Using motorhome solar for home consumption??

[Alshymer]

Hi
I have a small solar system in the garden which offsets a little of the power I use in the home.
When the van is just standing, is it possible to connect the panels into the home system?
If so, which would be the best way to do it?
Thanks

 

[trevskoda]

You will require a 3 way 230v breaker switch at home fuse box, then a inverter to step up van 12v to 230v ac, and a set of heavey cables from van to house.

 

[Alshymer]

I apologise but I seem to have asked this question already but any new ideas are welcome.
Thanks for Trevskoda reply.

 

[molly 2]

Anyone tried solar panel and power station works in a van ,?wht not a house , you would need a gateway to connect to mains lik a petrol generator, if it was simple you could run your central heating in a power cut ????,,
, Disclaimer, I'm no Sparky

 

[Alshymer]

???

 

[maingate]

Have you got a shed?

Run 12 volt lighting while you DIY.

That would be simple to set up.

 

[trevskoda]

Anyone tried solar panel and power station works in a van ,?wht not a house , you would need a gateway to connect to mains lik a petrol generator, if it was simple you could run your central heating in a power cut ????,,
, Disclaimer, I'm no Sparky

I have a 2 way switch and input socket at home so if power outage my genny will power c heating lights pc and fridge.

 

[trevskoda]

Have you got a shed?

Run 12 volt lighting while you DIY.

That would be simple to set up.

Not much use when folk in the house have no heating or lights.

 

[Boris7]

Hi
I have a small solar system in the garden which offsets a little of the power I use in the home.
When the van is just standing, is it possible to connect the panels into the home system?
If so, which would be the best way to do it?
Thanks

Waste of time and effort tbh, the amount of solar you’ll harvest isn’t worth the effort.

 

[Boris7]

Bit surprised Trev didn’t just say that in the first place TBH, you must be getting old mate

 

[wildebus]

Can be rather complicated to bring into a house system.
What you could consider maybe is if you have a shed/garage etc, or garden, illuminate them using LEDs powered by an surplus/retired battery.
Then recharge that battery with your motorhome solar when surplus, and when not surplus (wintertime?),re charge that battery with a mains charger.

I don't know how cost-effective this would be TBH, unless you have all the kit kicking around already.

 

[number14]

Notwithstanding the poor yield from the van solar by the time it has been inverted to 240vac, you can't combine 2 separate sources of AC just by joining the wires together like DC. You have to synchronise the phases else all sorts of strange things could happen to the electrics in your home.

 

[trevskoda]

Notwithstanding the poor yield from the van solar by the time it has been inverted to 240vac, you can't combine 2 separate sources of AC just by joining the wires together like DC. You have to synchronise the phases else all sorts of strange things could happen to the electrics in your home.

No need once the isolator is switched over so mains and van not connected.

 

[merl]

Hi
I have a small solar system in the garden which offsets a little of the power I use in the home.
When the van is just standing, is it possible to connect the panels into the home system?
If so, which would be the best way to do it?
Thanks

I have a small solar system in the garden which offsets a little of the power I use in the home.

How exactly do you do this? And is the small system actually linked into the domestic system? If so how?
How large is the 'small' system?
How large is your van system?
I have a system that's ready to go where I can power the house from my van (batteries and inverter) under a power cut situation to keep the lights on, internet, telly, ch pump, fridge etc. But it won't power white goods. Safest way of doing this is a changeover switch a la Trev, the secondary input to the switch would be wired with a 15A plug and you'd use your EHU lead plugged into the van inverter to supply power to the changeover switch but to use it for regular power saving you'd be switching over pretty regularly.
To truly supplement the mains supply on a seamless basis you have to use what's known as a Grid Tied Inverter, these will take power from solar panels or batteries and simply add it to the incoming mains.

 

[trevskoda]

My setup has a caravan plug female then a switch, the wires go direct to the fuse box input, its just a cut in meter to to fuse box qith a third wire to caravan connector, when the electric engineers were out fitting a replacement meter i bunged him £20 to rig it up, took him all of ten mins.

 

[merl]

My setup has a caravan plug female then a switch, the wires go direct to the fuse box input, its just a cut in meter to to fuse box qith a third wire to caravan connector, when the electric engineers were out fitting a replacement meter i bunged him £20 to rig it up, took him all of ten mins.

Mines similar Trev

 

[Alshymer]

How exactly do you do this? And is the small system actually linked into the domestic system? If so how?
How large is the 'small' system?
How large is your van system?
I have a system that's ready to go where I can power the house from my van (batteries and inverter) under a power cut situation to keep the lights on, internet, telly, ch pump, fridge etc. But it won't power white goods. Safest way of doing this is a changeover switch a la Trev, the secondary input to the switch would be wired with a 15A plug and you'd use your EHU lead plugged into the van inverter to supply power to the changeover switch but to use it for regular power saving you'd be switching over pretty regularly.
To truly supplement the mains supply on a seamless basis you have to use what's known as a Grid Tied Inverter, these will take power from solar panels or batteries and simply add it to the incoming mains.

The solar panels are just plugged into the mains so that the incoming solar power is used as and when it is available.
The inverter is grid tied.
The house system is 420w and the van 220w.

 

[trevskoda]

The solar panels are just plugged into the mains so that the incoming solar power is used as and when it is available.
The inverter is grid tied.
The house system is 420w and the van 220w.

How can you plug 12v panels into 230v mains, there has to be a inverter. then you may be out of phaze.

 

[merl]

How can you plug 12v panels into 230v mains, there has to be a inverter. then you may be out of phaze.

Ahhh, the joys of conversing with the inexperienced about electrical issues .
Obviously he's not ACTUALLY plugging the panels into the mains Trev, rather plugging them into a grid tied Inverter that's then connected to the mains.

 

[merl]

The solar panels are just plugged into the mains so that the incoming solar power is used as and when it is available.
The inverter is grid tied.
The house system is 420w and the van 220w.

If what you say is correct and you already have a grid tied Inverter installed then you'll possibly be able to link the solar panels together, that'll depend on the voltage of the house panels being the same/ closely similar to those on your van. You need to check the panel voltages and also the maximum power of the GT inverter before proceeding any further.