full timing in Europe. Otherwise you are going to hit a problem.

 

[chaser]

Thank you to everyone who has shared their advice and experience - I really appreciate it

As for the "why lithium batteries" questions: Whilst staying mostly on campsites is the plan, we are aware that there will be days when we might not (giving us a bit more freedom and flexibility), and on those days we’d still like to have reliable power . If you have any experience/knowledge that proves that this is the wrong approach, then I am all ears. Like I said: We are newbies to this.

We have two ordinary lead acid batterys and a 100w solar, run a compressor fridge and all the other bits and pieces with no hookup.
Although we do move most days.

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[mikebeaches]

We stay mostly, but not exclusively, at campsites and use a hook-up. In the dozen or so years we've travelled on the continent, in a couple different vans, not bothered with solar or anything other than a single standard lead-acid leisure battery.

In the warmer months we can be happily parked up and off grid for a few days without difficulty. And even during winter, provided we're travelling regularly, it's not an issue.

We have solar and lithium battery storage at home and I'm a big fan. But just not found it necessary on the van for our type of use.

For clarity, we make extended trips of several weeks at a time throughout the year, but do not live in the van full time.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Just a quick additional point - situation would probably be different if we had to rely on a compressor fridge (ours is an absorption type, so can run on gas if required).

 

[nabsim]

If you are only ever going to be off grid odd days then I would say don’t bother with solar. Presumably you will be having a B2B fitted along with the lithium so driving when not on EHU will keep you topped up. Make sure you have the option of turning your mains charger(s) off if staying on EHU, Lifepo4 likes to be stored between 80% and 20% not full all the time.

All that said I can’t see the point of having a motorhome to stay on sites, much more practical (and cost effective) to have a car and caravan. A motorhome to me means I can drive along and stop anywhere, don’t need anything I don’t carry. Much better you fill the roof with solar and don’t use sites except when you need to for services

 

[WildBunch]

Yes, fit Solar it's a no brainier. A MPPT controller is a must, as is a B2B. A smart shunt as well if your budget allows. You will not need hook up in the summer.

 

[Off da Grid]

I rarely turn in the battery charger all year. Even if we have ehu only tend to use it to run the fridge and hot water.
We’ve got 255watt solar and 135a lead acid hab battery charged via a Votronic 350 duo mppt.
Solar keeps the starter and hab batteries topped up.
I use the aes setting to run a low voltage dehumidifier all year when it’s at home.

 

[CamperJack]

If I was on hook up I wouldn't want to pay the money for lithium. Don't see the point. Hook up will charge up to and allow you to store your battery capacity, be that in lithium or regular lead acid batteries.

As for solar, again, your hook up will likely recharge your batteries faster.

You say you want it for days you're not on hook up. In your position I'd get a good battery to battery charger rather than solar (or lithium batteries). Presumably on days with no hook up you'll be driving away from your camp site to your wilding spot. A good B2B will charge you up on the way. You'll use your battery capacity and the drive to the next site will top you up again.

Remember the sun doesn't always shine, and you can not do anything about that. But you can always charge to use your B2B.

If you have money to burn, get all three.

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[EuroTrotters]

Yay in spades.
You will save more than the cost of panels in the first six months avoiding paying for campsioand hookup.
It's a no brainer

100% agree

Always had solar for 20 years, almost

 

[VXman]

Thank you to everyone who has shared their advice and experience - I really appreciate it

As for the "why lithium batteries" questions: Whilst staying mostly on campsites is the plan, we are aware that there will be days when we might not (giving us a bit more freedom and flexibility), and on those days we’d still like to have reliable power . If you have any experience/knowledge that proves that this is the wrong approach, then I am all ears. Like I said: We are newbies to this.

Lithium is expensive and is a little over the top for the odd day off grid. 2 Lithium and a solar panel and you are really set up for long term off grid living.

If on EHU most of the time one bog standard battery would be perfectly fine. I've done a week off grid with 2 'normal' batteries and no solar. Normal 'lead acid' batteries are perfectly reliable and lithium is not any advantage in your scenario.

 

[funflair]

It really all depends on how you want to use your van, if you get used to hook up and want to use it the same with all the 240v equipment but from an inverter then yes a good amount of solar and Lithium batteries would be the order of the day, on the other hand if you are happy to revert to being frugal with battery use then maybe you don't need all that solar.

Personally I want to use everything as if we were hooked up so a decent 480ah lithium battery bank and 520 watts of solar keeps us going, a couple of nights ago we used close on 100ah just cooking tea and boiling the electric kettle etc etc.

 

[Landy Andy]

No.

No lithium, and no solar. Not needed if you are going to be plugged in. We have recently done four days with no EHU, no solar, and just two standard leisure batteries. Why waste money.

 

[Sapper520]

We’ve got a 130w Solar panel, 2 x 110 leisure batteries, not a fancy controller or inverter etc, and a compressor fridge.

Solar is wired to charge both leisure and vehicle, and we’ve got it set at 70% leisure, 30% vehicle. If we plug into EHU, it also charges both systems.

We only spend a couple of days in places before moving on, so easily get by without EHU.

Looked into Lithium but would be a waste of money for our type of usage.