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Leisure batteries/ solar question

  • 28-06-2010 10:54pm
    #1
    Swift66
    Registered Users Posts: 139 ✭✭


    Hello,

    I'd like to get a leisure battery for my van. I'm not doing a full campervan conversion, but would like to have a second battery from which to run a laptop, a kettle , a stereo and a small fridge / cooler. So I'd like to have a 3 socket connection hooked up to the battery.

    I'd rather not have to connect leisure battery to car battery but rather have it hooked up to solar panel on the roof to recharge it.

    Is this possible?

    In what order / how do i connect solar panel / inverter / sockets ?

    Do i need to get specialist sockets / cable or once i have inverter will a normal plug extension lead do?

    Any advice / recommendations appreciated , Cheers


Comments

  • #2
    stapeler
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,086 ✭✭✭stapeler


    A good solar panel will generate possibly 30watts on a good day. A small kettle will use say 500watts. An inverter will also consume a lot of your watts too.
    Not really a viable option in my opinion.
    Solar panels are okay for maybe a laptop,radio, lights or possibly a coolbox but certainly wouldn't be enough to keep a fridge or kettle going.


  • #3
    spaceHopper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,027 ✭✭✭spaceHopper


    You need to do some more research before you do the conversion. To qualify as a camper it must have seating and a bed or seating that becomes a bed, it must have a two ring or more stove and be permanently adapted as a camper not something you can put in at the weekend…. Also to get the low rate of VRT you have to have at least 1.8 M standing height inside. If it’s over 3 ton it’s only 50 euro but you run in to needing a truck license at 3.5 ton….

    Reason I’m saying all this is you need to have a gas cooker so don’t need an electric kettle.

    If you want to do it cheap and simply get a two ring + grill gas cocker in Aldi or halfords have them, then get an good electric cooler that can be take out and run on mains, and off 12V that way you fill it up at home cool it off the mains and keep it cold with ice packs / running from time to time off the engine when driving….

    You can also buy a pre wired outdoors extension cable with a RLCB – think ALDI had some maybe halfords too that way all you need to do is put a campsite plug onto it and you can hook up on site. Maplan have a 12 watt solar cell for sale at the moment for 60 euros it won’t charge a battery fully but it will top it up and keep it charge or charge it over time one the engine brings it up to about 70%. Add a split charge rely to charge a leisure battery when driving it should be about the same AH as your engine battery but if at all possible make both 90 to 110 AH that way you don’t need a solar cell charge controller and save on that but spend on the battery.



    Also to boot you will be able to run your van stereo instead of fitting a second. All you need the leisure battery for lights lap top charging and for is for running the cooler from time to time – use the engine as much a possible and get it cold before you leave home.

    Also think about buying a battery charger that you can charge the battery at home. Halfords of a good one for 50 or euros but have a better one at half price for 70 odd euros.

    When you add gas make sure you have a hole in the floor of the van encase of leaks and also vent the battery box to the outside


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