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You can buy a suitcase panel from maplin or ebay, they are about £50 and just connect to your leisure battery with supplied crocodile clips or via supplied cigrette lighter plug, into the habitation electrics.
Someone had a go at me on another thread for looking at this 13W panel. I have to agree he's right. At best it will output 1A.
Now run the motor and you must get 15A.
So the equation is, suitcase ( all of a sunny day ) or run the motor for half an hour.
The motor is constant, the suitcase depends on time of year ( like only 50% in winter ) and cloud cover.
And it gets WORSE. All day for the suitcase is only 10% charge into the battery.
Bottom line for solar is you need massive overkill to allow for time of year and weather.
Massive overkill = massive spend.
______________________________________________________________ Brian
The following members of MHF thanked hilldweller for this posting
Thanks H. Appreciate that you stood to be corrected and passed on info to me. But the really good news is, I did not know the battery could be charged adequately from the engine in less than an hour.
I often go driving around for up to an hour most days so that should keep me topped up Yes/no????
m
The following members of MHF thanked maggielou for this posting
I'm nowhere near as scientific as some of the answers you've seen - there is no substitute for trying it our consumption of power differs significantly, and while not having enough juice can be thoroughly miserable nobody will be able to give a definitive.
That said - I love something for nothing and the solar panel bolted to the roof of my van is something I'd not trade for anyone - even if I do run the battery low it does at least get enough in on a cold winters day to let me run a tap! So I would go for a briefcase or panel that you attach when parked up - but being British it needs to be suitable to be outside in all weathers.
All the best
David
The following members of MHF thanked Dopeyngrumpy for this posting
Thanks H. Appreciate that you stood to be corrected and passed on info to me. But the really good news is, I did not know the battery could be charged adequately from the engine in less than an hour.
I often go driving around for up to an hour most days so that should keep me topped up Yes/no????
m
I hope I didn't say that, I tried to say half an hour of engine would be all day for the 13W suitcase and then went on to say all day for the suitcase is 10% of the battery's capacity.
No, I'm afraid you need 5/10 hours of motoring to fully charge an average battery. All a bit of guesswork depending on battery and vehicle.
I'd take a guess that an hour would get you 20% of battery capacity.
But to confuse you more, what you are really interested in is replacing what you use, so if you used just 10% of your battery a day then a suitcase and some sunshine would do. I doubt you use that little, probably up to 25%.
Now if you used 25% a day and the engine charged it for an hour a day you'd not be far off keeping a full battery.
I think you'll have to suck it and see. You might be pleasantly surprised.
______________________________________________________________ Brian
The following members of MHF thanked hilldweller for this posting
I will try it out in Sept. and hope by then I will have established the questions I need to ask. Pehaps I will get the opportunity to speak to some of the traders to help me make the right decision.
Thanks again
The following members of MHF thanked maggielou for this posting
Well I've just ordered a Honda Generator from my local farming outlet at a reasonable price. Less than any one on the net and no delivery charges. Opted for this as we expect to be out through the winter.
I just can't see a solar panel keeping us going when it gets cold. The diesel heatings the biggest problem, the voltage drops and it won't start so no hot water and more important no heating. Without the diesel heating I might of gone for solar but there again we live up in Yorkshire and it's dark by 4.00 in the afternoon and doesn't come light until 8.00 in the morning.
I can at least run the Honda when I need it not when the sun lets me.
There, said me piece and I'm sticking 2 it
______________________________________________________________ Been there, done that. Got the rash to prove it !!!
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