Solar panels

We're new to the game....had a fun month in France in our Nuevo es last October. However when we ran out of leisure battery whilst wild camping the French were agahst to discover we had no solar panel! So we've decided to fit one. The question is which sort?? The prices seem to vary considerably from about £200 for a 80 - 90W complete kit, to £600 plus for what appears to be just the same spec.
Please can anyone advise, first on the differences between cheap and expensive, and second on the wattage size we need.
Also, has anyone fit one to the Nuevo roof....high sides and not completey flat roof surface?
Thanks in anticipation!
Bertie Bus

Go to an established supplier, preferably recommended. Your profile doesnt show your location so we cant suggest someone local to you on here.
Buy the biggest panel you can afford but the bigger the better that will fit on the roof. I know a 90watt decent make of panel will fit on a Nuevo Classic roof. You will also need a regulator would you be happy with LEDs (ours is 11 now and hasnt caused problems) or do you prefer digital display ?

The dilemma is what is the difference in quality (not wattage) between the cheaper and more expensive models advertised? We have someone lined up to fit it for us but need to know what we're looking for when choosing which one to buy. Is 90W sufficient or would you recommend 100W or more? There are loads on the market and prices vary considerably!

90w is ok there are various makes about - ours is a Kyocera. If you are looking at 90w I would expect to pay between £350 and £400 and for a 100w panel between £400 and £450
If the prices are much below this I would query the panels quality. If you can afford and have the space go for the bigger 100w+

Just had an 80W one fitted today by Phil of Rhino installs, together with a battery master and a few other things. Surprisingly showing 0.7 amp charge on a dull 3pm winters day. Was a bit awkward to fit on the Broadway as he had to move the TV aerial since all the other bits were in the way. Hope it turns out to be a good buy

Handy info

http://www.motorcaravanning.co.uk/shopuk/solar_panels.htm

[quote="dandywarhol"]Handy info

http://www.motorcaravanning.co.uk/shopuk/solar_panels.htm[/quo


I have always thought wind power would be the best option for M/H and Caravan users. I hate the dis figuring of our Countryside by the Windmills, which I believe are a complete waste of taxpayers money, but that's another story.

I thought the something like the rotating air vents you see on Van roofs, could be developed to produce enough power to charge a 12v battery.

Come on you "boffins" tell me if it would be possible or not!!



Andy

My husband reckons a device to put your bike on so you could use pedal power to charge the battery, and at the same time get some exercise, could be a winner :-) !!

Great idea - I'll get Mrs Deluxe to try it............

Sure you will be happy with the installation and the battery master was a good buy also

Bertie Bus wrote:My husband reckons a device to put your bike on so you could use pedal power to charge the battery, and at the same time get some exercise, could be a winner :-) !!

Yeah, they're called electric bikes................... I've got 3 of them but none have regenerative power systems when braking - you need a v. steep hill for that........................

dandywarhol wrote:

Bertie Bus wrote:My husband reckons a device to put your bike on so you could use pedal power to charge the battery, and at the same time get some exercise, could be a winner :-) !!

Yeah, they're called electric bikes................... I've got 3 of them but none have regenerative power systems when braking - you need a v. steep hill for that........................

I saw a short film of a bloke making his kids ride their bikes to charge batteries, so they could watch the Tele.

I have often thought the amount of energy spent on Gym apparatus should be converted to power, for the Air condition and heating

It's raining today and I'm bored

Andy

I'm off today and bored too Andy .............it takes a helluva lot of energy to power heating and cooling devices.

Here's a crude example - a variant of the Peugeot Boxer engine which powers some of the smaller motorhomes makes 86 BHP maximum. That equates to around 65 kilowatts of power (maximum remember). This lugs around a 2.7 tonne 'van. An average household fan heater of vacuum cleaner produces 2kw of heat/power, so in relation to the Pug engine flat oot, it will take a helluva lot of pedalling/rowing to power the heating/cooling system in the gym. That doesn't take into consideration the mechanical losses through the driving systems in the gym - like I say, it's a crude example....................

The concept is sound though - our College gym rowing machines power a fan which is directed towards the next rower in line, providing a well needed blast of cool air - whether it's intentional or just coincidental, I don't know but it works

There's a little computer thingy on the exercise bike in our spare bedroom (used as a clothes hanger more often than an exercise machine)... On the few occasions I used it, maintaing 120 Watts output was heavy going...

1 Horse power is supposedly around 745 Watts, kinda puts a 1kW fan heater into perspective.

--
ForresGeek

Hi






"So that's a no then"





Andy

Sorry to be boring and get back to the original thread but I have just been looking at the "Clever Solar" site who are selling 100 watt solar panel kit for about £590.
The panel is the back connection type which is supposed to be more efficient as there are no silver conductors blocking the light to the cell as in normal panels, the kit also comes with a Fox two battery regulator which will enable both leisure and vehicle batteries to be charged at the same time sounds tempting.
Now where's that bank statement ?

John.

If you are thinking about the 100w panel John check the size and the available space on the roof of your Eton - not a lot of space up there

Good point there.......

Even though the roof was "unpopulated" on my Broadway, the TV aerial had to be moved to make way for an 80w panel. The good thing was the the same gland was used to feed the wires down so no extra holes in roof.

Thanks for the tip Roger hopefully I will be able check out the available space this morning if it stops raining. This was one of the reasons I was contemplating the possibility of fitting the panel on roof bars as Autosleepers have had the foresight to provide the mounting points for these,also it is easier to remove the panel if or when I change the MH.
Is that a ray of sunshine I see breaking through the clouds?

Cheers John.

Hi Bertie Bus
I bought and fitted one of; these and I'm very happy with it and I know others have bought from him and and have had no problems. the one I bought was square but he dos'nt seem to have any at the moment but if a square one was needed then a quick phone call and he might be able to source one