Norma Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I've had a quick search - found nothing. Sure there's lots of advice though... We are thinking of buying a solar panel to keep the vehicle battery topped up over the winter. We have a Van Bitz system which seems to drain the juice. As we are now parked up a less secure area we would like to keep topped up. I know the answer is to run the engine periodically but a week passes very quickly and how long do you need to run it anyway? What is the best size of panel recommended? How can you fix it without screwing it to the roof. We have luggage rails, would it fix to those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Hi Have a look at the following posting as it might give you some ideas: http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=6600&posts=15 Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolh Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 We are having one fitted at Malvern next weekend, Detroit Solar from Nottingham have a stand there, and I booked them today by phone. 85w with an lcd display. Lets hope the weather stays dry! Will let you all know how it performs - our next long trip without electric hook up is at August bank holiday at Rutland Water (Lyndon Top) I am stewarding a 5 day meet there! Thursday to Monday. Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w1ntersun Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Hi, Before shelling out a large amount of money on a UK firm selling solar panels, have a look at this german site http://www.solarworld24.com/ A 75w panel is £248 plus £11 delivery They also sell them on ebay and have larger panels as well. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 W1ntersun, That's a top tip! Unfortunately the site doesn't reveal the make of panel, but it appears to be mono- rather than poly-crystalline, and they are a bit cheaper. In the UK, www.solarstars.co.uk seem to have reasonable prices on Kyocera panels, which I rate very highly, as they have bypass diodes to reduce the effect of cast shadows (they normally turn off half the panel, even tho' they're cast over only one cell!). Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Norma - 2007-08-02 9:31 PM I've had a quick search - found nothing. Sure there's lots of advice though... We are thinking of buying a solar panel to keep the vehicle battery topped up over the winter. QUOTE] Norma, If that is all you want it for, I think that you can get a snall panel that you can be fixed with suckers on the inside of the window - that would be much cheaper than one of these roof mounted afairs. I seem to remember seeing something on e-bay a while ago. (I can't access e-bay from this computer to check it out). I think it was offered by a VW camper supplier. Others on here will be able to advise better than I, if such a thing would be suitable to keep the battery topped up. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tp002c784tp002c784tp Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Hi Norma I have had solar panels fitted on my Motorhomes for many years, My previous vehicle was a Talbot Highwayman and I had a 80watt panel fitted by Solar Solutions and we never suffered with flat batteries never had hook up and never scrimped what we used at night. Our present Motorhome a Renault Lunar Telstar ( although still marrooned on a campsite in Eversham after the floods ) I had an 80watt panel fitted at the Peterborough show again by Solar Solutions and worked well up until we left putting in 2.5 amps into the leisure battery. I am surprised to here that your Van bitz alarm is causing your battery to go flat as I also have a one of there alarms fitted on the Lunar and I never suffered with a flat battery with the vehicle often been idle sometimes for three or four weeks. You say that you want to fit the Solar Panel to keep your main battery topped up but the normal method is to fit it to the leisure battery so that you always have enough power for night times, but you could consider the system I have the Solar Panel feeds the leisure battery and I have a Van Bitz Battery Mate fitted this allows any surplus charge from the leisure battery to feed into the main vehicle battery, works very well. You may find a number of people will say that Solar panels are not worth the money and never pay for themselves but I have always thought the where very good. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 If you only require panel to top up main batery for alarm, then I'm with robin on this one, just a small panel. Not sure how much your alarm takes but my out buildings are wirelesly conected to a solar powered alarm, it has a small panel 8"x4" ? due to planning contraints this is easterly facing which is not ideal but it just about copes during winter. I'll stick my neck out and say 10w would be more than enough. Look around for something like this. http://www.sailgb.com/p/sunsei_se_400_solar_weatherproof_battery_maintainer/ On the otherhand if you want to be more independant of mains hook-ups go for the bigger panels sugested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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