Turboman
Mab An Gov
I wash the panels regularly, and more often is they get bird sh!t or muck from trees on them.
As you say, doesn't take much to drastically reduce power output.
I use car shampoo in a bucket of water, and a mop.
I wash the panels regularly, and more often is they get bird sh!t or muck from trees on them.
As you say, doesn't take much to drastically reduce power output.
I use car shampoo in a bucket of water, and a mop.
Hi We sound a bit primitive compared to your system. No TV, No computer, No stereo. 12 v ARB fridge 30 or40 litres couple of LED lights otherwise its hurricane lamps, propane cooker with piezo starter. The propane water heater does have a small pump though which I had forgotten about. I think we will have to monitor what the fridge uses and worst case powder milk etc. If we can pick up ice locally we can use this to reduce how often the fridge cuts in .
Turboman
Mab An Gov
That sounds very good from a battery life point of view.
But wouldn't be adequate for me, because I am on the boat most of the time, I need the necessities of modern life.
Don't you have a domestic water pump for a shower?
HI yep we are thinking to splash out on mono crystal. We are thinking not to mount the panel on the vehicle but on a stand so we can make best use of angle and shade problems. I kind of get the feeling that a 100 amph panel should do us maybe 120 with a hope of getting 10%
Turboman
Mab An Gov
Mounting the panel on a stand is a good idea, and will make washing easier as well as siting.
But don't forget you need to keep the wire run as short as possible, line loss is a big problem with low voltages.
Hi No its a propane water heating geyser made by Kampa and has a little 12v pump that sucks up water from any container. One pass through the systen raises the temp by 10 c then discharges it either through a spout to a sink or shower head or if you wamt hotter water back in to the container to raise it further. We are not likely to have a mains water hook up and don't want to carry a huge amount of water but top up every 3 or so daysThat sounds very good from a battery life point of view.
But wouldn't be adequate for me, because I am on the boat most of the time, I need the necessities of modern life.
Don't you have a domestic water pump for a shower?
Hi Yep good point, hadn't thought of that
Hi The smart thing would have been to come to this site before we bought the batteries. With hind sight duel purpose would have been a better idea
I've thought about them but not done any research. My question would be, are they ok at both, great at neither?
Si Click
Well-Known Member
How are you all securing your panels? I'm planning on putting about 200W onto the aluminium roof of a hard shell roof tent and want to put as few holes in it as possible. If I go for conventional mono panels then I can use brackets and bolt or rivet them, but even with lots of silicone I run the risk of leaks. I am toying with the idea of flexi panels and holding them down using silkaflex with maybe a rivet at each corner to prevent motorway liftoff.
What is the usual method for securing against 70+mph winds?
What is the usual method for securing against 70+mph winds?
Hi Well for what it's worth my idea is to NOT mount them on the vehicle. Idont wont ti increase the roof height in any way so we canstill get into normal car parks etc. And I would be paranoid about leaks SO Rigid folding panel that has a rigid case bit like a slim suitcase. Comes with a sort of folding stand. I intend to put a couple of waterproof sockets inside a side locker and plug into one of these. We have a baker style tent that has access through the rear door so we can use the cooker etc but nothing capable of taking a solar panel. Still looking at panels but now have a better idea of output I needHow are you all securing your panels? I'm planning on putting about 200W onto the aluminium roof of a hard shell roof tent and want to put as few holes in it as possible. If I go for conventional mono panels then I can use brackets and bolt or rivet them, but even with lots of silicone I run the risk of leaks. I am toying with the idea of flexi panels and holding them down using silkaflex with maybe a rivet at each corner to prevent motorway liftoff.
What is the usual method for securing against 70+mph winds?
Turboman
Mab An Gov
Flexi panels are also not that efficient
The ones on my parents van are bolted with lots of stuff round. It's not silicone like the Flexi bath sealer type, its quite hard and so far doesn't leak
Could be Sikaflex, there are various grades, the marine ones are pretty good.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
Sounds good. What sort of vehicle are we talking here?
Hi My problem is that it never occured to me to look and its too late now If I was starting to play with the landy again I would take a look see. Thats whats magic about the internet and forums like this info at the touch of a button.
Hi I was hoping nobody would ask, my mantra is keep it simple stupid so no bells and buzzers SO why I here you ask why the 2.2 puma (110) it ani't simple and perhaps Iam the stupid bit
Hi We are in Wales honest not Morocco but last week or so sand came from somewhere. Floor mounted there is no excuse for me not to keep things clean
Turboman
Mab An Gov
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.
Hi Thanks like really thanks.(especially for the calculations) So Space for another battery is very tight but I will buy a 120amph mono crystal ground mounted rigid panel (not 100). Moving it around to follow the sun keeping it clean etc shouldnt be a problem and an MPPT controller. Worse case if the leasure battery, solar panel cant cope then the fridge getss turned off. The battery management system can't rob the vehicle battery unless I over ride it. Not the end of the world, warm water is OK cold beer not needed. Coffee black, white, hot or cold essential and we have several ways of taking care of that
Turboman
Mab An Gov
Hi Thanks like really thanks.(especially for the calculations) So Space for another battery is very tight but I will buy a 120amph mono crystal ground mounted rigid panel (not 100). Moving it around to follow the sun keeping it clean etc shouldnt be a problem and an MPPT controller. Worse case if the leasure battery, solar panel cant cope then the fridge getss turned off. The battery management system can't rob the vehicle battery unless I over ride it. Not the end of the world, warm water is OK cold beer not needed. Coffee black, white, hot or cold essential and we have several ways of taking care of that
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.
