Am I alone - Solar Panels

[phillybarbour]

I wild camp a lot and don't have solar panels, am I alone?

The reason I don't use solar is I have never needed one, and I must have a generator as skiing is my thing and a generator is essential in those conditions. I use a Honda i20 which is quiet (relative) and super reliable and efficient. Van has two quality Varta 90ah batteries which in summer weather seem to last for days and days without charge. In the summer I move around a little hence have never needed solar. Given that the Generator can be moved van to van at no cost and I rarely use the generator in the summer months I have never fitted solar.

Do I use little power? Does everyone else go power mad? Or is that the Varta's are very good?

I have never worked out why I don't need one if everyone else seems to.

 

[Sindbad]

I agree solar panels dont work well when they are covered with snow, and are more difficuilt to transfer between vehicles, but they are much quieter and cheaper than generators and alternators. I'm not clear about what a generator is essential for, that can not be powered by other fuels?

I camp all year around without a generator or hook-up. I can switch my fridge off when its really cold outside. If the weather is dull, and my domestics need charging, I'm more likely to drive to somewhere else. Very rarely do I run the engine just for the alternator.

 

[Deleted member 9849]

We all have different power requirements,obviously you don't need solar power and have a back up generator anyway,which is fine providing they are used discreetly and at no annoyance to neighbours.

I have 2 solar panels as I obviously use more power than you and I like to have electrical independence and not rely on a hook up,especially with the cost of them nowadays.Having said that in winter I also need some form of back up as the solar is fairly ineffectual,I always go for a hook up in winter and the rest of the year I am self sufficient.

Another reason for solar panels is when the van is in storage with no ehu,it will keep both vehicle and leisure batteries charged up.

 

[phillybarbour]

Steve, I never considered storage as I have mine at home on EHU, I can see the point of that.

 

[phillybarbour]

Sinbad, nothing kills a battery like low temperature, ie -20 at night -5 in the day. Short days, long nights, big shadows from mountains means I need the generator to keep batteries topped up. Run it everyday from end of skiing till about 8pm.

When skiing everyone is inside the van, windows closed and you really can't hear it in those conditions. It's not like summer use where everyone is outside.

 

[Haaamster]

I'm also a skier and would never go without my genny but I do leave my leisure batteries too long wthout a charge when at home so eventually I will get solar panels.

 

[Haaamster]

I agree solar panels dont work well when they are covered with snow, and are more difficuilt to transfer between vehicles, but they are much quieter and cheaper than generators and alternators. I'm not clear about what a generator is essential for, that can not be powered by other fuels?

I camp all year around without a generator or hook-up. I can switch my fridge off when its really cold outside. If the weather is dull, and my domestics need charging, I'm more likely to drive to somewhere else. Very rarely do I run the engine just for the alternator.

Alternater blew up on a ski trip in Germany, without a genny I would gave been stranded. Fiat garage wanted 600 euro for a new alternator.

 

[2cv]

I think that the need for solar panels is related to how efficient the equipment in a van is, as well of course to how it s used. I rarely park up for more than 4 days, run fridge on gas and have led lighting and a blower heater which uses very little power. My tv also is very low power use. I find that my main power draw is recharging tablets and phones, but never exhaust my 110 ah lb so have no need for solar or a generator even when out in winter down to -15.
If I had a compressor fridge or inefficient heater, no doubt a solar panel would be needed.

 

[Sindbad]

Sinbad, nothing kills a battery like low temperature, ie -20 at night -5 in the day. Short days, long nights, big shadows from mountains means I need the generator to keep batteries topped up. Run it everyday from end of skiing till about 8pm.

When skiing everyone is inside the van, windows closed and you really can't hear it in those conditions. It's not like summer use where everyone is outside.

Hi, It sounds like you are in a cold sink such as Chamonix, which as you will know, traps katabatic winds to create climate extremes. I think I saw your van when I was last there. Was it that bus shaped igloo in le parking du Grépon ?

My system would fail miserably in those conditions. My level of insulation, and my heater power is designed for warmer climes, no colder than a UK winter. My batteries would be OK however as they are insulated against the outside temperature, and snuggled up near to my heater. A generator is a wise back-up there: deep snow will absorb the noise, and as you say, there's no-one loitering outside to be bothered by it anyway.

Now that we know what “those conditions” are, I would have to re-build my van from scratch, with twice as much insulation, and something like a pot bellied stove for starters. I would also look for a site with minimal mountain shadow because I would retain my solar panels, with an arrangement for clearing the snow off. I think my electrical consumption would be about the same though. It would be combustible fuels that would take the hit.

For me it would be more cost effective to rent a room.

 

[Sky]

I always managed without solar and I full timed for four years. The alternator gave me all I needed - the secret being to keep moving.

I had three 120Ah leisure batteries and found they were more than enough to run phone, tablet and laptop.

However, I didn't need things like a hair drier or straighteners and I only ever used the TV occasionally.

I had a 3KW genny for emergencies, but only used it a handful of times.

Some people just can't let go of all the luxuries of home, but I'm not one of them.

 

[badgerdid]

Everything in my van runs off 12v, compressor fridge led lights etc etc and i love having the solar fitted as its just fit and forget. Solar is now cheap, i have a 120w solar panel and a tracer controller and total was £160 new, so not bad for piece of mind.

 

[barryd]

Everything in my van runs off 12v, compressor fridge led lights etc etc and i love having the solar fitted as its just fit and forget. Solar is now cheap, i have a 120w solar panel and a tracer controller and total was £160 new, so not bad for piece of mind.

I agree. We never had it for the first few years of having the motorhome but out van was quite frugal with power and we lasted ok but after a while we started to want to stay longer in places and not have to think about charging the battery or being frugal with power usage. Best thing I ever did was install Solar. It wasnt expensive either. We found on our next long trip we moved on less, relaxed more about power and after a while especially in mid summer in Europe I realised I could pretty much run laptops, TV's, lights and water etc as much as I liked. The panel created more power than I knew what to do with.

The first year we had it we did about a third less miles over several months but that could also be down to us finding we enjoyed staying in places longer.

In the winter though I prefer to find hookup with the odd night wilding in between. I can see why gennies will be very useful for skiers though and I assume they are the norm but they are a PIA on aires in summer and totally unnecessary.

 

[maxi77]

I wild camp a lot and don't have solar panels, am I alone?

The reason I don't use solar is I have never needed one, and I must have a generator as skiing is my thing and a generator is essential in those conditions. I use a Honda i20 which is quiet (relative) and super reliable and efficient. Van has two quality Varta 90ah batteries which in summer weather seem to last for days and days without charge. In the summer I move around a little hence have never needed solar. Given that the Generator can be moved van to van at no cost and I rarely use the generator in the summer months I have never fitted solar.

Do I use little power? Does everyone else go power mad? Or is that the Varta's are very good?

I have never worked out why I don't need one if everyone else seems to.

Just happy proof we are all different, and exactly why it is so impossible to answer those who ask what kit they need. What I think is essential to some one else is a unnecessary thing completely. We should celebrate our individuality rather than pillory those who are different.

 

[1 Cup]

My 100 watt flat roof pannel has Just woken up in May from it's hibnation for winter 21volts@5Amps.
Generator & Batteries are best them other :wave:8 months
For the next 4 months will recieve more than we need.

Can / will charge others up if in need of a bit of lecy !

 

[Obanboy666]

I could manage no problem with my 70 watt panel and all led lighting but sadly I am a tv addict and the Sky box running from an inverter uses over 3 amps, add on the Truma heating, Sergent unit, tracker etc etc and I use over 4 amps an hour.
Even with 210 amps of battery doesn't last long in the winter if parked up for a couple of days. Always carry my EU20i genny to top the batteries up when and if required.

 

[Canalsman]

The one thing that is always overlooked is the cost of replacing leisure batteries.

They are not cheap items, and although I don't have figures to substantiate it, I would be confident of doubling the life expectancy of the batteries by virtue of keeping them topped up continuously with solar panels.