CARAVAN SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION GUIDE.
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- YOU CAN DO THIS Caravan Solar Panel Installation guide. We fit a solar panel to a caravan rv or motorhome and show you how to fit a solar panel to your caravan or motorhome.
Our full solar panel installation guide will show you how to wire solar panels to you caravan, rv or motorhome and how to test a solar panel.
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Great video guys. I fitted a solar panel to my van mainly for keeping the battery charged in storage. Good quality solar panel kits can be had for a reasonable price these days and definitely worth fitting imo👍🏼
I think they make off grid camping a lot easier too. Thanks Alex 👍
Good video Mark. Good to watch for tips as im now about to do the same installation on my caravan, albeit with a different make of solar panel.
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg 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.
Great video and very helpful. Thanks
Thanks Mike 👍
I'm thinking of having a solar panel on my roof but don't fancy drilling a hole in the roof so next best thing is running the wires inside the offside awning channel,I know you will see a bit of wire coming off the roof but I think I'll live with that lol my m8 did the same thing and he did a neat job to be fair.
As long as you go over the top with sealant you should be fine.
Great video, looks pretty simple, apart from the fear of drilling the roof. Would there be a need to secure the panel with screws too or is it normal just too use the sikaflex bond?
The sikaflex is very good, as long as the roof is clean and dry it will hold without any screws.
@@thecaravanplace Wow really? This comment made me consider this option rather than drilling holes which I was afraid I would have to do for the rigid panels. Thanks for sharing! I do hope it will hold.
Great Video will try this
I bought a couple of those controllers recently and found what appears to be a major flaw. They seem to let current flow back to the panel and drain the battery overnight. I've put diodes in to prevent this (about 45p each) and not heard back of any problems. Both installs were very low usage; one for LED lights and electric fence at some stables and the other for battery maintenance on a seldom used vehicle. If I was doing a caravan or similar I would definitely go for mppt rather than pwm.
I'd also make the hole in the roof bigger and use a blind grommet.
Thanks 👍
@@thecaravanplace
I spoke to the owners of the stables a couple of days ago and they said everything is fine now so it seems to have solved the problem.
Did you leave the original car charger and 240v ac chargers in place and do they play nicely with the solar controller???
Yes, you don't need to change anything. 👍
I'm thinking of putting a solar panel on the roof to charge the eco flow delta 2.
Great idea 👍
Are solar panels any use in the colder winter months ?
A bit but not as effective 👍
Flourescent tubes really show interference to the video content. Thanks for all the info 🙏
Yes they are a pain.
You didn’t show how to connect it to the battery? I know it sounds simple enough but that’s quite a major part of installing solar panels..
I wish to fit a solar panel on my van.
Can you send me a link for the kit you installed please Mark.
Regards
Simon
Hi Simon, The kit we purchased is not available at the moment but this is similar but only 100w: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334509260745?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=hhcnr4R9Q7-&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=gsaSJsTxTaa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
@@thecaravanplace Thanks very much. I will let you know how it goes. Can't do it untill it warms up though.
Will the sealant hold it in place even on the motorway? It doesn’t need screwing down or anything?
Your preference, manufacturers don't use any, but it's upto you.
So would this run everything in the caravan like the shower without mains electric?
Yes as long as its sunny it will keep the leisure battery charged to run everything on the 12v side.
🤣🤣 no
If U have the roof space why couldn't U put 2 or 3 panels
Interesting thanks ! I thought about a panel but in the winter the c'van is stored against the lee of the house and it's so gloomy there, it wouldn't really work ☹️
But still trickle charging any battery will help maintain it
Can I add a solar panel if the caravan has a built in charger too when it’s plugged in
Yes no problem 👍
Hi mark. How much would you charge to fit a solar panel that size to my caravan
Hi Mark, if you send us an email with caravan make model and year and I can get a price for you. Thecaravanplace@aol.com
Is there any way of knowing where the manufacturers wiring is on the ceiling on a caravan
Not that I know to unfortunately, the only thing u can try is a electric detector used in houses, but still not a sure fire way.
I know sikaflex is good stuff but it needs a mechanical fixing as well (don't think it will grip well to a smooth shiny surface). I hope aim not behind it on the M6 when it lets go and goes through someone's windscreen
Thanks Steve, as long as its the 521 and the surface has been cleaned correctly, then it shouldn't need anything else. But it can be better to be over protected, it would just need to make sure the screws were very well sealed in as they will cause leaks, which is why they aren't normally used.
What was the actual size of the fuse you used?
I will have to check as cant remember off hand, it should tell you on the controller paperwork, 30amp comes to mind but will have to check.
ok guys. A good fit but, there are a couple of issues I can see.
1. The charge controller is not a good one. You should have fitted a Victron 75/15 as it is a true mppt controller. Costs a bit more but, it will squeeze out more from the solar panel than the one you fitted, Tbh, that solar charger is ghastly. I have used the one you have, and promptly chucked it into the bin. Also the Victron ones are blue tooth complaint as well so you can get a remote reading of the condition of your battery, which is a nice touch i would say, especially if its in storage and your far away from the van. 🙂 Oh, and that reminds me. I hope you connected the battery first then set the type of battery and THEN, connected the solar panel??? it wasn't clear in your video.
2. I would have mounted the solar mppt controller down under the bunk as, side ways on you cannot see the display on that one very well, or, attached it to the wall so your looking straight at it.
Good vid tho especially drilling a hole in the roof. Always scares me that.
Just my pennies worth.
Cheers.
🍻
Thanks for your comments 👍. Yes the Victon is very good but added about £100 onto the bill so was out of budget unfortunately.
@@thecaravanplace Fair enough. Shame really but I get it. Keep up the good work fella. 👍👍
i am surprised the solar panel manufacturers do not put any insulation over the individual red/black cables, surely some protection is required to save damage from sunlight etc, personally as an electrician myself i would not leave them cables without an extra sleeve, although to be fair most motor movers are the same. probably cheaper.
They are normally double insulated for protection, the same as domestic solar cable.
It’s going to be hard to read the charge controller because it’s side on should be facing straight out !
Yes they are a bit easier when forward facing, it's not that often you are looking at it though so just depends on what's best for you. Thanks Rab 👍
👍🏿
Have you seen greg virgoe's UA-cam channel?? I 've learned a lot about off grid living from his chanel
You say you should push the panel down after applying Sikaflex, this, I think is incorrect Sikaflex recommend a certain thickness of adhesive to get a proper bond, the data sheet will give this, it can be achieved using some tile spacers of the right thickness.
Good idea 👍
Why wouldn't you simply have used a semi-flexible solar panel?
They are a good idea 👍
@@thecaravanplace Thanks for answer. I've got a head in order to my flexible.Solar panels now but I'll use this video as a guide. Lots of great information here!
Thanks for sharing
Put some screws in otherwise you’ll be leaving it on the motorway somewhere! Read the off grid groups for the sorry tales of those who relied on Sikaflex alone!
Thanks Steve, I think if the correct 521 is used and the surface is cleaned correctly you shouldn't have any issues, but if you want to fit screws too, just make sure they are well sealed in. Thanks for your comments 👍
You didn’t actually show how to connect to the battery
Panel only secured with adhesive???? Wow. With movement, sun, vibration and a few years that adhesive is likely to fail over time. In a few years your panel will come flying off the roof and land on the vehicle behind you when you're traveling. Very dangerous. Could kill someone. Bad video mate, you should take it off.
Shocked. That has to be the worst install I have ever seen. Sorry
No problem, luckily we never got shocked so not too bad.
Its not a "bat-TREE" or "bat-TRAY"
Say "ba-TTerY "