Solar panel for Kemerton XL 2018

Hi has anyone put a second solar panel on the Kemerton XL for more off grid power. I was also be curious to find out if anyone has either installed a bigger batter say 200Ah

Better to introduce yourself here and ask your question in the van conversion section, and welcome to the forum

I fitted a 2nd 80w solar panel to our Kemerton XL. I used the same panel as A-S fitted, a PV Logic panel from Solar Technology. Last time I looked it wasn't listed on their website, I phoned and ordered from them direct. The solar panel arrived from them with Auto-Sleeper printed all over the cardboard box. I used a Votronic Duo Dig 250 MPPT solar controller wired directly to the batteries, all fully fused and separate from the Sargent EC700 system. I have no idea if the same panel would have been cheaper bought from A-S, I doubt it. There are likely to be cheaper solar panels available but I wanted an identical panel to that A-S had fitted, and it is.
https://www.solartechnology.co.uk/

If you search for my and glyne lock's postings you'll find lots more information.Glyne used an Epever Duo Racer solar controller which apart from its larger size does a proper job.

The maximum your existing solar controller can handle is likely to be just 120W.

Ok thanks for your help, still getting use to using this forum

At last, a Solar thread, can’t believe they have been so scarce lately 

Welcome Woody, there is so much info on here regarding Solar and batteries that I suggest you do a search, don’t plan an early night though!!
I’ve got a 2018 van and personally I would start with fitting a dual MPPT controller direct to the batteries as mentioned by RV, something absolutely nobody on here has regretted fitting including myself. I’ve got a Votronic MPP 250 and can’t fault it.
I’m going to fit one of these panels in spring to double the stock 80w, if it fits on my Symbol then it will certainly fit your van I’m sure!

https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/full/20-80W-12V-solar-panel-with-5m-cable-German-solar-cells.html

A-S fitted a Sargent EC700 system in our 2019 Kemerton XL, I suspect like Glyne your 2018 van had an EC500 system fitted.
We like many others who bought an A-S van from the summer of 2019 on into 2020 were fitted with an EC700 which was faulty. Who knows, was it just poorly written software, probably, or was there a hardware fault in the EC700's LCD panel?

Nobody I know of has a database of the many owners who were so inconvenienced by these faulty Sargent EC700 panels. There should have been a class action taken out against Sargent considering the miles and time spent travelling to A-S dealers for EC700 panels to be repeatedly replaced, yes, repeatedly.

We have the EC500 fitted. Going to the storage site tomorrow to check the battery the dealer put a new leisure battery in about a month ago, both the engine and leisure battery were completely flat but the engine battery is ok at the moment, taking the van out once a week.

Sorry but be aware that a flooded lead-acid battery does not respond well to having its voltage drop into 11 volt territory. You can considerably shorten the life of a battery this way.
It's a pity but the standard A-S van with an 80W solar panel and Sargent system isn't capable of maintaining your battery voltages by itself during the winter months. You'll need to put your van on EHU on a regular basis or take it for a regular outing to re-charge the batteries, or switch off the Sargent system. I'll stop there, the answers are here in the member's Forum.

Oh 80watts  not enough looks like another 80watt panel and a better   Controller. I need to find someone in Kent to fit it for me as not wise for me to destroy the van. Ideally I would like a second battery as well but don’t want to loose anymore storage space under the bench, hearing mixed reviews over lithium batteries in Autosleeper vans. I would love to charge on EHU weekly but not really an option right now. With regards to charging the leisure battery by driving I thought only the vehicle battery would be charged but if that’s the not the case great. How long and how often do you think the van should be run for , if not thanks for your help

What I did was to install a second 80W solar panel and have a an independent MPPT solar controller, a Votronics Duo Dig 250. In winter I do not have my Sargent EC700 PSU powered on with it's 200ma current consumption (that's 4.8 amps in 24hours of parasitic power consumption). Whoever came up with such a system that was so power hungry and environmentally unfriendly?

Just for info Woody, although I will be fitting a second 80w panel soon, the original 80w has proved to be fine for keeping both batteries topped up in winter without the need for EHU but ONLY after a new controller that bypassed the EC500 was fitted.
Our EC500 behaves very similar to the EC700 as mentioned above.

Over 5 vans now, 100w solar and 110Ah battery has met all of our electrical needs and we rarely use sites. 
Simplicity and weight is all!!
We have all led lighting, tv and radio, charge all manner of rechargeables, rarely don't have full (both) batteries by lunchtime.
As D says, and IMHO all solar controller outputs should go directly to each battery via an inline 10A fuse and by pass anything with Sargent written on it!!

I
Afternoon went to the van this morning and the EC500 display panel over 
the door would power up but the display had gone so as the dealer is so close to us after a quick phone call we took in as they thought it would need rebooting, reprogram or something of that nature, in fact it appears that after they plugged it into EHU the panel powered up so it looks like the consumption of the EC500 just drains the battery quicker than a panel can charge in winter as a recent reply advised. Does anyone know what would happen if I just shut down the EC500 when in storage would the leisure batteries get a charge from the existing solar panel. I have duly noted comments on going to directly to the batteries from the panel or panels and that’s something I will probably do thanks for the advice. Let’s hope the new leisure battery the Autosleeper fitted about a month ago isn’t ruined

Dbvwt wrote:At last, a Solar thread, can’t believe they have been so scarce lately 

Welcome Woody, there is so much info on here regarding Solar and batteries that I suggest you do a search, don’t plan an early night though!!
I’ve got a 2018 van and personally I would start with fitting a dual MPPT controller direct to the batteries as mentioned by RV, something absolutely nobody on here has regretted fitting including myself. I’ve got a Votronic MPP 250 and can’t fault it.
I’m going to fit one of these panels in spring to double the stock 80w, if it fits on my Symbol then it will certainly fit your van I’m sure!

https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/full/20-80W-12V-solar-panel-with-5m-cable-German-solar-cells.html

I can second what Dbvwt (David) says, fitted same to our Duo Votronic MPPT  and 120w panel. Turned EC 500 off! never been on ehu for a year and both batteries fully charged 
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Richard

When the Ec500 is shutdown the existing panel will charge the Leisure Battery only which is ok I think as they will be no drain from the EC500, the vehicle battery will receive no charge but that should be ok short term if I take it for a run most weeks but I will invest some money in a panel etc at some point for storage and more power while off grid.