Adding extra solar panel

Suppersready wrote:

rgermain wrote:

Suppersready wrote:

600w of solar on mine ….  Totally OTT for six months of the year, but about right for the other.

I get by on 120w all year round .

I guess we all use our vans in different ways including power consumption … we tend to tour for a month at a time and we wouldn’t get by in the winter months with any less. As yourself MPPT controller bypassing the EC500.

Maybe
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Richard

A few more bits have arrived for the inverter install, just 2 bus bars to arrive now, new battery and a relay and box 

These items are to make an auto switch for the inverter, ( idea borrowed  from another forum )

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FreelanderUK wrote:A few more bits have arrived for the inverter install, just 2 bus bars to arrive now, new battery and a relay and box 

These items are to make an auto switch for the inverter, ( idea borrowed  from another forum )

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Best of luck and hope all goes well.
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Richard

Auto switch over for the inverter installed today, still waiting for bus bars to arrive 🤬
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Bus bars arrived and have been fitted, all wired in place the best I can in the limited space just the battery to box in now so that it won’t get damaged when the ramps and other bits are back in place[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

we are in  the sunny north west only done 400 miles since we got our new to us Symbol 2019 this August.
we have found so far that the 1 solar panel keeps the leisure battery up ok 
cook and heat off the LPG .. never used EHU or the micro wave But we may have   may-considder another battery and solar and inverter..
we went onto a site just to empty the loo and fill up with water .. you can stop and use the EHU for 2 hrs .. 
no need full charge .
Ours symbol is a only vehicle so it does go out every week shopping etc ..picnic dog to the beach .B and q for some wood very handy two new doors and a picnic in the car park .We used T.H.S .3 weeks in the autumn .. all ok .
so we will watch this one with interest .

Even with a covering of frost and ice on the panels and the battery temperature  dropping to -5 today they are still keeping the battery topped up 

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Ditto for my system, panel covered in frost, internal temp of van -5c. Both batteries at 14.4v, panel voltage 22.6, delivering 0.2A as there is nothing else for it to do as both batteries full.

Thanks guys (not!). I hadn’t given the van a second thought as it’s parked up till spring and the solar takes care of things on its own over winter.
As the panels have been covered in 2 inches of snow for 3 days you have now got me wondering about my batteries!!!!
I’m not going to enjoy my lovely warm cosy sofa till I go out and check them now 

Dbvwt wrote:Thanks guys (not!). I hadn’t given the van a second thought as it’s parked up till spring and the solar takes care of things on its own over winter.
As the panels have been covered in 2 inches of snow for 3 days you have now got me wondering about my batteries!!!!
I’m not going to enjoy my lovely warm cosy sofa till I go out and check them now 

That’s one of the benifits of having Victron Smart solar ,I can check from the house with the Victron app and Bluetooth 

It’s blooming freezing out there, coldest day so far around these parts.
Absolutely zero input from the 2x80w panels but the batteries look ok. I don’t think the temperature is going to rise till Friday at the earliest so will brush the snow off tomorrow.

We are using the van on the drive whilst having the bathroom altered, I decided that even though I could plug in to the EHU supply I would just use battery power , this has shown something that will need changing to my system.

I have a Victron smartsolar MPPT 100/20 regulator fitted and the 390 watts of panels, when I was doing the research I was told that my regulator would be fine as I would never hit 20amp,  watching the Victron app this morning it has regular hit the 20amp and this is with the sun lower than summer and slightly overcast, so now on the hunt for a cheap Victron 100/30 MPPT regulator,

The photos show amps produced, I was not quick enough to get the 20amp
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Does it matter ? Your panels are peaking at 20amp now and on a good summer day you will get 20amps all day long, isn't that enough for your needs.

Paul Bullas wrote:Does it matter ? Your panels are peaking at 20amp now and on a good summer day you will get 20amps all day long, isn't that enough for your needs.

Why waste power , I have the inverter fitted so will be able to heat water possibly ,run the fridge possibly, definitely use the microwave and air fryer , we also charge a mobility scooter so if the panels can produce it surely it’s better to use it 

Completely agree about wasted power Chris. I am very envious of all the space you have up there on the XL. 
I would love to go massive with my off grid capabilities but have now filled the roof completely on my compact Symbol.

Still in the van on the drive so still playing,  I have the TV on for the wife and have the inverter switched on powering the fridge for the day ( chilling a few a few beers , it has been on gas threw the night ) the weather today is cloudy with a strong breeze so moving the clouds quite fast with gaps for the sun , solar readings as below have been similar most of the morning

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Chris, as I’ve said I’m very envious of your space up on top of the van for solar and also your impressive setup inside.
I’ve only got 160w of Solar but it is frustrating that usually by mid morning in spring/summer/autumn (when I do most of my camping) my 130AH lead acid is fully charged and any Solar charge is then wasted.
I’ve not investigated inverters in the slightest but reading your post, do you think there could be a benefit of some kind for my setup with modest solar?
I’m thinking about the fridge but I suspect the figures with only 160w will be nowhere near close enough.

Dbvwt wrote:Chris, as I’ve said I’m very envious of your space up on top of the van for solar and also your impressive setup inside.
I’ve only got 160w of Solar but it is frustrating that usually by mid morning in spring/summer/autumn (when I do most of my camping) my 130AH lead acid is fully charged and any Solar charge is then wasted.
I’ve not investigated inverters in the slightest but reading your post, do you think there could be a benefit of some kind for my setup with modest solar?
I’m thinking about the fridge but I suspect the figures with only 160w will be nowhere near close enough.

It’s not something that I would do with only that amount of solar on the roof and battery size, you could always increase the battery size and use a portable solar panel stood out side the van, you may then get away with a 1000w inverter but it would be only summer days use, when the fridge kicked into cooling mode it was using 11amps so any clouds then put me in a deficit for keeping ‘charging the battery,  I have had the fridge on the inverter for just over 2.5 hours and then the clouds rolled in so I turned it off and back to gas, the tv has been on all day ( caught up with a few films and series) and the solar has produced 800Wh up to now but I am now showing a deficit on the battery now the heating is on and the rain clouds have rolled in 

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Thanks, pretty much confirmed what I had already guessed the answer would be!! 
Just seems such a shame that solar energy is effectively going down the drain after mid morning. Of course, I could fit a bigger/2nd battery but what is the point if my 130ah is enough for my basic needs as it stands.
Guess I will have to keep running the fridge on gas for now but outlets have been rapidly disappearing around our way in recent years. 
A compressor fridge will probably be my eventual solution.

See my post re water from air Dave

IanH wrote:See my post re water from air Dave

I did read that earlier Ian, very interesting indeed but I don’t think I will be giving up the tap just yet 

Many good conversations had at the campsite water tap. And don’t forget the exercise involved!

New toy day 

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Didn't expect dual battery PWM!!!!

All fitted, beefed up the wiring from the regulator to the battery as the terminals accept larger wires, up and producing the power,

I have the Victron MPPT 100/20 with the optional wiring guard fitted for sale, I will post this in classifieds later with photo of the blue thing

Chris, I’ve PM’d you.

Tim