Solar panel help on amps needed

Turboman said:

That explains a lot of your previous posts. When you said "camper", I had assumed a purpose built modern vehicle on a van base or similar.

Now I understand why you don't have much space, and few conveniences.

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George25 said:

Hi calling it a camper is egging the pudding a bit and I have come in for some friendly ribbing from friends who have things like a jumbo jet on an Iveco or Merc base vehicle. BUT I am happy with what we have, it not roughing it in my book just fun. Book called stuffication an interesting read. However we were somewhere on a proper camp site and the Belguim chap next to us had a thing like a game controller round his neck and remotely moved his huge caravan up to the back of his equally huge vehicle. I have to say there were a few moments when the green eyed monster raised its head

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Turboman said:

No worries. In the interest of fairness, I should point out that it was somebody else who supplied the calculations. My advice was more general, and based on my experience with boats, which have lot more carrying capacity, and usually more room to mount the panels.

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Turboman said:

There is some history of landrovers being used as campers, and if you intend to use the 4wd capability, it is not a bad idea.
However, as you are discovering, the 4wd capability comes with a price in weight and space, and the bodies are not particularly spacious for such a large vehicle.
Provided you don't mind roughing it a bit, it should be fine. Bear in mind that the chap with the caravan mover would probably struggle on any surface that wasn't dry, and pretty much as smooth as a bowling green.

Horses for courses.

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Turboman said:

There is some history of landrovers being used as campers, and if you intend to use the 4wd capability, it is not a bad idea.
However, as you are discovering, the 4wd capability comes with a price in weight and space, and the bodies are not particularly spacious for such a large vehicle.
Provided you don't mind roughing it a bit, it should be fine. Bear in mind that the chap with the caravan mover would probably struggle on any surface that wasn't dry, and pretty much as smooth as a bowling green.

Horses for courses.

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steve2286w said:

so fridge takes 20a in 24 hours, our 120w panels give about 6a when in full sun pointing directly at it,
Assume 6 hours of full sun and no cloud with a smaller panel giving 4a there’s 24A in total so would run fridge without any additional charge from alternator or hook up. For max amps you would need to move panel towards sun through the day , if you are travelling it’s getting charged up anyway but if camping for a week without hookup it would draw the battteries down with smaller panels

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steve2286w said:

No problem, I learnt some good stuff on this thread too, not least the book tip, her indoors birthday now sorted, hope the camping goes ok and. Send a pic of the tent/ panel set up and let us know if it worked well.

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George25 said:

Hi We have used the tent already a couple of times already and am really happy with it. and will post some photos when we go off next month. Nothing to heavy this year as we have shed loads of stuff to finish off at home. Shell Island for a week or two then the Scottish 500. Bit of a c**k up over ferries to Bilbao (our falt) so we have to rethink that one. Poss a few days in Hampshire with friends at a dark sky campsite. I would like to say more about the tent if anyone was interested but I am not sure what this site thinks about advertising. Photos should be oK though

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Turboman said:

Pics of the tent, and talking about it, won't be a problem, so long as you make clear it is yours, and you want to keep it.

In any case, you only need 50 posts to sell in the For Sale section on the forum, and you are not far off that. The rules about advertising are mostly aimed at people who join the forum specifically to buy and sell stuff, not genuine members talking about their interests.

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mikescuba said:

I have only just read this thread which is now some four months old. I haven't read all of them and don't know how far you have got with your battery and solar panel installations so this info might be passed it. You have several choices when it comes to batteries. Lead Acid, AGM, GEL, and Lithium. I run a motorhome where I have installed GEL batteries. Lithium are too expensive and I'm not sure they have any added advantages. With the normal Lead Acid batteries they can be discharged down to 50 to 60% before causing them damage. With a GEL battery they can be discharged down to 20% therefore your going to get more out of a GEL battery and they will withstand more cycles than Acid batteries. GEL batteries require a different charge rate. I can't remember the exact numbers but its something like 14.8 to charge lead acid and 14.4 for GEL. We have recently come back from a 10 day trip around Brittany where it rained and was cloudy most of the time. My two 110 amp GEL batteries powered the MH for 9 days before I realised that someone who shall remain nameless as she has been with me for 30 years accidently switched a switch which stopped the leisure batteries from being charged. THey were down to 12.20 volts. We were running TV, lights, fridge which was on gas, water pump etc. We weren't being economical with power as I never gave it a second thought until I just checked it out of curiosity. In the MH world the advise they give you is to go for as big a solar panel as you can fit and afford. I have a 100 watt solar panel, as we live in the south of France where the sun shines longer that is sufficient. If I lived in the UK or Brittany I would probably add some more.
These are the batteries I went for and have had them on my last two MH. Guaranteed six years. https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/12v-110ah-leoch-powabloc-tubular-gel-battery/
Just thought this info might be useful if not for this time, maybe for the next time round.

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Si Click said:

How are you guys fixing panels so that the roof stays waterproof. Drilling holes and riveting seems to be asking for trouble. Will they stay down with Sikaflex?

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mikescuba said:

I have only just read this thread which is now some four months old. I haven't read all of them and don't know how far you have got with your battery and solar panel installations so this info might be passed it. You have several choices when it comes to batteries. Lead Acid, AGM, GEL, and Lithium. I run a motorhome where I have installed GEL batteries. Lithium are too expensive and I'm not sure they have any added advantages. With the normal Lead Acid batteries they can be discharged down to 50 to 60% before causing them damage. With a GEL battery they can be discharged down to 20% therefore your going to get more out of a GEL battery and they will withstand more cycles than Acid batteries. GEL batteries require a different charge rate. I can't remember the exact numbers but its something like 14.8 to charge lead acid and 14.4 for GEL. We have recently come back from a 10 day trip around Brittany where it rained and was cloudy most of the time. My two 110 amp GEL batteries powered the MH for 9 days before I realised that someone who shall remain nameless as she has been with me for 30 years accidently switched a switch which stopped the leisure batteries from being charged. THey were down to 12.20 volts. We were running TV, lights, fridge which was on gas, water pump etc. We weren't being economical with power as I never gave it a second thought until I just checked it out of curiosity. In the MH world the advise they give you is to go for as big a solar panel as you can fit and afford. I have a 100 watt solar panel, as we live in the south of France where the sun shines longer that is sufficient. If I lived in the UK or Brittany I would probably add some more.
These are the batteries I went for and have had them on my last two MH. Guaranteed six years. https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/12v-110ah-leoch-powabloc-tubular-gel-battery/
Just thought this info might be useful if not for this time, maybe for the next time round.

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Si Click said:

How are you guys fixing panels so that the roof stays waterproof. Drilling holes and riveting seems to be asking for trouble. Will they stay down with Sikaflex?

Click to expand...