Solar panel leisure battery charging

[Ginge@72]

Hi all,

Next spring we’re staying off grid for the first time. Could anyone suggest a solar panel system to charge our leisure battery while we’re staying for a 10 day break.
We currently have a 110ah battery and pretty new.

Many thanks

Chris

 

[RogerL]

You need to analyse your likely energy consumption - otherwise it's like asking how long is a piece of string.

 

[Mr Plodd]

The amount you get from a solar panel is totally dependent on how much sun%daylight they recieve so its an impossible question to answer.
My home solar can produce over 25K/wh of energy on a sunny summers day, but less than 1K/wh if there is I heavy cloud.
Ten days, if it isn't sunny, is a fairly long period to be off grid. Any heating controls, as well as lighting, radio and 12v TV (if you have one) all depend on the leisure battery.
Don't forget that a solar panel will only charge your leisure battery so you will be unable yo use any 230v item unless you also fit an inverter, using a 230v item via an inverter will drain your battery very quickly.
Lots to consider very carefully before committing to being off grid for that long IF its not sunny

 

[Mr Grumpy]

We started off-grid caravaning with a 100 watt suitcase solar panel connected directly to the battery.
Initial trips were around the 4 or 5 day mark. Later it progressed to a 3 week stay with no problems.
I've now added a 50 watt suitcase panel which stays connected in storage.
When on site I arrange the 50 watt panel facing East with the 100 watt facing West. Saves having to move the panel around to keep it getting maximum sunlight

 

[Ginge@72]

We started off-grid caravaning with a 100 watt suitcase solar panel connected directly to the battery.
Initial trips were around the 4 or 5 day mark. Later it progressed to a 3 week stay with no problems.
I've now added a 50 watt suitcase panel which stays connected in storage.
When on site I arrange the 50 watt panel facing East with the 100 watt facing West. Saves having to move the panel around to keep it getting maximum sunlight

Thanks for that info, sounds a great set up for us, the wife has just just informed me that we’re only off grid for the first 5 days before moving off to CL with EHU.
I’m going to give you’re system a try, we won’t be overloading too much with 12v TV etc.

Many thanks

 

[Mr Plodd]

Good luck, and do let us know how you get on.

 

[JSiggy]

When on holiday in the summer, my van lights gave the odd flicker when the water pump was switched at night. I left it for 3 days thinking it was probably an earth fault or similar and I'd sort it out when at home. Eventually I thought I would investigate on site. Found out that my Power Supply was dead (probably 3 days) and that we had been running everthing, including pumping the shower, off my 100 watt roof solar which I had fitted earlier in the year.