Caravan Solar PV install?

[Manator]

I have been asked as a "mate" to have a look at the possibility of installing a PV for a caravan, my first thoughts were that there is no way a caravan will take a lot of panels.

It is a fixed site with some decking area, and the suggestion from my mate is to put a single panel on this decking.

I have suggested to put as many as can be fitted and link them to a battery bank to store the generated power.

Anyone any ideas as to what I should do, I am a total novice and certainly not competent

I may just ask Steptoe to do it, its in the Lakes so the break could do him some good.

 

[roys]

What does he hope to achieve from the panel? Is he wanting to just to keep the charge topped up on a battery or is he hoping to have a battery and inverter set up to give him mains voltage. Does he have mains at his pitch? First glance it doesn't sound very viable to me.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Need to confirm if he is after generating 230v ac or 12v dc???

I have seen loads or portable 12v battery charger panels for touring caravans...

e.g.

Welcome to Towsure - Discount Camping and Caravanning Equipment, EC Approved Towbars, Trailers and Trailer Parts from Towsur...

But is he a static van wanting 230v???

:C

 

[Manator]

Thanks for the link SL, I will have to ask him exactly what he is after, i will be seeing him in the morning so could update you all tomorrow night.

 

[steptoe]

Oh, the lakes, sounds nice, done some PV and a heat pump near Grassmere/Ambleside last year.

Really does depend if its island or grid tied, for very small scale, like this, usually island is a more efficient system.

 

[Manator]

I do know that it will not be grid tied Steptoe, the owners have fuel rights for the site which is one of the reasons for the request.

 

[hxsarge]

cheepo diy kits for cars etc, all different sizes with battery chargers designed to charge and keep charged leisure batterys, for sale at cpc.

 

[binky]

if its not grid tied, then it's pretty simple - panel / battery charge controller / leisure battery and some 12V lighting possibly a 12 to 240 v inverter. What ever he is powering though will need to be seprate to rest of electrical system. If you want panel at decent price let me know.

One of my customers has been separating more and more stuff from the mains supply. He now runs his garden lighting, cctv camera and burgular alarm from a single 190w panel.

 

[steptoe]

Ive done a few where a separate little CU is used for a couple of sockets and an emergency light, its never on for 4 hours so the battery back up is ideal, dunno how the battery will hold up though. :|

and the sockets are just for like a radio etc, even work on dull days ok.