# Solar question



## ellisboy (Mar 25, 2012)

Hello! I've just ordered a 100 watt panel for my van.There's room on the roof to fit another the same,which I will be buying later.There are 2@ 125amp/hr batts fitted under the drivers seat.My question is: what size solar charger do I need?  Also running a 90 litre compresser fridge,
Advice please :cheers: Stephen.


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## Techno100 (Mar 25, 2012)

Best you'd ever see is 12 amps (with 2 panels)but its always better to go bigger on the regulator and there's no harm in using a higher rating one especially if the price is right. I would go for a 20amp but a 30 will probably cost next to nothing more


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## Techno100 (Mar 25, 2012)

the ultimate for 200watts, using this myself
eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace


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## ellisboy (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks Techno! Looks good, did you pay full price or make an offer? And what about import duty? :cheers: Stephen.


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## Techno100 (Mar 25, 2012)

They will do everything possible to minimise the risk of import duty.
Yes make an offer they'll give you a counter offer.
Delivery on all three I purchased individually was less than 10 working days, 8 seems to be the norm
I bought the earlier versions which had a couple of niggles but they've since sent me new upgraded internals for all three for the price of postage only
so their after sales service is exemplary


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## barryd (Mar 25, 2012)

Techno

is this device a regulator?  Im looking at getting panels in the next few weeks. I know you have advised me before so sorry if I am repeating myself.  Is it just this controller and the panels you need? 

I think I have guy that can fit it local to me, I just need to remind myself what I need.  I might just go for a single 100w though so is this overkill?  What I do want though is something that shows how many amps is going in on a LCD display


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## Techno100 (Mar 25, 2012)

Yes its the best bang for buck MPPT regulator that works 
No it's not overkill and it will produce more charge than PWM regulators in like for like situations
It will accept 24volt panels too


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## solarman (Mar 25, 2012)

Techno100 said:


> They will do everything possible to minimise the risk of import duty.
> Yes make an offer they'll give you a counter offer.
> Delivery on all three I purchased individually was less than 10 working days, 8 seems to be the norm
> I bought the earlier versions which had a couple of niggles but they've since sent me new upgraded internals for all three for the price of postage only
> so their after sales service is exemplary



Nice bit of kit,Techno.


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## Billy Ruffian (Mar 26, 2012)

What do you connect to the 'load' ?


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## Techno100 (Mar 26, 2012)

You can either ignore it or make use of it. I feed my tv signal amplifier off it as it is local. Yes it is live when the Sun goes in too


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## Billy Ruffian (Mar 26, 2012)

Thanks Techno


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## Hawkmoon (Mar 26, 2012)

Hi Techno,

A couple of questions if thats ok and if you feel you can comment.

How good  a price is the regulator, is it worth paying a bit more to source it from the uk or is it a lot more expensive here?

I see a standard 1 year warranty is offered - is that a return to supplier or an international type warranty?

How reliable should this type of kit be - would you expect these regulators to last a good few years or do they fail on a regular basis?

Thanks

Pete

ps Keep up the good work - your posts are most informative!


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## Techno100 (Mar 26, 2012)

Not available here, if it were I imagine it would be nearer £200
Normally you would return faulty items but they realise it is much dearer for us to send it back than it was for them to post it here.
With my upgraded internals they only charged postage because they accepted it was not cost effective for me to return the old guts so realistically they're out of pocket as I only paid £27 for complete upgrades for all three regs.
As for failure? I dont know of one yet but there are at least 4 of us on here that are using one.

EDIT my upgrades were not due to failure by the way  rather an annoying error code in the winter months reporting under voltage that they never envisaged as they are in the land of the rising sun lol.
The upgrade model is much better as it allows the use of 24 volt panels as well


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## Hawkmoon (Mar 26, 2012)

Techno100 said:


> Not available here, if it were I imagine it would be nearer £200
> Normally you would return faulty items but they realise it is much dearer for us to send it back than it was for them to post it here.
> With my upgraded internals they only charged postage because they accepted it was not cost effective for me to return the old guts so realistically they're out of pocket as I only paid £27 for complete upgrades for all three regs.
> As for failure? I dont know of one yet but there are at least 4 of us on here that are using one.
> ...



Thanks Techno - I see on the ebay advert that there are two different models - one for 12v & another for 24v with heat sink. Do you mean that the 24v one will also do 12v ?
Pete


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## Techno100 (Mar 26, 2012)

The 24 volt one is for 24volt batteries
The 12 volt one accepts up to 33volts input i.e. 24 volt panels


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## Hawkmoon (Mar 26, 2012)

Techno100 said:


> The 24 volt one is for 24volt batteries
> The 12 volt one accepts up to 33volts input i.e. 24 volt panels



Thanks Techno, I have put in an offer for one


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## Hawkmoon (Mar 27, 2012)

Techno, regulator on its way to me - thanks for the info regarding it.

Any recommendations on the best place to buy a 100W panel from and the target price?

Thanks

Pete


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## Neckender (Mar 28, 2012)

I also have one of these regulators, and it's a brill piece of kit, I brought my 2- 80watt panels of these people on Ebay and very good to deal with.

www.lensunhk.com


John.


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## Techno100 (Mar 28, 2012)

Hi Pete
I've not bought any panels for a while and have never bought 100watters as they are considerably dearer than 80's 
I've found it easier to fit 2x80 dimension wise.
My own van due to space restrictions has 2x30 1x60 and 1x80


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## ellisboy (Mar 28, 2012)

I've just bought a 100 watt from the German man (toolsdirekt)  £149 + postage,hasn't arrived yet.


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## Techno100 (Mar 28, 2012)

Normally good panels fair price but I've been unlucky with the Geeste seller having received one wrong item and 2 broken deliveries. It all gets sorted but its all the wasted time inolved


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## Hawkmoon (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks for the advice chaps, I'll have a look at either a 100w or 2 x 80 w options.
Pete


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## shortcircuit (Mar 28, 2012)

Took delivery of a 90w panel yesterday from Toolsdirect and am well satisfied considering price has now increased by about 15%.  Now in the process of manufacturing brackets for roof mounting.  I am also fitting a Ctek D250S charger unit which will charge the leisure battery more effectively and has an input for the solar panel.  Only regret in this approach, which is probable a good idea, is that I will not get obsessed with constantly checking to see how many amps I am getting.  I suppose I could fit an ammeter in line but I will make do with checking the voltage with a multimeter.

With present weather I could have earned a fortune if connected into grid?


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## ellisboy (Mar 28, 2012)

How much did you offer Hawkmoon ? :wave:


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## Techno100 (Mar 28, 2012)

2 toolsdirekt 80's that survived parcel force
Now residing in York


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## shortcircuit (Mar 28, 2012)

Great photo Techo, gives me loads of answers.  Will now make 4 brackets instead of 6.  Are your brackets "T" shaped?  Intended to make an "L" out of aluminium.  Can I ask what sizes yours are and is there a screw holding them down as I intended just Sikaflex?


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## Techno100 (Mar 28, 2012)

It's all here shortcut
http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums...15039-make-your-own-solar-panel-brackets.html


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## shortcircuit (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks very much.  Up the crack of dawn tomorrow and on with it


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## Techno100 (Mar 28, 2012)

shortcircuit said:


> Thanks very much.  Up the crack of dawn tomorrow and on with it



Dont miss the part 2 link


http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums...nstalling-panels-part-ii-roof.html#post144014

TIP! take a bucket on the roof for your tools and a bin liner for the used kitchen roll, you'll use loads


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## Hawkmoon (Mar 29, 2012)

ellisboy said:


> How much did you offer Hawkmoon ? :wave:



I thought I would be a bit cheeky & offered £60 or £65 they came back with an offer of £77 so they had just knocked off £5 :-(

So ordered it at £77.


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## Hawkmoon (Mar 29, 2012)

Just wondering what happens to all the power generated if the battery doesn't require it i.e. if you are on ehu?

Maybe only 1 panel is sufficient as my new van hasn't the space for an additional battery in the compartment and would trying to pump to higher current into the battery have a detrimental effect on it?


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## Techno100 (Mar 29, 2012)

The purpose of the regulator is to ensure the battery gets no more than is good for it. Dont be a worrying lol


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## ellisboy (Mar 30, 2012)

My 100 watter arrived today from Toolsdirect,it's fully intacted but I'd like to check it works before leaving feedback.I have a spare battery in the garage, but no controller yet.Is it possible to test the panel ? What else will I need to test before fitting on the van roof, :cheers: Stephen.


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## ellisboy (Mar 30, 2012)

Thanks *****! I'll try tomorrow :wave:


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## AndyC (Mar 30, 2012)

***** said:


> Just put a small  12 v  light bulb across the terminals, that will tell you if it is working, but not the amount.
> Fitted my 90 watter from Toolsdirekt  this week and working fine. My previous 90 watter from them also worked OK


Think I'd use a 24v bulb or be careful to shade the panel. '12v' panels can produce over 20v, which might pop a 12v bulb...

AndyC


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## Techno100 (Mar 30, 2012)

If its not broke it'l be fine. If you dont have one already get a Maplin basic multi meter often on offer at around £6.99 an essential tool for your kit
Open circuit voltage in daylight will be up to 23 volts from your panel


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## ellisboy (Apr 1, 2012)

Checked it today with my neighbours meter,said 20 volts so working ok, :cheers: techno


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## Hawkmoon (Apr 5, 2012)

Got home this afternoon from taking the bike for an MOT & there on the carpet was the card saying that they had tried to deliver a parcel & it would need to be collected from the local Post Office!  

As I still had my jacket on I thought I would see if the Post Office had received it yet so jumped back on the bike into town.  They had the parcel waiting there for me and on production of the card & some id let me have a slightly battered & dented parcel from China.  

At home, I eagerly unwrapped the parcel to reveal my new, Techno recommended, solar regulator :cool1:

80 Watt solar panel, recommended by vwalan, is on order - expected next Wednesday so that just leaves the anciliarly items to source & purchase.  Open to suggestions on adhesive/ cable size (c.s.a.)/d.c. isolator/ cable roof entry and anything else that I might have missed :rolleyes2:

Cheers

Pete


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## winks (Apr 5, 2012)

What a cracking thread.

I've got hold of a 120w panel and I've just ordered the cable gland eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace in the past half hour.

Now I'll take a look at the links Techno:bow: has posted before I get involved in asking a load of questions.

Happy Easter

Winks


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## Techno100 (Apr 5, 2012)

Clearly you're proficient with ebay! good price, 
I'm off to France tomorrow and on to Spain for 3 weeks all told but most likely have internet most days.


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## Techno100 (Apr 5, 2012)

Grand reserva me thinks lol I've earnt it! not been out proper for 3 months :wacko:


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## ellisboy (Apr 5, 2012)

Bon voyage Techno! :wave:


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## Hawkmoon (Apr 5, 2012)

Have a great trip Techno:wave:


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## David Kirton (May 9, 2012)

*panel*



ellisboy said:


> Hello! I've just ordered a 100 watt panel for my van.There's room on the roof to fit another the same,which I will be buying later.There are 2@ 125amp/hr batts fitted under the drivers seat.My question is: what size solar charger do I need?  Also running a 90 litre compresser fridge,
> Advice please :cheers: Stephen.



hi where did you order your panel from pleae, seen a few on e bay 80w for £110.

         Cheers   DK


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## ellisboy (May 10, 2012)

Hello David,I bought my panel from Toolsdirekt on eBay. They are in Germany so no import duty.I think he's lowered the price now,paid £130 for my 100 watt,regards Stephen.:banana:


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