Solar panels for camping

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It's a huge panel (physically), I mounted my panel (668mm wide) beside the air con plant on the roof of our van, because it would have been too squeezy to mount it beside the main roof hatch (large heki hatch).

This panel is 142mm wider and a fraction longer. I'd have to mount it at the rear of the van (plenty of space there) but that's a long way from where the solar wires come out to the roof.

The good thing about the chosen panel is that it's monocrystalline - so it'll be quite shade-tolerant. I'd be happy with that! Don't be surprised if it delivers 15A or so. When they measure the panel's output, they do it on a direct short. You don't do that in normal operation!

With a heavy diode in series as Mal says, and a bit of cable length, that voltage will drop rather nicely.
 
That sounds like an very easy solution to the problem guys.
Thanks so much for all your advice.
 
Grab one of these from jaycar
http://m.jaycar.com.au/m_productView.asp?ID=ZR1324
Yes it's a bridge but easy to connect, just put positive from panel on one of the AC ~ terminals and positive of the bridge to positive, as for jaycar guy not knowing well that's nothing new, the open circuit voltage has no load so even though it's higher once you put some load on it'll drop
 
ok i ended up purchasing this panel http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/261430649476?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649 Now its maximum open circuit voltage is rated at 22.23v, i spoke to a guy at Jaycar about using a diode to drop the voltage & he had no idea. Any idea guys on what spec diode to get....or will a few extra meters of wiring coiled up cause enough voltage drop??

Dam that's cheap!!!!

Top buy at that price!

Payed $560 for my 160watt a year-and-a-half ago.:-(

Now I can see why you guys were raving on about them. Bugga.

Cheers
Geoff

GOT A V6 PETROL, BUT I LIKE TO CUSTOMISE!
 
Ill let you know how it performs mate...

is it a bad idea to plug an 12v to 240v inverter Into the outside plug of a camper to use an inside power point when no 240 is available?
The reason I ask is I want to run a small tv for a couple of hours in the camper to help the kids wind down before bed & if I can avoid running an extension cord from my inverter into the camper it also avoid anyone tripping over the cord.
 
Let me get this straight: you're going to place a battery somewhere under the camper, with an inverter connected to it, and feed the output of the inverter to the camper's 240V input?

There's NO problem with that in my opinion, as long as your power points have safety plugs in them (there won't be any RCD in there) and you remember to leave the microwave alone! To be sure, you'd have to turn off the HWS, house battery charger and the microwave. Once you've done that, there's nothing wrong with what you're thinking of doing.
 
Yeah thats it...The battery pack will b in the annex with a small fridge running off it & then connected to my solar panel.
We dont have anything that draws much juice as its jst a simple camper.
I do have a 15amp lead with the 10amp plug at one end I can use, but ive heard theyre illegal??
 
A mate of mine has offered me a 235w one from a home project that he no longer needs. Does anyone know if it's possible to use with a 12v system? I'm gathering/hoping yes with a decent regulator?
 
A mate of mine has offered me a 235w one from a home project that he no longer needs. Does anyone know if it's possible to use with a 12v system? I'm gathering/hoping yes with a decent regulator?

um possibly not send to me I could have a use for it depending on the price :) ,,,,,,, just kidding anything is possible if the price is right grab it and go from there.
 
I got this controller for two of these panels..i just use it to trickle charge some batterys..$30 for the controller. uploadfromtaptalk1397114856994.jpg
 
^this looks ok. I just rang a 12v shop who quoted me around $200 for a mppt regulator! :O

that's about right. my cuz is selling as a kit for $650 at the moment.

kit includes 1 240watt solar panel, regulator out put of 60-90 amp and alligator clips to connect to your battery. the good thing about this is you can add more solar panels if you wish.
 

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