What Solar Panel/controller Dc-dc Leisure Battery - Have You Got ?

[Dellmassive]

What Solar Panel/s & Controller/s . . . . ?

There is a lot of talk about Solar at the moment, and with spring not to far away i wanted to get an idea of what kit we are all using . . .

The main components are the Panels themselves, the charge controller (whether that be stand alone or integrated into a DC-DC charger) and of course Battery's.

so lets have it. . . . . Ill start us off.


Power, energy and capacity
Power in watts (W) = current in amps (A) x voltage in volts (V)
Energy in watt hours (Wh) = power in watts (W) x time in hours (h)
Battery capacity in amp hours (Ah) = energy in watt hours (Wh) / voltage in volts (V)

How to Calculate Solar Panel Efficiency :: Articles :: 12V solar panels charging kits for caravans, motorhomes, boats, yachts, marine


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Copy & Paste the below to add your setup:

Solar Panel:
Mobile Panel:
Solar charge controller:
DC-DC charger:
EHU Charger:
battery bank:
Battery Monitor:
Inverter:
other:

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Here is some info & Links:

Info for solar panels for caravans

Thinking About A Solar Panel? Look At This.....

My Roof Might Be Crap But The Solar Panel Is Ace

Solar Panel Fitting To Front Hinged Roof

How've You Installed Your Solar Panel?

Volkswagen VW T4 or T5 Camping vans/bus install flexible solar panels guide. How many ways to install the flexible solar panels on the camper’s or caravan’s roof? | Lensun Solar Panel – Lensunsolar

Lensun Solar Energy Store

12V solar panels charging kits for caravans, motorhomes, boats, yachts, marine

Renogy Official Site | All-in-one Solar Kit | Portable Solar Generator

ACOPower Official Site | Solar Panel Kits | Portable Solar Generator | Solar Charge Controller | Solar Inverters - ACOPower.com

Flexible Solar Panels & Solar Panels for Caravans & Motorhomes



What Solar Panel & Controller ?


updated - july 2019


more info:

Removing an old stuck down panel.

.

current contributors to the list:

@Dellmassive
@andys
@Taff7996
@Deaky
@Dilbert
@Ads_Essex
@Martin Gibson
@Lowlec ?
@Dieseldonkey
@Grim Reaper
@Pete C
@Severals
@Salty Spuds
@Farnorthsurfer
@Long tall John
@Ann3x
@VanDamMan
@lydart
@Ayjay











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[Dellmassive]

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VAN:
Solar Panel: Lensun® 2PCS 110W(total 220W) 12V ETFE Black Flexible Solar Panel (not fitted yet)
Mobile Panel: 200W Lensun Folding (option:100W Renogy suitcase,100w Renogy folding)
charge controller: Victron smartsolar 75/15 (100/20, 100/30 options + various PWM`s)
DC-DC charger: Redarc BCDC1240LV
EHU Charger: Victron BlueSmart 12v/15A (Temp fitting)
battery bank: 1x75Ah stock EFB+ (option:2x 110Ah Leoch Xtreme)
Battery Monitor: Victron BMV-712 Smart (Temp fitting)
other: Victron Phoenix Inverter 12/800 (Temp fitting)

***************************************

SHED:
Solar Panel: 1x 160w RENOGY flexible (stuck on roof ) 2x 160W semi-flexible, photonic universe (stuck on roof )
charge controller: Victron smartsolar 100/20 (75/15, 100/30 options + various PWM`s)
DC-DC charger: None
EHU Charger: NOCO G1500(15A)
battery bank: 2x110Ah deep cycle Leisure
other: Victron Phoenix Inverter 12/350,
other: Raspberry Pi running Victron Venus system monitor + 2x USB links

***************************************

just copy/paste/edit the list and add your own details in.

updated - july 2019

 

[andys]

Solar Panel: 1 x 250w photonic universe
charge controller: Victron Smartsolar 75/10
DC-DC charger: Ctek D250SA
battery bank: 1x95Ah Varta AGM
Standard Westfalia mains charger and battery monitoring system
other: Votronic DC/DC trickle charger to vehicle battery (also 95Ah Varta AGM) from secondary output of solar controller; Victron 12/375 Pure sine inverter for EMTB charging

 

[Taff7996]

I have a 110w panel bolted onto the roof with a victron 75/15 controller that has built in bluetooth, so you can view the performance of your panels on a phone app, no need for a separate display.

Roger from Solar camping solutions supplied and fitted it for me

Solar Camper Solutions - VW California (T5 & T6) Solar Panel Kit

Solar Panel: 1x 110w panel
charge controller: victron 75/15
DC-DC charger:
battery bank:
other:

 

[andys]

View attachment 36200 View attachment 36201
I have a 110w panel bolted onto the roof with a victron 75/15 controller that has built in bluetooth, so you can view the performance of your panels on a phone app, no need for a separate display.

Roger from Solar camping solutions supplied and fitted it for me

Solar Camper Solutions - VW California (T5 & T6) Solar Panel Kit

Solar Panel: 1x 110w panel
charge controller: victron 75/15
DC-DC charger:
battery bank:
other:

Yep me and @Dellmassive above have the same controller, you get addicted to checking the output This is my best so far, but the controller is holding back the performance of the panel and I’ll prob upgrade to a 100/20 if I still have the van this summer

 

[Deaky]

I have the following installed

Photonic Universe 250w panel
Redarc 1240lv
Victron blue solar 75/15
Victron Bluetooth dongle
OEM 2nd battery Varta 75ah AGM

 

[Dilbert]

I have the following:

Solar Panel: Carbest (Reimo) Product number: 85329. 160W Ultra-flexible
Solar charge controller: Victron Smartsolar MPPT 75/15
DC-DC charger: Sterling BB1230
Mains hook up charger: Durite Automatic (3 stage) 12V 10A
Battery bank: 1x Varta LFD90 90Ah leisure battery
Other: Victron Smart battery sense (Connected to Smartsolar controller via VE.Smart Network)

 

[Dellmassive]

YES Done it !!!!

i can now be in the 200W solar club (well mobile solar !!)

im just loving this weather . . .

So I've just got the new 200W mobile Lensun folding suitcase . . . (thats the 100w Renogy in the background)



which come with some strange Jank Epever MPPT conrtroller, which after a quick test i ditched.

swapping it out with a tried and tested Victron 75/15 . . . .



charging the New AGM Xtreme battery . . . .



running these two as well . . . . . . (Note; these will draw 12v/3A continuos each . . . but if you run them on a small 12v inverter (240v) they will effectivly start throttling and draw 1.5/3A off the 12v battery via the inverter)




and after a quick dip in sun after a cloud . . . . BOOM! 218W!




And for those who noticed . . . . . ." how did you get 218W out of a 200W panel?????" - well spotted.

during testing i added in the 150W panel on the shed roof too (in parallel with a couple of MC4 branch connectors), giving 350W max . . . . but delivering 218W under these conditions.

BUT . . . the 15A going to the battery started heating up thge 10A fuse and holder next to the battery........

So ill upgrade that lead for a 40A capacity and fuse it down to 30A . . . . . but thats for another day.

 

[Ads_Essex]

YES Done it !!!!

i can now be in the 200W solar club (well mobile solar !!)

im just loving this weather . . .

So I've just got the new 200W mobile Lensun folding suitcase . . . (thats the 100w Renogy in the background)

View attachment 46388

which come with some strange Jank Epever MPPT conrtroller, which after a quick test i ditched.

swapping it out with a tried and tested Victron 75/15 . . . .

View attachment 46389

charging the New AGM Xtreme battery . . . .

View attachment 46387

running these two as well . . . . . .

View attachment 46386


and after a quick dip in sun after a cloud . . . . BOOM! 218W!

View attachment 46390


And for those who noticed . . . . . ." how did you get 218W out of a 200W panel?????" - well spotted.

during testing i added in the 150W panel on the shed roof too (in parallel with a couple of MC4 branch connectors), giving 350W max . . . . but delivering 218W under these conditions.

BUT . . . the 15A going to the battery started heating up thge 10A fuse and holder next to the battery........

So ill upgrade that lead for a 40A capacity and fuse it down to 30A . . . . . but thats for another day.

Funnily enough Lee I was just thinking about 12v battery and solar panel setup for the shed!

 

[Dellmassive]

Funnily enough Lee I was just thinking about 12v battery and solar panel setup for the shed!

Mine powers 12v LED shed lights inside and 12v LED garden lights (love island style)

All switched and timed by 12v wifi SONOF devices and an APP on phone.




.

 

[Martin Gibson]

Solar panel: Photonic Universe 300w ( still to be fitted)
Solar controller: Victron 100/30
Dc-Dc charger: Ablemail 12 12 30
Mains hook up charger: Victron IP65 12/15
Leisure battery: Xtreme 110 Agm
Other: Votronic main battery trickle charger

 

[Lowlec]

YES Done it !!!!

i can now be in the 200W solar club (well mobile solar !!)

im just loving this weather . . .

So I've just got the new 200W mobile Lensun folding suitcase . . . (thats the 100w Renogy in the background)

View attachment 46388

which come with some strange Jank Epever MPPT conrtroller, which after a quick test i ditched.

swapping it out with a tried and tested Victron 75/15 . . . .

View attachment 46389

charging the New AGM Xtreme battery . . . .

View attachment 46387

running these two as well . . . . . .

View attachment 46386


and after a quick dip in sun after a cloud . . . . BOOM! 218W!

View attachment 46390


And for those who noticed . . . . . ." how did you get 218W out of a 200W panel?????" - well spotted.

during testing i added in the 150W panel on the shed roof too (in parallel with a couple of MC4 branch connectors), giving 350W max . . . . but delivering 218W under these conditions.

BUT . . . the 15A going to the battery started heating up thge 10A fuse and holder next to the battery........

So ill upgrade that lead for a 40A capacity and fuse it down to 30A . . . . . but thats for another day.

I’ve got 3 x 330w ground mount panels in my garden,my victron 250v mppt has pulled a maximum of 1345Watts out of them to date!....it’s all about the angle and orientation!

 

[Dellmassive]

More Power,

i put those extra 2x150w panels on the roof. . . . . . (im getting new Black flexible Lensun panels for the Van roof)





Stats for nerds:

Victron Venus web display running on Raspberry Pi:



And Victron VRM Portal data logging.

This morning:



and last 7days:



Defiantly caught the solar bug . . . . . . Grid-tie inverter next to harvest the wasted solar production after the battery bank is full.
.

 

[Lowlec]

More Power,

i put those extra 2x150w panels on the roof. . . . . . (im getting new Black flexible Lensun panels for the Van roof)


View attachment 46856


Stats for nerds:

Victron Venus web display running on Raspberry Pi:

View attachment 46857

And Victron VRM Portal data logging.

This morning:

View attachment 46858

and last 7days:

View attachment 46859

Defiantly caught the solar bug . . . . . . Grid-tie inverter next to harvest the wasted solar production after the battery bank is full.
.

I’ve got 3 solar sites on the VRM portal,and the 4th one will be my T6 when converted and I’ve added a Venus gx for monitoring & tracking of the van too.

 

[Dellmassive]

I’ve got 3 solar sites on the VRM portal,and the 4th one will be my T6 when converted and I’ve added a Venus gx for monitoring & tracking of the van too.

i used the Raspberry Pi running Venus gx software instead of the Venus gx hardware, it was much cheaper =]

 

[andys]

i used the Raspberry Pi running Venus gx software instead of the Venus gx hardware, it was much cheaper =]

Me too, also made my own cable as the Victron one is a rip-off

 

[Dellmassive]

Me too, also made my own cable as the Victron one is a rip-off

Yeh... saw a YT vid on that.... think getting the right JST pin sizes was the problem... currently running 2x victron cables.... but got some bits to try my own cables.

 

[andys]

Yeh... saw a YT vid on that.... think getting the right JST pin sizes was the problem... currently running 2x victron cables.... but got some bits to try my own cables.

Same video I saw. I got the right size connectors but they still needed tiny edges shaving off with a scalpel

 

[Martin Gibson]

Well thats the 300w panel fitted and tested with a drive up to Port Logan for some fishing. 250ish miles at 60ish mostly! Fishing was cack but the panel didnt move so all good. Still need to have a good clean up round the panel but im happy with it. Decided to use a double entry cable gland because the cables are really stiff and pretty much maufactured facing the wrong way. Cant really see it from the floor and when the roof rails and rear spoiler go on,i dont think it will be very visible. Thats the electrics done i think,next stop Exploria on the 12th August for lining,floor,headling,lights,webasto and rear quarter windows.

 

[Martin Gibson]

@Martin Gibson

Solar panel: Photonic Universe 300w
Solar controller: Victron 100/30
Dc-Dc charger: Ablemail 12 12 30
Mains hook up charger: Victron IP65 12/15
Leisure battery: Xtreme 110 Agm
Other: Votronic main battery trickle charger