Solar Setup

Firstly I fabricated the framework to hold a metal box from SuperCheap that would contain the batteries and controller. This is because there is little room in the van itself. I also incorporated the support framework for the Airconditioner that I was installing into the front window.  I then made a control panel out of an old computer case that would hold the Solar controller and the isolation switch and others.

Box for Batteries and Controller

So from the front box you can monitor the solar output, battery voltage, 12v load current(what you are drawing from the batteries), control all 12v power to the inside of the van, front and back LED flood lights, and battery isolation. I have also installed LED strip lights to the inside of the box lid that will be motion sensor activated for easy night access.

 

Wires from tow hitch to van

After monitoring the system on sunny days, the panels push about 7amps into the batteries and the 55lt 12v fridge only takes 2amps at the most. So I think what we have is more than enough...

Solar Panels insitu

As a side issue, I have been playing around with different types of LED lights from EBay and found that the surface mount - panel kind of LED light is superior to the bayonet replacement type. The one below is sold to suit a Jayco caravan but I eaisly adapted it to mount inside the existing dome lights in the Viscount.

LED light for a Jayco from EBAY

LED Bayonet type replacement light for caravans

New side marker lights from EBAY

2 x 48 LED flat panels - pretty bright!

Narva tail lights

Narva fuse panel

Solar Power for the Caravan

Time to document my solar power installation in my Uncle's Viscount Supreme Caravan!


The system I will build is very simple yet very effective.

It will provide 24/7 power for all lights inside and out(LED of course), USB power plugs, 12Volt Fridge, water pump, 12v - 240v inverter and any other 12v power required.

The main system consists of:

2 x 200watt Mono-crystalline Solar Panels
2 x 100Ah Gell Cell Deep Cycle Batteries (Second hand)
1 30A Solar controller
1 12V Fuse Box
Various connectors, fuses etc

This system really doesn't need to be connected to the vehicle's alternator for extra charge, the solar panels do very well indeed. This makes it a lot cheaper and simpler than other system I see around.
In my opinion the only situation where you might need something more is where you plan to run 240v devices daily such as a washing machine or microwave, that would drain the batteries running through an inverter. Of course you could build a bigger system with bigger batteries and more of them, but that will add significant weight to the Van. The 200Ah batteries that I can source are 85kg each! In any case I can only put together what works for me, and that's what these posts are all about.

I am doing an almost complete rennovation on the van for my Uncle, this is what it looked like to start with...

Viscount Supreme 1978







 
Cheers Slippery out!

The Speed of Life

Weeeell.....this year is certainly getting away from me!

Moving to part time work 2 days a week from Dec 17th 2013 has had a dramatic effect on life in general, but especially on just how fast the weeks fly by. I really didn't expect the massive change in my perception of time. When I was full time, my whole life seemed to be revolving around my job and that made me quiet unhappy I think in hindsight, because I really don't enjoy my job. But now those 2 days at work seem to be so much easier than before and work has become the distraction from my life instead of the opposite. With so much to do at home, work is really an inconvenience that's rather annoying. I guess this really means that I should look for some-other kind of work that perhaps is more appealing to me, but that's harder than you think. When you get into your forties and find that your current profession is unpalatable for one reason or another, it's difficult to make any major changes. You start to find that you are about 15 years older than most other people making major job changes and that you could begin to be the older person in most interviews. The interviewers will inevitably ask you why you are changing jobs at your age, especially if you're changing professions. This leads me at least to doubt myself and wonder why indeed would you hire me and not some much younger go-getter! Maybe I'm just worn out but I really wouldn't want to go through that again. With three days at home, I could possibly find something other than fixing caravans that would pay better.....we shall have to see.

Anyways

Slippery out!