Too much solar?

[Robmac]

Site now says out of stock.

I'm not surprised Trev. Hopefully there will be more.

I'm still looking at the Eco-worthy batteries and this one now appeals to me at 280AH;

12V 280Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery| Deep Cycle & 15-Year Life

Secure long-term power with our 12V 280Ah LiFePO4 Battery, featuring a robust BMS – ideal for caravans and marine

uk.eco-worthy.com

It doesn't have an inbuilt heater though but does have an inbuilt BMS. I don't know enough about Lithiums to proceed yet so more research needed before I buy this and a suitable MPPT.

I'm also thinking 2 of their 175w Solar panels now.

 

[merl]

I'm not surprised Trev. Hopefully there will be more.

I'm still looking at the Eco-worthy batteries and this one now appeals to me at 280AH;

12V 280Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery| Deep Cycle & 15-Year Life

Secure long-term power with our 12V 280Ah LiFePO4 Battery, featuring a robust BMS – ideal for caravans and marine

uk.eco-worthy.com

It doesn't have an inbuilt heater though but does have an inbuilt BMS. I don't know enough about Lithiums to proceed yet so more research needed before I buy this and a suitable MPPT.

I'm also thinking 2 of their 175w Solar panels now.

12v 100ah Lifepo4 battery with Grade A cells

https://amzn.eu/d/0dIDWOGs

 

[Robmac]

12v 100ah Lifepo4 battery with Grade A cells

https://amzn.eu/d/0dIDWOGs

I saw those earlier Merl. If I was go for 3 though to get 300ah I reckon I'd be better going for 1 Eco-Worthy 280ah at £509. Ok not quite 300 but near enough and although I haven't done the maths looks to be cheaper per AH? I could be wrong there but not much in it.

What do you think about the heater issue - ie. the lack of one?

 

[exwindsurfer]

I saw those earlier Merl. If I was go for 3 though to get 300ah I reckon I'd be better going for 1 Eco-Worthy 280ah at £509. Ok not quite 300 but near enough and although I haven't done the maths looks to be cheaper per AH? I could be wrong there but not much in it.

What do you think about the heater issue - ie. the lack of one?

Rob I have had my Relions for over 5 years now and no heater on them never had a bother with them

 

[Robmac]

Rob I have had my Relions for over 5 years now and no heater on them never had a bother with them

Thanks Jeff, that's good to know.

Catchup with you over a beer at the Leicester meet mate.

 

[exwindsurfer]

Thanks Jeff, that's good to know.

Catchup with you over a beer at the Leicester meet mate.

Nee bother Rob

 

[Nabsim]

Site now says out of stock.

Here ya go Trev, 410W panel for under £62

https://www.cityplumbing.co.uk/c/product/renewables/solar-pv/solar-pv-panels/c/1870007/#close

 

[merl]

I saw those earlier Merl. If I was go for 3 though to get 300ah I reckon I'd be better going for 1 Eco-Worthy 280ah at £509. Ok not quite 300 but near enough and although I haven't done the maths looks to be cheaper per AH? I could be wrong there but not much in it.

What do you think about the heater issue - ie. the lack of one?

Personally I'm not worried, we're not winter campers so I'll just set my solar charger to let the batteries sit at about 1/2 charge over the colder weather. It's high currents at near full state of charge that's the issue with charging in cold conditions so I'll make sure I toggle my B2B off as well and I'll be covered.
The 280Ah Eco worthy is what I'd have probably gone with but my space is weird and having 2 or 3 separate 100Ah instead of 1 big lump gives me the option to Jenga them around for the best fit.
The Cheepie is fine BTW, Tested at 103 Ah and cut off fine at low voltage 10V. Delivered 80A continuous without issue. Next charge I'll push it to near 100 just to check but I expect it to be fine. Shouldn't be pushing it anywhere near that when it's paralleled up.

 

[Robmac]

Personally I'm not worried, we're not winter campers so I'll just set my solar charger to let the batteries sit at about 1/2 charge over the colder weather. It's high currents at near full state of charge that's the issue with charging in cold conditions so I'll make sure I toggle my B2B off as well and I'll be covered.
The 280Ah Eco worthy is what I'd have probably gone with but my space is weird and having 2 or 3 separate 100Ah instead of 1 big lump gives me the option to Jenga them around for the best fit.
The Cheepie is fine BTW, Tested at 103 Ah and cut off fine at low voltage 10V. Delivered 80A continuous without issue. Next charge I'll push it to near 100 just to check but I expect it to be fine. Shouldn't be pushing it anywhere near that when it's paralleled up.

Thanks Merl.

The other appeal of the 280 is less wiring for me. I do need to measure the space properly which I will do when I've cleared all of the 'stuff' out of the van on Monday when I fit my awning.

 

[Fisherman]

I saw those earlier Merl. If I was go for 3 though to get 300ah I reckon I'd be better going for 1 Eco-Worthy 280ah at £509. Ok not quite 300 but near enough and although I haven't done the maths looks to be cheaper per AH? I could be wrong there but not much in it.

What do you think about the heater issue - ie. the lack of one?

Mine has the heaters which is great for charging under 5c.
But if you have a victron solar controller either the 100/20 or better still the 100/30 and set it to lithium the default setting is it won’t charge below 5c.
You can turn this off if you have heaters.
But if your batteries and your charger are not close together I would add a victron temperature monitor which will send accurate temperature readings to the controller. They're about £30.
If you buy a Victron controller get one with blutooth Rob.

 

[Ched]

Here ya go Trev, 410W panel for under £62

https://www.cityplumbing.co.uk/c/product/renewables/solar-pv/solar-pv-panels/c/1870007/#close

Can you use 'domestic' solar panels on a motorhome/van are they up to the vibrations etc?

 

[trevskoda]

Here ya go Trev, 410W panel for under £62

https://www.cityplumbing.co.uk/c/product/renewables/solar-pv/solar-pv-panels/c/1870007/#close

Good but 30volts, most panels and control units are 19v max.
Thinking of doing a solar setup at home, should be able to run all house lights of a few panels and a good battery set up.

 

[merl]

Good but 30volts, most panels and control units are 19v max.
Thinking of doing a solar setup at home, should be able to run all house lights of a few panels and a good battery set up.

As long as your particular MPPT controller is OK with the 30V input (and I would have thought most will) then it'll be fine Trev. When I fitted solar to my first van I had two identical panels, I fitted a switch so that they could be wired in series or parallel because I wasn't sure which would work best, of course when in series there's about 40V on the input to the controller but it was happy enough.
Over 1.1m X 1.7m, that'll be an issue for many due to other obstructions on the roof.

 

[exwindsurfer]

Thanks Merl.

The other appeal of the 280 is less wiring for me. I do need to measure the space properly which I will do when I've cleared all of the 'stuff' out of the van on Monday when I fit my awning.

the problem with one large battery is you have all your eggs in one basket thats why i like my 4 x 100amp Relion if any thing goes tits up
.

 

[merl]

the problem with one large battery is you have all your eggs in one basket thats why i like my 4 x 100amp Relion if any thing goes tits up
.

Yes, like most things that get discussed here there's pros and cons. Another pro of using discreet batteries is less strain on the BMSs. At the moment Jeff's probably got 4X100A BMSs working in parallel and sharing the load so with say a 100A load each BMS idles at 1/4 power. A 400Ah battery would probably come with a single 200Ah BMS and would be running at 1/2 power under the same load, current surges are handled better too and voltage drop across the BMS would be better. (Lower)
4 times as many BMSs to fail though but theoretically less likely to fail because they have an easier life.
Nothing is black and white eh.

 

[Robmac]

Yes, like most things that get discussed here there's pros and cons. Another pro of using discreet batteries is less strain on the BMSs. At the moment Jeff's probably got 4X100A BMSs working in parallel and sharing the load so with say a 100A load each BMS idles at 1/4 power. A 400Ah battery would probably come with a single 200Ah BMS and would be running at 1/2 power under the same load, current surges are handled better too and voltage drop across the BMS would be better. (Lower)
4 times as many BMSs to fail though but theoretically less likely to fail because they have an easier life.
Nothing is black and white eh.

Pandas and Zebras Merl but not much else!

To be honest anything but basic electrics is beyond me and I usually get help for electrical installations. I do see your point though (and Jeff's) so maybe 3 x 100.

Much appreciated.

 

[Nabsim]

Can you use 'domestic' solar panels on a motorhome/van are they up to the vibrations etc?

I may be wrong but I think most panels fitted to vans are domestic panels. I know quite a few people who have been using them for a long time now

 

[1 Cup]

£500.00 @ 5 YEARS mite be the last battery you ever need to buy. Lovely. Had my lipo a year and only cycled 35 times ish. so now expected life 30 years
I'll have to put them in my will.

 

[barryd]

I'm not surprised Trev. Hopefully there will be more.

I'm still looking at the Eco-worthy batteries and this one now appeals to me at 280AH;

12V 280Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery| Deep Cycle & 15-Year Life

Secure long-term power with our 12V 280Ah LiFePO4 Battery, featuring a robust BMS – ideal for caravans and marine

uk.eco-worthy.com

It doesn't have an inbuilt heater though but does have an inbuilt BMS. I don't know enough about Lithiums to proceed yet so more research needed before I buy this and a suitable MPPT.

I'm also thinking 2 of their 175w Solar panels now.

That looks good Rob. Question for the battery tech experts. If I just bought one of those and replaced my 110ah lead acid battery with it (Assuming it fits in the battery locker) without replacing anything else on the van what would be the result?

Its a 2015 Swift with a Sargent system. Not sure which one without looking. I only have a single panel for now though. I think its 120w and the controller would need changing to an MPPT. I am thinking down the line though not right away.

 

[Robmac]

That looks good Rob. Question for the battery tech experts. If I just bought one of those and replaced my 110ah lead acid battery with it (Assuming it fits in the battery locker) without replacing anything else on the van what would be the result?

Its a 2015 Swift with a Sargent system. Not sure which one without looking. I only have a single panel for now though. I think its 120w and the controller would need changing to an MPPT. I am thinking down the line though not right away.

It's got a built in BMS Barry but I think you would need an appropriate MPPT, maybe a Victron?

Somebody clevererer than me will come along before too long (if such a person exists)