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Please take the time to read the following information before fitting your solar system.

SOLAR PANELS
Solar panels are made by a wide variety of companies and are made available in three types.
Most panels on the market are of good quality, therefore any major brand may be purchased with confidence as all panels are made using the same technique. All brand name panels cost approximately the same price per watt when in comparison with each other. However, as the wattage of your panel increases, the price paid per watt decreases.

PANEL #1  AMORPHOUS
These cells are used in calculators, watches, toys and small solar applications. Some amorphous cells are flexible but are much larger in size per watt than mono crystalline panels.  Amorphous panels claim to be more shade tolerant

PANEL #2  MONO CRYSTALLINE
These panels have round, half round or square cells and are made in a strong aluminium frame with a glass panel which allows for easy mounting.  The Mono Crystalline silicone is now made in a lab and has become a lot more efficient and a lot more popular amongst caravan and campers for there output performance.

PANEL #3  POLYCRYSTALLINE
Made from silicone wafers, this is the smallest panel per watt. Ideally suited to caravan fit ups, the panel has a blue flake appearance to the cells, Most poly panels are made in a strong alloy frame with a glass cover which allows for easy mounting with very little flex.

THINK BEFORE YOU MOUNT!

When fitting solar panels to your caravan or camper trailer, it is important to mount the panels off the roof for air flow, as the heat will reduce the output of your panels.  Home of 12 Volt manufactures mounting frames to lift your solar panels in order to assist you in gaining optimum performance from your solar system.
When mounting panels be aware of the panels being shaded. Mounting too close to the air conditioner will shade the panels at different times of the day. Wind up antennas may also shade the panels and reduce performance.

When mounting 3 or more panels to the roof of your caravan it is advisable to wire them in 6mm cable in lots of three (no more than this), or performance will be reduced.  Do not, if possible, mount panels on the front slope of your caravan as performance will be reduced.  This is due to the fact that most panels work at their optimum performance when facing north, which may mean that you need to reposition your caravan.

Remember that you are fitting solar panels, so whatever the salesman may tell you, they will not work unless you have sun.  Solar panels have an output voltage of approximately 20volts therefore it is obvious that the more you shade the panel the lower the voltage will be. Voltage loss will greatly reduce the performance of your solar panel.

Keep in mind a battery will not charge unless the charge voltage is higher than the battery voltage.
EG. Battery – 13.5V Charger – 14.5V

 

REGULATORS
A large selection of regulators are available with or without displays. Home of 12 Volt recommends a display unit for ease of use as the additional cost is not that great when you compare the extra features.
Keep in mind you may fit an extra panel at sometime so a larger regulator may be a good option.
E.G  3x80 WATT PANELS REQUIRE 15AMPS-

THEREFORE A 20AMP REGULATOR SHOULD BE FITTED.

REGULATORS MUST BE FITTED TO AVOID THE BATTERIES FROM OVERCHARGING

BATTERIES
One of the most important parts of the system and one area where you do get what you pay for.
Home of 12 Volt only fit AGM batteries in caravans and camper trailers due to the fact that they are fully sealed, need no maintenance and have an extended life over wet cell batteries. These batteries can be fitted inside caravans under the seats or beds. (The batteries do not omit any gas under normal charging conditions and can be mounted in any position).

When fitting batteries in a caravan it is recommended, if possible, to fit a maximum of three batteries in total.

E.G  If you require 300 amp hours then 3 x 100AH or 2 x 150 AH would ideal.
  If you require 450 amp hours then 3 x 150 AH would be ideal.

This is good in a perfect world, however, it may not prove possible in all fit ups. Two to three batteries will charge easier than four or five and are also less prone to damage due to charging. If more than three batteries are required then it is recommended to keep cable length to a minimum.

If possible when calculating your needs, try to keep battery capacity to a maximum of 60% discharge.  All AGM batteries have excellent discharge rates.

 E.G 20% Discharge 1200 cycles
 50% Discharge 800 cycles 
 100% Discharge 200-300 cycles

The less you drain them, the longer they last.

Always charge your batteries asfter use.

CHARGING BATTERIES
12 Volt charging can be extremely handy option and in most cases it is a must have. However, most vehicles will not charge your battery 100%. It is more likely that they will charge them to around 85-90% of the batteries capacity.  However, when solar is fitted this does not become a problem as the solar tops up the balance. A charging kit from the vehicle to the caravan must be done via Anderson plugs and not your standard 7 pin plugs as this is inefficient and may result in damage. A 25 – 50 amp charge rate is possible through the vehicle but cable size should be kept as large as possible to reduce voltage drop.

240 volt charging should be done if possible at a rate of 10% of the batteries capacity.

E.G 300 amp hour = 30 amp charger.

This is not a must have, however, it is ideal if you do not have solar to back up the charger.

E.G 300 amp hour = solar 15 amps & charger 15 amps (PERFECT!)

NOTE: A 30 amp charger will not charge a 300 amp hour battery in 10 hours. This is due to the fact that when a battery reaches 70 – 80% charge, the output of the charger (amps) reduces steadily and the remaining charging may, in most cases your batteries will not be 100% flat (10.5 volts).

 

NOT ALL THE POWER GETS TO YOUR BATTERIES
You will never be 100% efficient due to a little thing they call resistance.
A small loss will occur between your solar and your batteries both when charging and when you start using your power. However, most loses are minor and the majority of systems should be at least 95% efficient. This is a fact of life and no matter what you do, this can not be avoided.

CABLE SIZE
This is a very important part of the performance of your system as voltage drop can and will impair your performance.

E.G An 80watt panel mounted on the roof wired in 3mm cable will only give approximately 70% of it’s output. If, however, in the same circumstance you wired the panel with 6mm 50amp cable you would receive 100% of it’s output.

BIGGER IS BETTERWHEN IT COMES TO CABLE

At Home of 12 Volt most of our systems will be wired in 6mm cable or larger in selected fit ups.

THE INVERTER

This unit is used if you require 240 volt power from your solar system.
There are two main types of inverters available on the market today; modified sine and the pure/true sine.
Modified sine is a cheaper alternative; however, it is not suitable for all electrical appliances as it’s output is not as regular as pure sine.
A pure sine inverter is the best inverter that is available on the current market today. It has the capability to run the electronic devices and the is the best option if the cost does not prohibit its use.

Remember when choosing an inverter you must first calculate your needs and add 10%. Do not underestimate the size of the inverter that you require or you will be disappointed and may result in damage to the inverter if it is overloaded.

Keep in mind when fitting inverters they can use a huge amount of power.

E.G 1200watts  at 240 volt is 100 amps at 12 volt.

Therefore some items on 240 volt become impractical to use. It is therefore recommended that you cook on gas, heat on gas, and do not use items with heating elements when using an inverter.  If you have a larger system fitted, some appliances with heating elements may be used.

If you do not need your inverter, turn it off. This is because most inverters will use 1 amp per hour on standby. That's 24 amp hours per day (more than 40watt solar panel can produce!)

With inverters, you get what you pay for. A good inverter should have at least twice its output as a surge, if it does not..Do not buy it.! The reason for this is because a high surge is required to start many electrical products. E.G TV's,  microwaves, etc.

DIODES

Diodes should be fitted when more than one panel is mounted in order to stop feedback from one panel to another. They act like a one way valve. Solar panels will charge the battery but can additionally discharge the battery if diodes are not fitted.

Home of 12 Volt fits diodes to all solar fit ups including its range of portable panels.

FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

These products will reduce and in most cases eliminate the chance of short circuits or melt downs of your system.

Fuses can be replaced with the same rated fuse if shorted whilst circuit breakers are either push buttons or automatic reset. (If the short circuit persists, remove all appliances).

CHOOSING YOUR SYSTEM

When selecting your system it will take time to calculate your needs and additional time will be required to determine where it should be fitted.

Keep in mind the extra weight in your caravan should be laid out as to not affect things like total weight and ball weight. A little time in planning can save a lot of trouble down the track.

At Home of 12 Volt we can spend time planning your system fit up if required.

By using the chart provided you can calculate your needs or simply fill in the blanks and we at Home of 12 Volt can do the calculations for you.

If you choose to have Home of 12 Volt fit your system, or you decide to fit it yourself, just remember to plan before you fit. This way you can be sure that you will have a system that will perform in all conditions.

APPROX SOLAR OUTPUT FOR 6 HOURS A DAY SUNLIGHT

 1 x 80 watt panel   = 30 Amps
 2 x 80 watt panels =  60 Amps
 3 x 80 watt panels =  90 Amps

A system that requires 90 amps per day would require 3 x 80watt panels and batteries equivalent to 300 amp hours for continuous power supply. 

Note: Your system will perform much better in summer than what will in winter due to the longer days and stronger sun.
Keep in mind that batteries are rated in amp hours at 25C. This means that temperature will affect the level of output that you will receive from your batteries. When the temperature is colder than 25C you will receive a higher output from your batteries.

A quick and easy way to conserve power is to fit low wattage fluoro or L.E.D lighting. It is sometimes cheaper to change lighting than to add another solar panel to your system.

Finally, it is good to remember that it is not a perfect world when fitting solar panels to caravans as everybody’s needs are different. But if you get it close from the start you can and will learn to work with what you have and get the most out of your system.

By now you should know a bit more about solar and the system that you may require. Remember to keep in mind that just because you now have solar panels fitted to your caravan, it does not mean that you will not run out of power. Even the most expensive systems can struggle to keep up with prolonged periods of bad overcast weather.

It is now time to calculate your own needs and build a system that will meet your requirements.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

1 Amp at 12 Volts =  12   watts
1 Amp at 240 Volts = 240 watts

Amps x Volts = Watts  E.G 10Amps x 12 Volts = 120 watts

Watts / Volts =  Watts  E.G 120 watts / 12 Volts = 10 Amps