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Hi Barry I have fitted an 80watt to my M/home. Did this by buying the panel from Germany, Sikoflex, Controller on Ebay. Aluminium brackets made by a friend at work but these are simple to make. Took the whole lot with me to Portugal for winter and borrowed a set of steps from a German there and it took a short space of time to do. Most important is to locate the best position for your battery and take measurements carefully before you drill the hole.
The whole thing cost about £275.
If you are going to Spain, Portugal or Morocco you can get some good deals there by fitters moving up the coast fitting panels etc. Check out the work first though as the installation is not always the tidyest.
If you get a secondhand panel remember they have a 25 year lifespan and when they are on the roof you don't see them.
I would contact Phil at Rhino and see what he says about fitting your own kit.
I am soon to get our van serviced from him and another 80w panel fitted to match the existing one. He quoted me a fair price and if you are willing to travel over to the South lakes he might be able to do our vans together making a better deal for all.
The links to the 80 w panel on Ebay is good value and what I will be buying.
I would contact Phil at Rhino and see what he says about fitting your own kit.
I am soon to get our van serviced from him and another 80w panel fitted to match the existing one. He quoted me a fair price and if you are willing to travel over to the South lakes he might be able to do our vans together making a better deal for all.
The links to the 80 w panel on Ebay is good value and what I will be buying.
Richard..
Thanks for that. I dont know if its going to work out that much cheaper to buy my own kit or just strike a deal with either Leisuretech or Phil from Rhino.
When are you getting yours done and just out of interest why the South Lakes? Not a problem but your location is north east as is mine.
Any chance you could PM me some more details, costs etc. The ebay kit does look ok and if Phil is happy to fit it for a reasonable cost it could be the way to go. Dont think it has a LCD display though but do I really need one?
Cheers
Barry
______________________________________________________________ Hank the Tank has a website. Follow our adventures at http://www.hankthetank.co.uk
Hi when leisuretech in Citheroe fitted my 120 watt solar panel they hooked up the voltage display to my existing readout on my existing control board so I can clearly see the numbers moving up and down as the panel does it's job.
I would not think anything else would be really needed, panels are pretty much fit and forget and just let them get on with things.. Just as you normally do, you monitor your battery condition on the fly when not on mains hook up, battery going a bit flat turn something off and let the panel catch up.. (which it wont, at least very quickly no matter what anybody tells you)..
(Edit afterthought..)
I think your money would be better spent on a battery master? type of thing that charges your engine battery scavenging power from your leisure batteries, than a voltage monitor for the solar panel.. Its good to know that your engine battery is full to the brim even if the van has not been started for a few weeks or months.
______________________________________________________________ Damn you Autocorrect. DAMN YOU TO HE’LL.
Try this guy, very helpful and several members have have good service from them, me included, only uses good quality panels BP or Kyocera which are some of the most efficient panels on the market
Try this guy, very helpful and several members have have good service from them, me included, only uses good quality panels BP or Kyocera which are some of the most efficient panels on the market
Can also recommend same company, had a Kyocera 135w panel fitted last month, morning star controller and a morning star remote meter. He came to house to do the installation. (I live within 30 miles of workshop) It was about £750 all in.
He also has an agreement with the very nice campsite at Bellingham (near Kielder) where he can come and fit the system, Sikaflex recommends 24 hours to cure properly before driving so you would have a chance to look around and explore this beautiful area.
The morning star controller default setting is 90% charge to leisure batteries 10% to engine. For MH storage this can be very easily changed to 50% to both batteries at the flick of a switch.
Contact the company, the guys name is Stephen, very efficient clean and very tidy worker and I'm chuffed to bits with the set up.
Good luck
Stewart
______________________________________________________________ The point is that´s not the Point!
All the kit is on ebay
First you have to establish where it would go on your roof and the available space so you can decide what will fit. nearly all sellers on ebay provide the dimensions of the panels
Aluminium angle is sold all over
Sikaflex 512 less than £11 delivered ebay
cable entry gland
regulator price varies dramatically but within £60 for a very good one
PLEASE NOTE the example panel I gave was £149 post free when I posted. He has put the price up hugely since so please ignore it there are much better deals by far.
Also to me the fact that the price started at £149 at a profit shows how much margin there is on these and adding another £37.95 is not sporting
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