Stumped by Solar.......my brain hurts now

Been looking at solar for a few weeks. I'm after a kit ideally all ready to fit. Will be running a 12v cool box/fridge. Westy fridge. Stereo and whatever else we run. Ie phone chargers. Laptop etc

Will be fitted to the roof of my 76 westy, so settled on a flexible monocrystalline panel for minimal height and a smoother look. 100w to start.

I'm told mppt controllers are the way to go , 20a to allow extra panels if needed.

Does this sound right???

Anything else I should be looking at. Im proper confused by whats out there. Theres other types of controllers I've seen but a bit lost tbh

 

Don’t expect 100 watts from a 100-watt panel. 50 watts maybe on a good day, but not all day and not enough to keep up with a Westy cool box.

MPPT yes, but a 10amp controller would probably be fine.

 

I will have a large leisure battery too. So you think I will need more than 100w panel to keep it topped up?

 

Not to sound boring but add up all the items your using work out how many amps you’ll need @theBusmonkey is very good at explaining this or @pkrboo

I think basically your 100w panel will keep you topped up but 200w would be better.

Get a 20amp mppt controller.

I got something like this

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/153178714094

I also got 2 of these panels

Lensun 100W 12V Semi-Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel Kit with 10A PWM Solar Charge Controller and Two 5m Cables with MC4 Connetors for 12V Charge Battery https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JA6W6RE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wHcbCbQCMASYY

Check out the other solar thread as there is lots of info on there.

 

In my opinion (and experience) a 100w panel is unlikely to produce enough power for a Westy coolbox and to keep a leisure battery topped up.

This might help you decide how much power you need. https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/how-to-choose/12V-solar-panel/

 

If your fridge is not a compressor fridge but thermoelectric, even 200 watt of solar panels and a big battery bank will not keep up all the time.
Peak output is bright sun, a few weeks back after running a compressor fridge needing 10-20AH per day 24/7 for a week or so, parking at work with a clear view of the southern sky, the weather was dull for a few days and the 85AH battery went flat.

After a few days it really does not matter how much battery capacity you have, if the sum of used energy is more than the sum of the energy from the solar cells, plus the stored battery energy, your battery goes flat.
Add up average currents from your loads, estimate solar output, and remember you only get energy in cloudy-bright daytime or better.

 

My solid 100w looks a bit naff on the roof of a Westy but it works quite well, It was bright but cloudy when we went out this morning, not used the van for a week and it was at 13.8v. That is what its set to as the crappy propex does not like it, it will keep my cheapo fridge or 12v cool box running on a sunny day. I plug in if camping at night but its all good for down the beech etc.

 

You need a thicker wire powering your propex.

My propex runs off 24 volt, 12 volt feed into a voltage multiplier and it works fine.

 

Mine thinks there is too much voltage, if I want it on when driving I have to turn the fridge on !!

 

8

That is frustrating because a good alternator will happily and correctly put out 14.2 to 14.4 volts to push charge into the battery

 

weird, pretty sure max voltage is 15 volts so it should still work really(now i understand why you're swapping it out)

so you get 8 flashes?

 

Yes mate

 

Mine works fine when on the move

 

Mine is crap, mine flashes fault overnight. Its under a year old so I am going to send it back to be fixed then flog the heap of junk.

 

Mine a 2000 and 10 years old and it’s still fine, I did have issue a few years ago with it blowing itself out. Called them and they told me how to adjust the fan speed and it’s been fine since.

 

I’ll add this post to your For Sale thread

 

Too kind, It will be fixed then flogged, I might be an arse but I am not a complete one

 

I knew that

 

Could it be your wiring. I don’t have an issue with mine.

 

Mine is about the same age, I use it constantly nearly literally! (My bus is my daily) It’s been faultless I never have a frosty window as I leave it on low 24/7 throughout the winter and ramp it up for the school run etc. Sounds like the new ones aren’t as good!



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