Solar Systems for Caravans
On the move, the towing vehicle engine alternators generate enough power for the limited domestic needs of a caravan’s domestic battery pack. Technical charging requirements mean that in this instance lead/acid batteries will be preferable to lithium because easy to charge from the engine alternator.
Most caravans have the roof space for the installation of solar panels. The curvature and weight considerations means that flexible solar panels will be the preferred solution for most users. They can be connected either to a solar controller or to a hybrid inverter for those wanting the convenience of 230v mains electricity.
We urge you to look carefully at our power stations. They provide a convenient, zero installation all-in-one solution to energy management on the road. They provide 12 and 230v output Combined with portable solar panels for camper vans they offer a simple and versatile power source needing zero installation and a wide variety of 12 and 230v outputs plus numerous USB ports for phones and tablets.. They can be charged from solar, the engine alternator, or mains. The cost of 2Kw units is not that much greater than the cost of an MPPT controller, a 2Kw lithium battery and a 2Kw inverter.
We are EU distributors for Bluetti, Zendure, and Hepway. They are the three leaders in the industry and offer an extensive selection of products with initial storage capacity ranging from 1 to Kw. All have the option to fit extension batteries for greater energy autonomy.
Technical Considerations
Power Stations have long been the favourite of outdoor campers, as well as motorhome and camper van owners. With the greater storage and inverter capacities now available, they deserve the close attention of caravan owners.
In a single package, they provide
- MPPT solar controller,
- a large LifePo4 battery, and
- extensive AC, DC, and USB power outlets.
They can be charged from solar, the mains, a generator, or another external battery.
Power stations can be divided into three broad product types:
- Small portable units designed to be moved around for use as a mobile source of electricity. Most are usually charged by portable panels. They store 1Kw of electricity and offer the same inverter output.
- Medium-sized units with inverter and battery ratings of 2Kw.
The small portable 1Kw units are very keenly priced and provide a total energy solution for a caravan. The 2Kw models are also very keenly priced but keeping them charged from solar only may be a challenge.
Limited roof space means that camper vans are unlikely to have more than 800w nominal of solar power.
There are 3 types of solar panels for camper vans:
- rigid – the cheapest and the most efficient, but heavy
- flexible – three times the price but 3/4 the weight, and
- portable – the most expensive but needs no installation and can be deployed when and where needed.
In practice for camping vehicles, roof curve will usually militate in favour of flexible, but, despite the cost, the convenience of portable will convince many that they are the right solution – particularly for those having a power station. (See below).
Camper van solar panels can use three different ways to charge domestic batteries:
Simple Controllers.
These devices are connected to your solar array and their sole purpose is to charge your batteries. Two technical controller technologies are offered – PWM and MPPT. The former is cheaper but some 20% less efficient, and we do not advise it.
Our chosen suppliers are Epever and Ecoworthy. We have good personal experience with both and they are compatible with both lead/acid and lithium batteries for campervan solar setup. Capacities run from 20 to 60A and what you need is directly linked to the power output of your solar array. The output of a typical 400w 24v panel is 17A.
Hybrid Controller/Inverters
combine the functions of MPPT solar charge controllers, mains charge controllers, and 230v mains inverter in a single, low-cost, easily installed unit. With 12v batteries, the inverter output is however limited to 1500w.
Our chosen controller suppliers are Epever, EcoWorthy, and EASun with all of whom we have personal experience.
Power Stations
can be connected directly to your solar panels thanks to their built-in MPPT solar controller. However, like lithium batteries, they cannot easily be charged from an engine alternator.
THE RIGHT DECISION.
We are big fans of power stations for vans for their versatility and absence of installation costs, but lead/acid batteries charged by the engine alternator and either of the solar controller systems listed above are a fine alternative.
Camper vans will usually have the engine alternator connected directly to their domestic battery bank. With lead/acid that is fine, but not with lithium, that needs an alternator battery charger for that to avoid over-loading the alternator. This is therefore the only market where we prefer lead/acid to lithium. Overall we think that camper van owners wanting significant energy storage should consider power stations as a better alternative.
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Solar Power System Products for Caravans
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