100w Solar Panel

[Devonlad]

I have 2 x 100amp batteries and thinking of getting a 100w solar panel, now I know not an easy question,
but how much advantage will I gain? Thinking of going away later in the year to S/France, Spain, what could be run
with this set up?

Cheers

 

[bobowas007]

I have 2 x 100amp batteries and thinking of getting a 100w solar panel, now I know not an easy question,
but how much advantage will I gain? Thinking of going away later in the year to S/France, Spain, what could be run
with this set up?

Cheers

bobowas007.
I have 2x110amp batteries and 160w solarn n panel and this is O/K in France Spain and UK.

 

[cooljules]

bobowas007.
I have 2x110amp batteries and 160w solarn n panel and this is O/K in France Spain and UK.

is it really enough? i thought you would need like 400w or more (but then i know naff all and just looking into it). all i would need is a bit of tv for a hour, for the news, and def for each F1 weekend, which is 3 hours.....4 max.

i would like to be able to not need hookup for a week.

i had imagined fitting the whole roof of solar panels but at the price they are, i thought about rigging up a exercise bike to the 12v battery lol

 

[maingate]

I can virtually last through the UK summer with a 90 watt panel (and occasional help from a small wind turbine). It depends on how much power you normally consume.

A 100 watt panel should recharge the batteries at about 6 to 7 amps/hour in good conditions. If you opt for the more expensive MPPT regulator, they are more efficient (96 to 98%) and will give you more charge than a standard regulator.

A 15.6" TV consumes around 3 amps/hr, a digibox nearly as much. I sometimes use my 10" backup TV if the batteries are low (around 1.5 amps/hr). A laptop is the biggest drain on leisure batteries and you should try to charge it up while travelling so that it runs off its own battery as much as possible.

Fit LED lights as they use about 1/8th of the power of a Halogen bulb. You only need to change the ones you mostly use.

Try not to discharge your leisure batteries by more than 50%. This means you should only use about 80 amps total per day. 100 Ah batteries are really about 85 to 90 Ah in reality. If you are sensible, you should manage easily off hookup.


I hope that helps.

 

[Devonlad]

Thanks Maingate, most interesting reply.

Devonlad