How much solar power?

[Rhyddin]

I realise this is not a simple, straight forward question to answer, but how powerful a solar panel is considered ideal to partner with a Beach?

We charge phones, run the internal lights, occasionally watch the 12v Avtex caravan TV (don't judge) and sometimes run an Outwell cooler, which is definitely the main power drain. As a result, the leisure battery is good for around 36-48 hours without making any trips to recharge it.

I've been looking at portable panels, as I don't want to permanently fit one, and it's around £250 for a 100W suitcase panel. Would this be enough? Is it overkill for the task at hand? I'd love the opinions of people who run such a panel with their Beach before I spend this kind of money on something I won't use too often but it'd be good to have.

 

[Max-Felix]

Probably harder to say in your scenario as most people fit one to the roof permanently and therefore it's always on and charging during the day (weather permitting of course). Seems accepted that 100w is fine in this way

But with yours you would have to remember to put it out and connect it on site and it's not working parked up at the shops or stopped for lunch or whatever...

 

[Rhyddin]

Probably harder to say in your scenario as most people fit one to the roof permanently and therefore it's always on and charging during the day (weather permitting of course). Seems accepted that 100w is fine in this way

But with yours you would have to remember to put it out and connect it on site and it's not working parked up at the shops or stopped for lunch or whatever...

It's true, but I like the idea of being able to use it other times, too, such as without the Cali.
Plus, I bought a full coverage Cali cover last year and it would cost me another £300, on top of the cost of the panels, to replace that with an open top version.

 

[hirsty]

I've been thinking about about a solar panel, mostly to run a fridge on longer trips & have found all the recent info v. interesting.

I've come to the opposite conclusion & couldn't be bothered with something that's not fit-and-forget on the roof. I gathered that 100W is likely fine for most uses & 200W necessary if you're really depending on it.

 

[Amarillo]

I've been thinking about about a solar panel, mostly to run a fridge on longer trips & have found all the recent info v. interesting.

I've come to the opposite conclusion & couldn't be bothered with something that's not fit-and-forget on the roof. I gathered that 100W is likely fine for most uses & 200W necessary if you're really depending on it.

We went for the 200w solution as it is more likely to give us off grid power throughout the year. In winter, not only is the day shorter, but the sun is lower and less strong and it is more likely to by cloudy. The only positives in winter are that the temperature is cooler which makes the panels more effective, and the fridge compressor won't be working so hard.

 

[MattBW]

Important question is what is the power consumption/draw on your fridge?


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[MattBW]

I ran a 40l waeco with an 80 w panel, it gave me a few extra days but not indefinite power. It would have been enough for summer off grid if I had a smaller fridge.

Advantage of a suitcase is you can place it in the sun, a roof mounted one is often going to be inefficient unless your van is in the sun etc. The advantage is that as said it's always on.


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[2into1]

The "100 W is sufficient" has been put forward by the expert here @Roger Donoghue, but I think that relates to a compressor fridge as the main drain.
I suspect the Outwell cooler mentioned in the OP will draw considerably more power, hence more solar power may be needed (in both scenarios you need to factor the part time use of the panel as above).
The quoted panel will extend your 36-48 hour range, but I think you'll be a way off self sufficient.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

We went for the 200w solution....

Hi Tom,

Any photos, pricing info, of your installation? I'm considering sililiar myself. Cheers!

 

[Amarillo]

Hi Tom,

Any photos, pricing info, of your installation? I'm considering sililiar myself. Cheers!

About £850, as hook up is generally £2-£4 per night (included with ASCI bookings) don't think of it as an investment, or cost saving exercise. It is purely a matter of convenience.

I've posted a "DIY incompetent" guide to installing the panels here. Scroll down for a photo of my roof taken from my bedroom window, also @Roger Donoghue has added a useful comment of his own on running the panel wire from the roof to the tailgate cable housing.

 

[briwy]

It's true, but I like the idea of being able to use it other times, too, such as without the Cali.
Plus, I bought a full coverage Cali cover last year and it would cost me another £300, on top of the cost of the panels, to replace that with an open top version.

If it's a Comfortz topper then Nick will fit a "window" into it. Works fine with our 100w panel. In fact the window is big enough to accomodate another panel if we decide to do that.

 

[Rhyddin]

If it's a Comfortz topper then Nick will fit a "window" into it. Works fine with our 100w panel. In fact the window is big enough to accomodate another panel if we decide to do that.

Now, THAT'S interesting to know!

 

[WelshGas]

I ran a 40l waeco with an 80 w panel, it gave me a few extra days but not indefinite power. It would have been enough for summer off grid if I had a smaller fridge.

Advantage of a suitcase is you can place it in the sun, a roof mounted one is often going to be inefficient unless your van is in the sun etc. The advantage is that as said it's always on.


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How do you secure it if you're all going out for the day, without the California?

 

[briwy]

Now, THAT'S interesting to know!

If you are going to Brean then Simonb has one on his van with the window. Hardy use our topper now that we have the CaliCosi

 

[MattBW]

How do you secure it if you're all going out for the day, without the California?

That's the weakness of a suitcase one. Bike locks or fitting to the roof are options. I've not left it out unattended yet. Putting it on the dash would reduce its power but it would be safer


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[SimonB]

I've been thinking about about a solar panel, mostly to run a fridge on longer trips & have found all the recent info v. interesting.

I've come to the opposite conclusion & couldn't be bothered with something that's not fit-and-forget on the roof. I gathered that 100W is likely fine for most uses & 200W necessary if you're really depending on it.

This is what we have. 100W seems ample for our needs. Phone, tablet charging using lights, fridge on level 4 and started at 100%, after 5 days with no hookup it was still on 100%. Plus you don't have to plug the EHU in once a month because it is always being topped up.
I also have a full roof cover, but Comforts put a panel in it for me, but in truth I don't put the roof cover on unless it is raining.
Simon

 

[Goldie]

Have a look at the flexible solar panels. They are tough and when used on boats can be walked on. They are about 5mm thick and kept under the mattress.

I bought some elasticated cord to fix it to the roof using the fixings for the Comfort topper. Going to get some fittings to use the roof rack rails in future.

Plenty of panels, cables, controllers etc. to look at on Aliexpress, even if you don't buy from there.

Andy

 

[Goldie]

I wrote my earlier email on the train on the way to work here in Wellington, so a bit more detail. Here is a store on AliExpress where I've bought some parts, such as wires and connectors:
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1797969?spm=2114.10010108.0.0.sZgM5i

I don't have a problem buying parts directly from China and if buying again I'd buy my panel and parts from there and cut out the middleman. Currently have 100w capacity but enough parts to just buy a another panel, I can add in a parallel connection and increase to 200w with no extra fittings/expense apart from panel.

Amarillo great write up https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/thread...olar-panels-for-2017.16907/page-3#post-211734

I've decided to go for the portable option as the roof gets so dirty stuck on the drive all year and the flexible panels sit under under mattress and you only need to get them out when needed, hopefully increasing their life. I've built a kitchen POD and the gas bottle sits outside so I'll cut two small holes in the bottom of the insect shield for the gas pipe and electrical lead from the panel(s) to the MPPT controller. Connection to the battery is just like the solid panels.

I've uploaded a couple of files that relate to calculating solar capacity, hopefully they may be useful. Note the second pdf doesn't really apply to California where utilities are directly fed from the leisure battery.

Andy

 

[SimonB]

An update to my previous post above. I had the Cali Topper on over the 4 days we were at Brean to keep the bellows dry. I didn't actually need the power as we had an EHU included in the price.
The solar panel was still generating through the plastic panel in the roof and the MPPT controller was dumping the power as it wasn't needed. So it does still work with the cover on and a clear panel made in it, it is bound to reduce the amount of generation, but I don't know by how much I'm afraid.