Solar panel size guesses?

Thanks. Don't worry I already broached David (Wildebus). Told me to feck off!! :ROFLMAO: My reputation proceeds me! I would have brought my guitar, a van full of beer, the lot!! :D

Joking aside I mentioned to Michelle that I want a decent set up for power regardless of how the current system performs which I suspect wont be very well. I said budget £800-£1500 and she didnt flinch. :D That was just finger in the air guestimates. Maybe less I dunno. I just want everything in this van done properly by the best people. Armitage (best scooter racks), Autogas 2000 (best for LPG). Solar and batteries? not sure.

I dont think we will need much. 200w of battery power and 200w of solar I think with a decent controller. Maybe Lithium but the recent thread on that just filled me with dread.
 
barryd said:
Thanks. Don't worry I already broached David (Wildebus). Told me to feck off!! :ROFLMAO: My reputation proceeds me! I would have brought my guitar, a van full of beer, the lot!! :D

Joking aside I mentioned to Michelle that I want a decent set up for power regardless of how the current system performs which I suspect wont be very well. I said budget £800-£1500 and she didnt flinch. :D That was just finger in the air guestimates. Maybe less I dunno. I just want everything in this van done properly by the best people. Armitage (best scooter racks), Autogas 2000 (best for LPG). Solar and batteries? not sure.

I dont think we will need much. 200w of battery power and 200w of solar I think with a decent controller. Maybe Lithium but the recent thread on that just filled me with dread.
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If you have the space put the +400W panel(s) on and be done. Price of them at present its not worth doing any other
 
Nabsim said:
If you have the space put the +400W panel(s) on and be done. Price of them at present its not worth doing any other
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I would agree with that logic but the problem might be space. I still reckon that panel is bigger than the old one but I think it would have to come off to fit a 400w on there as its occupying the largest section of flat space. It could be that we have to have two or three. Can't say I like the idea of taking a panel off the roof. Well I say "I". I won't be doing any of it. :D

 
You need proper measurements but I would probably remove the one on there now and fit biggest I could there.Not having measurements and only my eyes it looks like the existing one may fit behind the rear skylight.

All guesswork without measuring though as tv antenna may be in the way
 
Nabsim said:
If you have the space put the +400W panel(s) on and be done. Price of them at present its not worth doing any other
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Panels are cheap as chips I bought a 240 ecoworthy kit for £195, sold the cheap controller for £30 and bought a further two victron 45w panels for the rear for £100 I decided to upgrade from the Victron 100/20 to the 100/30 controller and I have managed to harvest a maximum of 360w. It won’t make much difference in the summer but in winter it will make a difference when solar is low.

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For our style of motorhoming I don't think we need to go over the top. I'm really not interested in off gridding in winter. We tend to do long summer trips and go looking for CL sites with hookup come mid to late September anyway. When we start touring Europe again after a bit of a break we probably will be driving more so there is that but I do want to get it right. Payload shouldnt be a problem. Just what will I get for my budget £800-£1500 if someone else is fitting it but more importantly who? Batteries might be an issue. I reckon that battery compartment was originally for either two 85ah or possibly 2 x 100ahs. I emailed a solar company in Geordie land a few weeks back. Never heard anything. 😵‍💫
 
barryd said:
I would agree with that logic but the problem might be space. I still reckon that panel is bigger than the old one but I think it would have to come off to fit a 400w on there as its occupying the largest section of flat space. It could be that we have to have two or three. Can't say I like the idea of taking a panel off the roof. Well I say "I". I won't be doing any of it. :D

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Get rid of that TV twig and you could have a good set up, but how much do you REALLY need, it all adds weight high up and wind resistance.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I was meaning mine, but I think the video one is the same.

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This is what I googled from Swift. They describe it as a high line but I am not sure if they mean the shape of the one in your video or mine with the massive Luton cab. I dont trust their figures either. This was one of the issues before I actually got to measure one. According to the PDF its 238cm wide or 7ft 10" in old money. That is why I always assumed like the Bailey 760SE that we eventually discounted (and that one is wider) that this one wouldnt fit on the drive either. It does though as its only 217cm wide not 238 as it says in that PDF so I would take with a pinch of salt that its 2.82 metres high. Unless these are the measurements for the one in the video and it is actually wider and taller that variation.

 
I don't trust any of the quoted figure for a used van as things can change easily in used land.

I laid a piece of wood on the roof and measured to the ground, added anything that stood above the roof and added 25mm to that, it came out at 2.9m
 
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