Most solar calculations are for ideal conditions, panels on the right angle to the sun, perfect days no clouds/rain etc.... So, the more solar capacity you have the better.  Our fridge was an Engle Upright 240/12v & we have 2 x 130 amp AGM's, lighting is all LED and the ussual portable devices that need power. We did a 12 month trip last year we had 340 Watts solar, we managed but had to run the generator a few more times than we would have liked.  The first thing I did when we got back was add another 170 Watt panel.

I think the extra panel will make all the difference.

Going by your total amps calculation, you will need 5 to 6 hours of good sunlight a day, which is a big ask.  Add another 150 Watt panel and you'd bring that back to 3 to 4 hours.  These are very rough calculations but should give you an idea.  Also note that our panels are flat mounted on the roof and that also decreases their capacity somewhat.

I also have had a Waeco Coolmatic 220litre in our van using full-time for11 yrs and from experience I can say that 300watts is Not Sufficient. I have 610 watts and that is closer to what you require. 

Even then in the southern states during winter you will find the Sun Hours fairly Poor and more input power is required either extra Solar or DC-DC Charging from the Tow vehicle when travelling or Generator.

I converted to Lithium Batteries15 mths ago which virtually eliminates the use of a Generator in all but prolonged heavy weather.

Cheers Kev.

Hi Skooks,
We have the same fridge in our new Atlantic caravan.
First time we used it, the red warning light started flashing, and hasn't stopped since.
It seems to work well, but was worried it may be doing some harm.
I contacted Waeco, who were very good, and suggested I ring my local Waeco dealer, which I did.
Arranged for them to come around and check it out, they tested everything and couldn't work out what was wrong.
I know the poor lad was on the phone to dometic for well over half an hour, and in the end they have ordered the front pcb and the rear pcb which should be installed on Wednesday.
Frustrated that the fridge has a fault, but can't complain about there service.
At least I know the fridge has been installed properly with the correct spacing, wire thickness, fuses, drains etc.
Also have a Waeco CF50 in the car which is 5 years old and never had a problem.
I only have 240 watts solar on the roof, 1x120 folding panel, 2x 100ah batteries in van, and just in case 2x100ah batteries in the ute.
Brian

Gday skooks and welcome to the forum

This is a discussion that a lot of folk have varying opinions. Within the recent weeks we crossed the Nullarbor and now rest our bones in Perth for a few weeks (in a caravan park). I discovered that my setup (1 120W solar and 2 110AH AGMs, dometic fridge etc) in our starcraft just did the trick. There was one cloudy morning at Madura that the batts were a bit low so I put a stop to our showering that morning (stinky but still nice). It rained most of the trip from Penong to Fraser Range.

I ran the generator only twice for that whole trip, stayed at 2 caravan parks and didnt suffer too much, batts lowest at 12.8VDC and all was well.

The key here, as I believe is dont over do it, it takes cash and adds a lot of weight to the van. I am a minimalist and believe in just enough to get the job done. Been on the road for 3 years now and hardly use the genny, but stay in a few parks.

Good luck, im sure you will make the right choice for you.

If you rely only on Solar to power your setup, 300 is not going to be enough unless good conditions happen every day. I base that advice on personal experience. I would be wanting 4 hours of good sun every day to keep the battery bank pretty close to full. 240 AH of storage could not be relied on for more than a couple of days if bad conditions are encountered. A depleted battery bank takes extra effort to bring it back towards full while still trying to take care of current use. I would make an effort to get up to 450 as a first move. Then some backup. Depending on how much moving you will do, a DC-DC charger off the vehicle alternator would be a good move and don't dismiss the idea of a 1000W Honda generator.

The genny thing - I have a 2000 W Honda that runs the aircon. If the aircon is needed, chances are the sun is out. The trade off then is that maybe the fridge works more but the genny surplus , over running the aircon, goes towards the battery bank. I have seen a bit of generator rage out there but never when the generator does not run before 8 and not after 5 PM.

Iza

I'm in Albony at present . Looks like it's going to be overcast the next few days ? We'll be starting our generator to boil the jug . 20 min in morning and maybe lunch & dinner is enough to keep batteries charged . Even though we have 400 watt solar ? It's hardly working under these conditions . From memory our charger is 80 amp on full charge ..

Hi oldtrack... while you are indeed correct in that the older Redarc BMS1230 could not use two inputs simultaneously, the newer Manager30 and the latest 'lithium capable' ones in fact do.

I have just installed the Manager30 into our van and as the sun goes down, you can see on the remote how it slowly reduces it's solar component and increases it's 240. The same happens with solar and 12 volts while driving.

Just thought I'd clarify that for anyone contemplating one of the newer Redarc BMS models.

That's true Ralph, although I have our 3-way connected directly to the car via an anderson plug (and a FridgeSwitch), so the BMS is really only charging the house batteries when on the move. While camped, the fridge is either 240 mains or on gas.

Might be different for those with a large compressor fridge, but they at least aren't as power hungry.

Cheers

 

-- Edited by GerryP on Saturday 26th of March 2016 10:11:51 PM