So the basic is that you need batteries, specifically deep cycle batteries, personally i have 2 x 100 Amp batteries giving me 200 Amps,

With a 40L fridge, lights & phones / Ipads we get 5 days at least out of the batteries with no sun - You should avoid running them below 30% but figuring out where that is is a different story :P

Then you need a solar panel and a regulator, for us a 200w panel and 20Amp regulator does the trick, on a good sun day i can put 70 Amps back into the batteries.

We have a 300w inverter for charging the stuff that needs 240V look on the items you want to plug in and see how many watts they need to run, base your inverter on that.... note the inverter can quickly eat through your available power if you put in a large one an use it lots, basically avoid big motors (blenders and such) as well as anything that makes heat or cold like stoves, microwaves or airconditioners

adventure before dementia wrote:

---

I got an old franklin caravan , it got 12 / 240 lighting set up , 2 gas burner hotplate with a griller and 2 x 240 power points , no fridge . Am thinking l get a portable fridge 2 way , may be around 50 litres and 12 volt tv , charger for i phone and some other stuff , not alot, lights of course, possibility a invertor??

---

 Hi

There is another thread asking similar questions. I said this ;

"Others have asked for more info but I will say to start, the basics are a deepcycle battery, a solar panel or more, AND a regulator/controller mounted close to the battery and some appropriately sized wiring between these items and also to the items which you wiil need to power.

Now the actual size etc of all these may be answered better after your information that you will give us. But be generous sizing things to allow for expansion etc. Power is addictive so people usually want MORE and MORE as they go along. The old wiring may be a bit marginal in the van so throw it if necessary as wires are cheap and paying for solar panels and loosing the power in crap wires and resistance is really silly. a common mistake too !!

Search the forum for answers and ask question too before you start, like you already have. Also there are cheaper items available on fleabay and expensive items available from the camping suppliers, your choice. I have used fleabay for my stuff for years with success and good savings with wise shopping.'

The answer by Nomad Nev has some good information but he has mixed up the amps and amp/hours a bit so it is confusing. Need to get a handle on these terms or it goes to sh*t when you try to work it out. Forget microwaves and the like ! You will not get anything like an hour out of those batteries running one and the batteries will fail early if you try as well as probably melting your wiring to the invertor.

The charging of phones and a 12V TV  take very little, put in LED lights and not much for them, stick to12V DC items and stay away from 240V to save more power too. Small one if you have to have an invertor! THE FRIDGE is the baddie here as it runs 24/7 and will be the decider of how to set up the system.

Cheers jaahn 

 

Jaahn

-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 26th of January 2016 12:22:03 AM

-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 26th of January 2016 12:24:07 AM

-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 26th of January 2016 12:25:52 AM

-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 26th of January 2016 12:34:18 AM