5 watt Solar Trickle

Lord Lucan

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Thinking of getting 2 - 5watt trickle solar panels... 1 for the van starter battery and 1 for the 2 leisure batteries.. any thoughts.. anyone tried this setup?

Reason:

I linked a large good battery to an old lower rated battery and I think they are both kaputt... although after a 20min drive both show 12.8volts.

Now looking for 2 same size, new 110amp batteries.
 
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I have been told that if you link a good battery with a bad one the bad one will drain and nacker the good one,also 5watts would give a very slow charge indeed, cheers shawbags
 
shawbags said:
I have been told that if you link a good battery with a bad one the bad one will drain and nacker the good one,also 5watts would give a very slow charge indeed, cheers shawbags
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. 5W is really very low, especially if you van is a more modern machine registered within say the last 10yrs. There is quite alot of natural engine battery drain (not including any items such as car alarms etc).
It is also vital that battery condition is good especially when battery banking, but may I suggest you buy 1 x large battery (say 220AH) instead of 2 x 110. This reduces the reduction of power asociated with battery banking and less risk on colapse, i.e as Shawbags mentioned, 1 x faulty battery can destroy a complete bank. Also power delivery is in and out of one source, ideal if using inverters of high capacity.

Rgs

Nick
 
5W is nothing.

If you think about what energy you might use say TV and lighting/pumpsfans for even just 1 hour at 100 Watts total - it's going to take 100/5 = 20 hours of full sunlight to get that back so it may take a few days!

The only thing 5W would be useful for is keeping your batteries topped up for long periods eg lay up and inactivity when you are not using anything.

A decent useful solar panel size to consider would be 70-100 watts.
 
5 watt solar panels might be OK in summer when you have long days. They will be no good at this time of year.

The absolute minimum I would go for is 8 watts. I have one for the engine battery and it works well. In winter, it will be struggling to keep up with battery drain if you have an alarm etc. If your van is laid up, you will have to site it to get maximum daylight. Is that possible? I cannot use mine in winter as it barely gets an direct sunlight on my drive and I have internal screens, so I cannot put it in the windscreen.

A charge off the mains every couple of weeks would be alright. Better still, drive the van now and again.
 
Hi My system charges two 85 amp leisure batteries, and the cab battery through a battery master, 60 odd pounds from van bitz, but cak tanks do a similar cheaper one for about £28.
I have used this installation since February this year.Two weeks in France with no troubles whatsoever. To be honest this time of year I haven't tried longer than a week end, but always loads of charge left when we are ready to come home

John.
 
5 watt is 0k to keep a battery in storage in summer but you would have to keep an eye on it in winter.It would be of no use if you had any sort of load on it.

Richard
 
I have used a 5w panel plugged in to the cigar lighter on my VW T4. It just about keeps pace with the alarm drain in summer but it's not really worth buying. Better get a larger unit.
As previously stated it is not good to link a good battery to a poor one.
 
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Solar trickle ?

Dont bother piddling about with a couple of small solar panels,as how much do they both cost ? unless of course your budget is small and you only want them for 'trickle charge' .
I too,have a 100w with regulator ,which charges two 110's and the starter battery,automatically,summer or winter ,no probs.Dont use mains...
If you dont use alot of 12v electric,then perhaps you could cut the 100 w down by half,and add to it at a later date if needed ? but get the regulator that is big enough to cover 'over' 100w.
 
They are a waste of time. Get a bigger one and a split charge regulator. Some solar regulators on the market have 2 battery outputs.
 
Solar

Yup rubbish, had one took it back. Remember 5 watts is the Max that this will put out in direct sunshine, cloudy or indirect your prob looking at 1 watt.
 
Solar Solutions

Due to being in Spain I was considering a Solar Panel, but it looks Like a generator for now and a solar panel next year. I chatted to a guy from Solar Solutions (solarsolutionsltd.co.uk) and he was very helpful. Depending where you live they are doing a free fitting service on solar panels and all the extras that go with it. However, when you start talking 80/90 watt panels with a battery master you are now talking the best part of £400 to £500. Thats why I'm going for the Honda generator first as the solar panel isn't much good over the winter.

Regards Poco Loco
 
5 watt solar

:cool:
nip over to France find any Leroy Merlin store pursue solar they have (in Dunkerk at least and also in Calais-always both beside Auchan, a range of panels on tripod sort of like artist's easels 45 watt was I think circa v300 euro but there are various wattages at various prices. I have a 80 w on my old hymer it has croc clips so can link it to any battery (all my batteries are nearby each other and so easily acessible. One runs a waeco compressor fridge-box super fridge too -it monitors the battery state so I can manage run fridge almost all day in Summer when it is needed most ( most heat usually means most light-sunlight-so even if runs down by nightfall to its sensor cut off point, fridge stays quite cold and waits for batterry to get charging again. I also have a 80 watt on my Kanghopo "Roo" its really been surperf;lous as roo USES VERY LITTLE ELECTRICITY AND CHARGES STARTER AND LEISURE EXTREMELY WELL ON THE HOOF. I intend to emplace THIS ONE on my (new to me) Vito maybe add another or Leroy Merlin portable keep all up but also U have charge when motoring and yes I have a Genny also when needed.....well have if and when I can remember who the guy is in ROI who I lent it to and then tried to lauinder my fon and...well he may be somewhere in my e's but...anyway I expect he will call me sometime - read this Peter?
point is U that , based on my experiencfe of near full time wilding over past few years one really need something of at least 60 watt 80 is much better -a good rule of themb is match the battery at least!
Last thought: do make sure u have a battery meter would't' be without one for anything......
 
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