I pick up this van tomorrow, and this is my first motorhome.
We plan to use a mixture of caravan parks and off-grid sites whilst on the road, so want a level of independence. Would I be better installing Solar on the roof, carrying portable solar panels or carrying a genset?
Thanks in advance
Jaahn said
01:50 PM Jun 12, 2020
Hi jrk
You might get a variety of answers but here is mine.
Your best charger is the engine itself so check that is hooked up in a manner which works well. If you drive regularly that might be all you need. Not sure how big the house battery is so check that too. Then check your expected usage as some people are frugal and others need much more
The easiest solar is on the roof. Fit and forget. There is a good size roof to get plenty there. But if you use portable panels you can get more power out of less panels by moving them a couple of time a day. But you need to store them travelling and put them out. Probably a security cable is a good idea for some places too. They have some advantages and disadvantages Use a MPPT regulator but ensure it is not a fake type.
A generator is a item for discussion here. Some swear by them, some swear at them. Read the other posts and wonder Personally I get along without a gennie, even tho I have one. No place to put it anyway. I use the engine and solar on the roof, have converted to mostly 12V items and we are frugal so have no problems.
Brouse the posts in the Techies Corner and the Solar Power subforum at the top of it also, for ideas on what others do and question asked.
Jaahn
Stevejaz said
09:34 PM Jun 13, 2020
We have something very similar and the built in battery charger is very low power. About 5amps. Have just upgraded. Now have something useful with the generator. Problem before was though the generator gave us power while it was running, including auto switching the fridge from gas to mains, it did nothing to charge the storage battery. I suggest that if you buy a generator you also upgrade the battery charger. The one in it is fine to keep the battery charged while on mains power at a caravan park, but that's about all. Bottom line is that if you are happy to mostly stay at caravan parks on powered sites you should be fine with the odd night unpowered, especially if you intend doing a fair bit of driving. As to the rooftop vs portable solar, we have both. The van had 2x60 or 80 watt panels when we got it. Not sure which, a PWM regulator and a pair of 120 amp hour batteries. Even with that, we would generally run low on power. We added a 200watt folding portable panel which helps a lot. Limitation is you have to be stopped to use it. Biggest limitation of Solar overall though is rainy overcast weather. Nothing will work in that. A MPPT regulator may help a bit but not much. We are currently traveling in SA due to Corona restrictions and just upgraded our chargers as a result. See my post on that.
My answer to your question: Rooftop solar, portable solar or generator would be All Three! Only you can decide the order of priority, mainly as a cost consideration, but also as to your most likely usage but possibly a smallish generator and a large battery charger might be the most cost effective. One of the main advantages here is you can charge your batteries when it suits you (and those around you). Lunch stops are good. Also a decent size folding solar panel is a pretty good investment. Fit or have fitted an Anderson plug (or similar). I wouldn't bother too much with a rooftop installation till you can go pretty big with a good MPPT controller.
One of the first things you need to check on is the size and if possible age of your house batteries. They should be under the rear facing dining seat.
Radar said
07:36 AM Jun 14, 2020
jrk36 wrote:
I pick up this van tomorrow, and this is my first motorhome.
We plan to use a mixture of caravan parks and off-grid sites whilst on the road, so want a level of independence. Would I be better installing Solar on the roof, carrying portable solar panels or carrying a genset?
Thanks in advance
Hi, my advice is first, look at the motorhome, take a stock of what you have, batteries sizes are, house and vehicle battery, learn what the vehicle alternator is actually charging. Next learn what is running off what batteries and try to obtain how many amps you may need for a 24 hour period.
Next, before laying out money go away in the motorhome find out it's limitation. You maybe pleasantly surprised that it may just work as it is or be a major refurb of your electrical system.
In our case the second hand caravan was very reliant on 240volt power source but I knew that on purchase, next we fitted to the roof 2x 170 watt solar panels, added a second battery now 2x 100's amp batteries. In 4 years of touring the 12 volt system has been great, totally fixed and more or less forgotten.
Doing another small project needed to remove the expensive battery charger and it now lives on a shelve in the shed, I am that confidence we do not need a battery charger.
The gen set was left at home after the first year of non use. Now sold on.
Biggest thing is learn about what you have and learn how far you can go on your tours.
Happy motoring.
PeterInSa said
09:40 AM Jun 18, 2020
My take on the subject:
Solar on the roof minimum 300watt and 1x120 Amp Deep Cycle battery if a 3 way Frig in the motorhome, 500watt Solar and 2x120 amp batteries if a Compressor Frig fitted (more/less solar depending on the size of the compressor Frig.
If travelling in Summer and have a roof top air con, a 2.2 Honda Generator, if you want to free camp (away from others) in hot weather.
I pick up this van tomorrow, and this is my first motorhome.
We plan to use a mixture of caravan parks and off-grid sites whilst on the road, so want a level of independence. Would I be better installing Solar on the roof, carrying portable solar panels or carrying a genset?
Thanks in advance
Hi jrk
You might get a variety of answers but here is mine.
Your best charger is the engine itself so check that is hooked up in a manner which works well. If you drive regularly that might be all you need. Not sure how big the house battery is so check that too. Then check your expected usage as some people are frugal and others need much more
The easiest solar is on the roof. Fit and forget. There is a good size roof to get plenty there. But if you use portable panels you can get more power out of less panels by moving them a couple of time a day. But you need to store them travelling and put them out. Probably a security cable is a good idea for some places too. They have some advantages and disadvantages
Use a MPPT regulator but ensure it is not a fake type.
A generator is a item for discussion here. Some swear by them, some swear at them. Read the other posts and wonder
Personally I get along without a gennie, even tho I have one. No place to put it anyway. I use the engine and solar on the roof, have converted to mostly 12V items and we are frugal so have no problems.
Brouse the posts in the Techies Corner and the Solar Power subforum at the top of it also, for ideas on what others do and question asked.
Jaahn
My answer to your question: Rooftop solar, portable solar or generator would be All Three! Only you can decide the order of priority, mainly as a cost consideration, but also as to your most likely usage but possibly a smallish generator and a large battery charger might be the most cost effective. One of the main advantages here is you can charge your batteries when it suits you (and those around you). Lunch stops are good. Also a decent size folding solar panel is a pretty good investment. Fit or have fitted an Anderson plug (or similar). I wouldn't bother too much with a rooftop installation till you can go pretty big with a good MPPT controller.
One of the first things you need to check on is the size and if possible age of your house batteries. They should be under the rear facing dining seat.
Hi, my advice is first, look at the motorhome, take a stock of what you have, batteries sizes are, house and vehicle battery, learn what the vehicle alternator is actually charging. Next learn what is running off what batteries and try to obtain how many amps you may need for a 24 hour period.
Next, before laying out money go away in the motorhome find out it's limitation. You maybe pleasantly surprised that it may just work as it is or be a major refurb of your electrical system.
In our case the second hand caravan was very reliant on 240volt power source but I knew that on purchase, next we fitted to the roof 2x 170 watt solar panels, added a second battery now 2x 100's amp batteries. In 4 years of touring the 12 volt system has been great, totally fixed and more or less forgotten.
Doing another small project needed to remove the expensive battery charger and it now lives on a shelve in the shed, I am that confidence we do not need a battery charger.
The gen set was left at home after the first year of non use. Now sold on.
Biggest thing is learn about what you have and learn how far you can go on your tours.
Happy motoring.
Solar on the roof minimum 300watt and 1x120 Amp Deep Cycle battery if a 3 way Frig in the motorhome, 500watt Solar and 2x120 amp batteries if a Compressor Frig fitted (more/less solar depending on the size of the compressor Frig.
If travelling in Summer and have a roof top air con, a 2.2 Honda Generator, if you want to free camp (away from others) in hot weather.
Peter