[Guide] Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -

[Northern Soul Gal]

Hi all
Please help me get this clear in my mind....
Our T6.1 has the CtekD250SE, 100ah standard leisure battery.
If I purchase the Renogy 200w suitcase, do I need it with or without controller? Does the D250SE have its own controller? And does the suitcase literally just crocodile clip to the leisure battery.
I have read this entire thread but honestly just need the info in plain blinkin English lol
Thanks so much in advance
Northern Soul Gal

 

[DaveCrampton]

Hi all
Please help me get this clear in my mind....
Our T6.1 has the CtekD250SE, 100ah standard leisure battery.
If I purchase the Renogy 200w suitcase, do I need it with or without controller? Does the D250SE have its own controller? And does the suitcase literally just crocodile clip to the leisure battery.
I have read this entire thread but honestly just need the info in plain blinkin English lol
Thanks so much in advance
Northern Soul Gal

I have the Renogy 200watt suitcase. The panels have a void between when closed. It comes ready to go. Just plug the crocodile clips on and attach to your battery.

 

[jimc91]

You can connect the solar panel direct to the ctek if the voltage is less than 23v from your panel, no need for a controller

 

[jimc91]

If your panel comes with a controller then you can connect it direct to the battery, the cetek has a built in controller

 

[Northern Soul Gal]

Thankyou for your replies, I can't understand why the Renogy with controller is cheaper than without? So even though I don't need the controller, it's cheaper to get one with....which would you guys go for?

 

[jimc91]

The cetek can only take a panel with an open circuit voltage of 23 volts max so you need to check the spec of any panel you buy with out a controller to check- 200 watts might be too high in which case you would have to buy one with a controller or get a smaller panel

 

[jimc91]

Personally I would wait for @Dellmassive to give his view

 

[jimc91]

I have a 150 watt foldable panel from Lensun and it works well with my cetek

 

[Northern Soul Gal]

I have a 150 watt foldable panel from Lensun and it works well with my cetek

Hi jimc91
Do you find it enough for your fridge when away for say 1 week
Thanks

 

[jimc91]

Hi jimc91
Do you find it enough for your fridge when away for say 1 week
Thanks

I have a portable fridge and usually camp with electric hook and when I haven’t I don’t stay parked up at any one campsite for long so my leisure battery gets regularly charged. I haven’t tested how long my panel on its own would keep my battery charged up with the fridge running- others on here are great at working out power requirements based on power draw

 

[Skyliner33]

Thankyou for your replies, I can't understand why the Renogy with controller is cheaper than without? So even though I don't need the controller, it's cheaper to get one with....which would you guys go for?

why would you buy the one without? It’s really easy to remove if you don’t want to use it.

The cetek can only take a panel with an open circuit voltage of 23 volts max so you need to check the spec of any panel you buy with out a controller to check- 200 watts might be too high in which case you would have to buy one with a controller or get a smaller panel

The open circuit voltage on the 200W Renogy panel is 21.8V so should be fine with the CTEK if it can handle Voc of 23V.

there is a link for a Renogy discount in my signature below.

 

[Dellmassive]

The Renogy 200w suitcase kit has a VOC of 21.8v




so as mentioned above it is compatible with the CTEK D250SE

....


The Renogy Kit comes in two versions . . . one has a solar controller, one comes without.




+++++


the versions that comes with the controller can be crock clipped/ hardwired direct to any leisure battery. . .

or

connected to the ctek d250se to use its internal solar controller.



+++++++


the kit without a solar controller cannot be connected direct to the leisure battery and must be connected vis the D250se



+++++++

so, i would suggest getting the Renogy 200w kit with controller.

then you can connect to any van/car/battery, and use the d250se or included controller.

https://amzn.to/3p93Vg4

+++++++++++++++++++++




example conecting up via the d250se:








example using renogy controller:

 

[slocumjoseph]

I've had one of these portable solar panels for a few years now. It came with a basic PWM controller and just crocodile clips directly to the battery. It served me well before I fixed 200w of solar permanently on the roof. However on really dull days, because it has its own controller it adds a very useful extra100w clipped straight on to the leisure battery.

 

[Northern Soul Gal]

The Renogy 200w suitcase kit has a VOC of 21.8v

View attachment 168288


so as mentioned above it is compatible with the CTEK D250SE

....


The Renogy Kit comes in two versions . . . one has a solar controller, one comes without.




+++++


the versions that comes with the controller can be crock clipped/ hardwired direct to any leisure battery. . .

or

connected to the ctek d250se to use its internal solar controller.



+++++++


the kit without a solar controller cannot be connected direct to the leisure battery and must be connected vis the D250se



+++++++

so, i would suggest getting the Renogy 200w kit with controller.

then you can connect to any van/car/battery, and use the d250se or included controller.

https://amzn.to/3p93Vg4

View attachment 168289



+++++++++++++++++++++




example conecting up via the d250se:



View attachment 168290




example using renogy controller:

View attachment 168291

Hi Dellmassive
Thanks so much for this info, Is the d250se an mppt controller? Or am I getting wires crossed (literally)

 

[Dellmassive]

Hi Dellmassive
Thanks so much for this info, Is the d250se an mppt controller? Or am I getting wires crossed (literally)

YES - the D250se has an internal 20A MPPT solar controller . . .

https://cdn.tayna.com/datasheets/D250SE-SMARTPASS120S.pdf

+++++++++

The 200w suitcase kit comes with a very good 20A PWM controller - the Voyager 20A.



++++++++++
the recommended up grade for the solar controller is the Victron 100/20 smart - 20A

https://amzn.to/3P7PdR3

 

[Dellmassive]

see here for whats the difference -

Solar PWM & MPPT Controllers - How I Done It -

Solar PWM & MPPT controllers - How I Done It - There is a lot of talk about Solar at the moment, and with spring not to far away i wanted to go over the whole Solar controller thing. The main components are the Panels themselves, the charge controller (whether that be stand alone or...

www.t6forum.com

and here for the battery upgrade to lifepo4 --

Lithium LifePo4 12v Batteries - Time For An Upgrade?

Lithium Batteries are the future, (keep checking back for the latest news/edits) ************************************************** Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread ************************************************** Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --...

www.t6forum.com

and here for battery monitoring ---

Battery Monitoring -- How I Done It --

Battery Monitoring -- How I Done It -- Part #1 Battery monitoring is a very important part of your 12v system . . . . whether its just the vans starter battery or your leisure setup keeping an eye on the power in your battery bank will keep you from breaking down and make sure your weekends...

www.t6forum.com

and here for everything else --

Dellmassive’s "How I Done It" blogs.

-- Dellmassive`s -- "How I Done It" -- thread -- ************************************************** Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread ************************************************** Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --...

www.t6forum.com

...

 

[Northern Soul Gal]

That's absolutely brilliant @Dellmassive thanks so so much for your help.
Can I ask you one more thing...if I'm on ehu (no solar involved) why is my leisure battery not being kept fully charged, and say the fridge staying on and cold the whole time?

 

[Dellmassive]

That's absolutely brilliant @Dellmassive thanks so so much for your help.
Can I ask you one more thing...if I'm on ehu (no solar involved) why is my leisure battery not being kept fully charged, and say the fridge staying on and cold the whole time?

depends on your setup . . .

post a few pics of your setup, kit, battery's etc and well have a look.


+++++

if your leisure battery is going flat when on EHU then you most likely do not have a battery charger on it. ( for the starter or leisure battery )

FYI - if you have a sargent EHU box - its just a basic power supply and not a battery charger - a lot of people get caught out with this, they assume it will charge the LB battery . . . but depending on your loads the battery will run flat after a weekend. - and also the starter doesn't get charged, so that will run flat too.


++++++



more on chargers -

Battery Chargers - How I Did It -

Battery Chargers - How I Did It - So its that time of year again, cold, rainy. . . . . . . flat battery =[ This time we look at Battery Chargers. Our vans will most likely come with a AGM style starter battery, for this type of battery we need a "Smart Charger" . . . . but what does this...

www.t6forum.com

...

more on starter charging --

[Guide] Battery Maintainer (for Starter battery) -- How I Done It --

[Guide] Battery Maintainer (for Starter battery) -- How I Done It -- Right so its that time of year again . . . . . . . . Winter & (Lockdown 2020) The van might be layed up not being used, which will lead to a flat battery in around 3 weeks. The cold weather doesn't help the battery's...

www.t6forum.com

+++

 

[Northern Soul Gal]

Hi @Dellmassive thanks for helping me with this, I have attached pics for you to look over, am presuming we, as you suspect, have no charger, so would appreciate your opinion on which one to get
Cheers

 

[jimc91]

That cetek doesn’t look connected properly- the thin red wire next to the thin black wire should be connected to a circuit in the fuse box that goes live when the ignition is switched on. The thin black wire should go to an earth if your leisure battery is an agm