Solar assisted power stations + Spain

[CrewOVtwo]

Further learnt wisdom required regarding the possible purchase of an 800w power station with 200 or maybe 400w solar panels.

The information I'm hoping for is it's suitability in a nice sunny climate, as we are hoping to spend a few months on such a pitch several times over the next few years - when we last did this kind of thing caravan sites didn't charge separately for electricity but, I believe they do nowadays - hence we are considering buying one.

My experience in power stations and staying away for long periods is nil, so other than knowing that they may possibly be useless in the UK, we are ignorant of it's potential.

 

[Mel]

Hi. I know nothing of the technicalities of setting up a solar panel or what you will need; but what I do know is that they can be effective in the UK for keeping your leisure battery topped up when off grid, so not at all useless. Someone will correct me, but as I understand it, they don’t contribute to electricity usage, when you are on hook up.
Mel

 

[CrewOVtwo]

Thank you Mel.

The scenario I'm thinking (dreaming of) but haven't got a clue about, is I arrive at Sancho's campsite and I'm asked to pay £700 for a month or two on his wonderful site, but he says the electric we use will be charged via a meter - I think this is what happens, but I'm not certain - and then I can pull up on site and use my power station to supply power for the majority of our electrical needs, and hence keep the electric bill to a minimum, although I realise we might not be able to get away without ehu at all times.

 

[GUMPY]

800w will not run a kettle, microwave or toaster. Only really useful for charging stuff which should already be on 12v.
I would get a couple of freestanding solar panels, MPPT controller, a decent sized inverter (1600w) and a LifePo4 battery fitted in the van.
That should run all the 230v items in the van but still only one at a time.

I did this but only 1100w inverter and got through most of this last UK summer without EHU.

 

[CrewOVtwo]

800w will not run a kettle, microwave or toaster. Only really useful for charging stuff which should already be on 12v.
I would get a couple of freestanding solar panels, MPPT controller, a decent sized inverter (1600w) and a LifePo4 battery fitted in the van.
That should run all the 230v items in the van but still only one at a time.

I did this but only 1100w inverter and got through most of this last UK summer without EHU.

Many thanks Gumpy - would a 1200w machine do the job? - it's the next power rating up from the company I'm looking at (Afiery).

 

[GUMPY]

Many thanks Gumpy - would a 1200w machine do the job? - it's the next power rating up from the company I'm looking at (Afiery).

It would run a low power kettle or a low power toaster but not at the same time.
Look at the wattage figure on an item if it's less than 1200 then it's good to go.

 

[Buckman]

I would think that two 400w solar panels would really eat into the already small available payload! Hopefully you are also aware that you can only stay in Spain (EU) for up to 90 days in any 180 day period

 

[Mr Plodd]

Solar panels such as you are looking at only charge the 12v battery so you would need a pretty hefty solar array, along with an inverter, to provide you with 230v for even a short period of time. I would suggest to speak to an expert in the field as I feel you have somewhat unrealistic expectations of what's (reasonably) do-able!

 

[CrewOVtwo]

Once again, thank you.
A little knowledge can be dangerous, and I have slightly less knowledge than that!

 

[JTQ]

Late to this party I know, but having recently purchased a "Power station" and been playing with it I am able to contribute.

The first point to make is the OP has misunderstood an important aspect about these things.
Their basic rating typically refers to the energy holding capacity, not power, so in that example it should have been 800 Wh [Watt hour], not W[ Watts]. The former is the "amount" it holds the latter the rate at which it can deliver.

Ours is the EcoFlo Delta 2, this has a bit more capacity than the OP's question related, being specified at 1024Wh, with a continuous mains output, again specified at 1800W, but able to peak above this.

I charge it with a 200 Watt solar panel. I invested in a more modern higher efficiency one, but not the expensive EcoFlo offering.

As standalone test I have so far run our van's charger, I have boiled a 1100W kettle, recharged our electric eBike, run TV and charged a Dell Latitude laptop.

So to answer the OP's question, yes in principle these are able to gather solar energy and effectively use that for powering mains kit, just you need to ensure the specifications of what it can do and those you want it to power match.

I have to say how really impressed I am with this technology, at least with the interpretation EcoFlo made of it in the one we purchased.
I feel smugly pleased to be riding using nothing other than sunshine to drive the power assist and return and making a coffee again boiling with solar power. Its destined to quite significantly change our off grid camping, the hair dryer can come with us.

Edit: the maths would suggest boiling the 1100W kettle if it took 5 minutes to boil would have taken 92Wh of the 1024Wh available.
If the panel was outputting 150W, then that 92Wh would be replaced in under 40 minutes. Much the time I spend relaxing with the coffee post the ride.

 

[ProfJohnL]

...

Edit: the maths would suggest boiling the 1100W kettle if it took 5 minutes to boil would have taken 92Wh of the 1024Wh available.
If the panel was outputting 150W, then that 92Wh would be replaced in under 40 minutes. Much the time I spend relaxing with the coffee post the ride.

Or you could save that 92Wh, by opening a bottle of wine or beer instead.

 

[JTQ]

Or you could save that 92Wh, by opening a bottle of wine or beer instead.

Not "free" like the 92 Wh with all that's satisfaction, plus afterwards I would find finding the motivation to doing the evening meal etc even more a challenge.
Rest assured I still find the time for the beer or the occasional glass of wine, probably way too often when out camping.

 

[Buckman]

Not "free" like the 92 Wh with all that's satisfaction, plus afterwards I would find finding the motivation to doing the evening meal etc even more a challenge.
Rest assured I still find the time for the beer or the occasional glass of wine, probably way too often when out camping.

How much did it cost you to achieve the 92wh so not really free?

 

[JTQ]

How much did it cost you to achieve the 92wh so not really free?

Why I carefully placed that word 'free' in double quotation marks, being very aware to capture and store energy via solar had cost me an investment in the kit to achieve that facility.

The energy itself was truly free, as has been the several 1000Wh, 'units', I have already gathered, as so will be the hundreds of 'units' I ought to gather, even over just the 5 year warrantied life of the kit.

I am not seeking to "save" more than our investment, its made to facilitate enjoying our hobby, hobbies I have found rarely make money, quite the opposite.

 

[Buckman]

Why I carefully placed that word 'free' in double quotation marks, being very aware to capture and store energy via solar had cost me an investment in the kit to achieve that facility.

The energy itself was truly free, as has been the several 1000Wh, 'units', I have already gathered, as so will be the hundreds of 'units' I ought to gather, even over just the 5 year warrantied life of the kit.

I am not seeking to "save" more than our investment, its made to facilitate enjoying our hobby, hobbies I have found rarely make money, quite the opposite.

Owning a caravan certainly does not make money even with solar panels. It is the opposite and a money pit, but we all love using our money pit.