Beginners guide to Campervan Solar Panels | Which one is right for you?

Рет қаралды 118,998

2 жыл бұрын

Today we have a James Withams from Rayne Automotive, to explain what a Solar panel is, how it works, why you should consider fitting one, and when is the best time to consider one.
Beginners guide to campervan solar panels, and which one is right for you?
Buy Leisure electric components and looms at www.combevalleycampers.co.uk
Speak with James at www.rayneautomotive.co.uk
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Due to factors beyond the control of Combe Valley Campers Ltd, we cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. Combe Valley Campers Ltd assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Combe Valley Campers Ltd recommends safe practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Combe Valley Campers Ltd, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Combe Valley Campers.

Пікірлер: 59

@racheledwinaphelan6732 2 жыл бұрын

mate no need for music i am listening to this guy

@clenilma100 11 ай бұрын

This panel can put out close to 100 watts kzfaq.infoUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.

@stonkeng 2 жыл бұрын

I have 2 x 130 watt panels in parallel, a CTEK MPPT (maximum power point tracking) controller and a 100 Ah AGM battery on my self built T6. It ran my fridge last summer in Scotland for 8 weeks no problem. Hardly any driving, so not much charge from the engine. Well explained video, keep up the good work.

@snappyfish 2 жыл бұрын

Link to your kit?

@stonkeng 2 жыл бұрын

@@SpecialSalads Its a Dometic 50 Ltr. fridge.

@vanlifenomad Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this its answered my T4 build issue

@ttblade 6 ай бұрын

I've been deliberating whether solar panels are worth the effort and expense on my van. My conclusion so far is that they might work in cooler climates in the UK etc but when I'm in southern Europe I generally seek as much shade as possible. Instead I've bought a Bluetti power station and portable solar panel so I can park in the shade and place the panel in the sun. I can also charge it while on the move through my van's 12v auxiliary socket. It's horses for courses I suppose.

@TransitCustomCamper 2 жыл бұрын

Good video and break down of the solar options. I installed a CTEK to give the option of solar in the future - good info on this one again 👍

@davidburns5988 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for an excellent solar tutorial. Everything one needs to know.

@DonaldTrumpton 2 жыл бұрын

I had a single 100 watt panel that managed to keep the leisure battery topped up through the winter on my Motorhome. This year I doubled the panel both wired in series and the difference is astonishing with the setup keeping both the Batteries fully charged, no longer ant need for plugging in now. The Campervan has 265 watts cells and an mppt controller, that will run the fridge and lights etc with no hook up.

@JohnCranberry23 10 ай бұрын

I was watching the video to get this type of answer. I assumed the panels would fully charge your battery faster than you can use up the electricity. You can also get a bugger storage unit installed? To hold more electricity I mean. Also, wondering about hail storms?

@MaSa-pt7uj 10 ай бұрын

Ciao ho letto il tuo commento :potresti dirmi la marca e il modello dei tuoi pannelli solari e del tuo mppt? grazie

@tobyclough3870 8 ай бұрын

How many leasure batteries can i have at one time? I just want lights, maybe an electric heater on every now and then plus a small 16watt tv

@timogronroos4642 12 күн бұрын

Also the height of the vehicle might be critical. With a flexible or a semi-flexible panel you may be able to stay under 2 m and be able to use underground parking. BTW semi-flexible panel is shown in the video, which is more rare and expensive type of solar panel, but much better than cheap flexible ones.

@michaelk7539 Жыл бұрын

Very informative and helpful also in simple terms to understand.

@jonjolliffe7757 2 жыл бұрын

Still deciding on my solar panel size as i will want to run a fridge and a microwave oven occasionally. i am also looking at fixing a flexible panel to composite board with air holes drilled and making a low profile frame to support it above the roof to keep it well ventilated.

@ThinkScalextric 3 ай бұрын

Super helpful, thank you, great channel

@jabbadal1507 9 ай бұрын

Very helpful. Thank you.

@robertcrofts2108 Жыл бұрын

I've got that basic controller in my ldv maxus leaned alot about the controller will be looking into the mppt victron controller

@resrudeboy Жыл бұрын

Great explination, but what about cabling and how its connected up?

@MrPants1970 2 жыл бұрын

The aluminium panel you were showing, please can you tell me the make and model? I need to replace my panel and it looks exact like that and pretty much the same size.

@FieryToast1 Жыл бұрын

I can't find the forms they mentioned for the power audit on the website. Can anyone help me out?

@Mambafpv Жыл бұрын

Omg i just received my 4way stretch it came from you guys 🤩 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 you just appeared on my feed 😄

@thegamergamingguy Жыл бұрын

does anybody know what model the black stealth low profile frameless mat panel is?

@RedBatteryHead 2 жыл бұрын

Are those flat thin panels better in flat mounted generation or is it just the same as every other design? Cause normally a panel is angled to the sun. So without a pop top you won't be able to. And that wattages mentioned are, I expect the max all WP, angled to the best sun position, right? So let's say a 320WP calculated isn't even that being mounted flat I think?

@mrstevenmac 2 жыл бұрын

Do you think you will do a video showing how to install a solar setup?

@markbruce-om7ue 11 ай бұрын

Wanting to put solar panels into my caravan. Can I wire the panels into battery charger from the grey plug?

@clungebucket23 Жыл бұрын

But.... How does the output connect to the battery?... Directly? Or via the main control panel? Do all control panels have the option to take in solar top-up?

@daniellee5413 Жыл бұрын

What's the difference in cost of the panels please?

@vet3shaw 2 жыл бұрын

I want to do this. :) Will a car wash mess up your solar panels?

@littleboatcaptain6962 Жыл бұрын

What about the bigger charger 🤔

@RICHLES01 2 ай бұрын

Watched someone do a test on the cheap vs the more expensive. Very little wattage difference being put back into the battery..negligible difference

@MaSa-pt7uj 10 ай бұрын

Buongiorno a tutti chiedo alla platea: quale tra le aziende VICTRON - CTEK sia di miglior resa e qualita' indicando una breve motivazione ?anticipatamente grazie per l aiuto?

@Ytnzy250 6 ай бұрын

Do solar panels have to be attached to your vans roof? Can it be unfolded out of a box placed on the floor to charge for a few hours then unplug to put back in a box inside your van? Just curious 😁 👍

@uniwerksdesign 2 жыл бұрын

Like.

@8leg.studio 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks guys. Can I ask if it’s better to connect my fridge to the load on the solar controller or directly to the battery? If so/ not why? Thanks very much.

@CombeValleyCampers 2 жыл бұрын

From the battery for sure. As you can fuse, and manage the power feed from the battery more conveniently and in a safer manner than directly from the solar management

@Maxrom 2 жыл бұрын

I actually had my Waeco fridge running from the load output on my Epever Tracer 20A MPPT unit. It handled it no problem with other light 12v loads, and by doing it this way, depending on your solar management unit, it will account for the power usage of the fridge. Wiring direct to the battery will not allow it to be managed by the MPPT unit, nor will the MPPT unit accurately show the total load on the 12v system. Either option can work, but for me, I wanted everything on the output from the solar management unit for these reasons. I could also isolate the whole 12v system using the MPPT box, or set it on a timer to only power up during certain hours of the day. Again, depending on your MPPT unit, some will shut off the 12v load if the battery voltage gets low, protecting your leisure batteries easily without additional hardware specifically for the fridge or anything else wired directly to the battery.

@lecsu131 Жыл бұрын

@@CombeValleyCampers That's some pretty bad advice. You want all your loads on the load output of the charge controller to take as much power as possible from the panels directly when in sun and from the battery only when no sun present. You can put fuses anywhere on any wire of any device - that's no reason to connect to battery directly. That load output rom the MPPT should go to a fuse box where you connect everything you need.

@andycooper136 3 ай бұрын

As I have a split change relay in place and a site hook up, does adding solar into that system create any issues or does the controller step down the voltage based on what the other charge elements are doing?

@CombeValleyCampers 3 ай бұрын

The mppt controller does regulate voltage to safely charge the battery alongside the 240v and split charge

@johnobrien7134 4 ай бұрын

why not put the better solar panel output onto the aluminum frame to lessen the heat therefore loss ? best of both worlds??

@Deepthought-42 9 ай бұрын

2:53 I’m a beginner, what does PWM and MPPT stand for?

@CombeValleyCampers 9 ай бұрын

A PWM (pulse width modulation) controller can be thought of as an (electronic) switch between the solar panels and the battery: The switch is ON when the charger mode is in bulk charge mode. The switch is “flicked” ON and OFF as needed (pulse width modulated) to hold the battery voltage at the absorption voltage. MPPT or Maximum Power Point Tracking is algorithm that included in charge controllers used for extracting maximum available power from PV module under certain conditions. The voltage at which PV module can produce maximum power is called maximum power point (or peak power voltage).

@giutubospatubo1546 Жыл бұрын

YOU DID NOT COVER VOLTAGE

@nige99 Жыл бұрын

Why did you say you need to travel to charge up your battery with a alternator...it works by engine turning not the wheels just run it for 20 mins full battery !

@chrisferrario1540 9 ай бұрын

Am I the only one thinking…THIS IS NOT FOR BEGINNERS!?

@user-wc3zs2vm4r 11 күн бұрын

So much snow is in the background 😢 Annoying music And a bad microphone 😢 So hard to listen

@CombeValleyCampers 7 күн бұрын

We get this a lot, and I apologise. This was an early video of ours and we have learnt a lot since! The mic was on the camera, not a lapel, and you can see by our most recent videos things have improved!

@DavesGuitarPlanet 3 ай бұрын

The "music" is truly hideous. Why don't videographers ask someone who knows something about music if they (obviously), don't.

@milcotto4153 2 жыл бұрын

This video is actually not saying more than a salesman would say...and that is not much.

@clfehr08 2 жыл бұрын

Does say beginners guide, so maybe that’s what should be expected.

@CombeValleyCampers 2 жыл бұрын

A beginners guide is all it is. To HELP AND TEACH, for free

@PCongeries 2 жыл бұрын

Can you ask this Einstein to translate all this knowledge written in manual book to simple language that rest of the people on the world using please? This is 2nd video and I'm disappointed.Simple question -simple answer ..this is not bunker with full of scientists Albert so pls simplify this university for mass :D

@kennyenergy1 2 жыл бұрын

If you don't understand any of this then you should pay an expert to do this for you. This video explains things quite basically.

@PCongeries 2 жыл бұрын

@@kennyenergy1 Commercial bla bla bla

@DizzySaxman Жыл бұрын

Not sure they have the time or crayons mate 👍😅