- Als wrote:
- Who has a proven portable solar panel ? How does it attach? How much power does it produce? Eg what will it power?
Lots of different questions! I'd say it depends on what you want to do and whether you're looking for fixed or portable.
I have found wwwphotonicuniverse.com to be very helpful with surfwagonstan and Bumble having had fixed set-ups for a while now. Both of these are fixed systems.
1. Fixed solar panels.Ours is a 200w (2*100w) system fixed onto the roof, using some of the following products:-
https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/list/page/2/category/flex-panels
2. Portable solar panels.For portable systems, most of what is on the market is, in my mind, of limited value and won't really deliver the sort of power that many of us are expecting. Yes, they might be good for walkers and light enough to be able to carry around, but if that's not an issue (and with most of us, that isn't), then going for a more robust system is preferable. Here are some examples:-
https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/list/category/folding-solar-kits
I have seen and talked to people with some of these units and I guess you do have to turn them around as the sun moves (!)
3. Additional items.So both of the above will generate the power, but it depends on what you want to do with it:-
a. top-up the starter battery;
b. top-up the leisure battery;
c. top-up both batteries.
Depending on the answer to that, you'll need a solar controller to balance the output from the panel(s):-
https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/full/25-20A-dual-battery-solar-charge-controller--regulator-for-12V--24V-batteries.html
Also, do you want to avoid the need for EHU and be able to use the sockets (in particular) at any time? If so, you'll need a power inverter:-
https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/full/257-300W-12V-pure-sine-wave-power-inverter-230V-AC-output-UK-socket-with-powerful-USB-charging-port.html
Final item is a remote monitor (optional), so you can keep an easy look on what's happening with the system:-
https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/full/23-Remote-meter--display-for-10A-and-20A-dual-battery-solar-charge-controllers.html
By the time you're into more than just charging one battery at a time (and having to get the portable panel out each time, secure it to the van - so it doesn't get taken! - and connecting it up to the battery), you're looking at a fixed system (rather than something portable). There's a few more bits for installation, but that's managable - I've done it (twice!), as has surfwagonstan.
A fixed system does have the added benefits of being on all the time. I often use mine to charge up my laptop while stopped wherever I happen to be - a truly portable office! At the flick of a switch I have all the benefits of EHU without the ongoing costs.
Plus it's greener
I book at sites without EHU and then mentally deduct the cost saved from the overall cost of the system!
Happy to share more about this, as required.
P.