solar/ generator

You would get away with a 80W panel but if you already have the generator and are allowed to use it where you go then do that.

Regards

Derek.

Hello Shane,

I was at a camping and caravan show recently and I got talking with a camper trailer manufacturer on the same dilemna you are facing. He advised me to use a 25amp/hour multi-stage charger with my generator to top up my 105 Amp/hr AGM battery as it is capable of doing this within a couple of hours.

I was planning to purchase a fold-up 80 amp monocrystaline solar panel kit. However, the rep. explained that there are limitations with solar charging, especially the need to have sunlight to optimise charging, the need to camp out in the open and the need to secure the equipment from low life.

I already have a Honda Eu1000 watt generator - which like the Yamaha is very quiet - and with a commonsense approach to camping near others, I use it as necessary for lighting, charging laptop batteries, TV etc. Having recently purchased a 15 amp/hr C-Tek multi-stage charger, I can now charge up the camper trailer and fridge batteries, sun or no sun - while I light the camp, fiddle with my laptop and cheer on Essendon.

If you go the generator path, consider the 2000 watt option as there is not a lot of difference in price and weight between it and the 1000 watt model. With the higher capacity generator you can run power-hungry caravan appliances as well as use your lights, watch TV etc.

The cost of the 1000w generator is only about $300 more than an 80 amp/hr solar kit.

Security is well worth considering. The generator would top up your batteries far quicker than a solar panel which needs to be left out - and regularly repositioned - during the day. The generator could then be put away after it's done its job.

I hope my comments will help your decision.
Cheers,
Netnut

Shane,

One thing hasn't been covered.

A bi-fold solar panel takes up far less room than a generator and its fuel container.

Have just returned from the National Gathering at Innamincka.
I have an 80 watt bi-fold solar panel which kept the battery pack changed sufficiently enough for nearly a week, running a 40 litre Engel and two 1 amp lights.

Some days were somewhat overcast and I received shade from a nearby tree for part of the day. The lowest the battery pack got was 12.3 volts and charged up to 12.7 volts the next day while running the fridge at the same time.

I am convinced an 80 watt panel is enough for a 40 litre fridge.
Bigger fridges (or less efficient ones) may require a higher capacity panel.

And yes, there is the problem in securing equipment from "low life" but that is the same whether the equipment is solar panels, battery packs, fridges, generators, or anything else at your campsite.

I run a stainless steel stranded cable through the more expensive gear and padlock "the string" to the camper trailer chassis.
This wont stop a dedicated thief, but it will make it harder. They would need cable cutters or an angle grinder to shear through the cable.

Hey, I just thought of something else-
If you don't have a gennie, the mongrels can't run the angle grinder from it:-))

See ya!!!
Bill.

My fridge _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx about 29A in 24 hours and tried unsuccessfully for 2-3 years to keep it charged using 80W of solar. I believe 100-120W is a more realistic figure unless you spend all day chasing the sun and repositioning panels. Not how I want to spend my days.

I now have 145W of solar and have no problems but admit this is overkill for the load.

Having gone the solar panel , and generator route myself , I am starting to think a Chescold is the way to go .... run on gas when staying put . No more chasing sun , or carrying petrol..... just a gas bottle - people usually have one or two or more of these ....(Icurrently have a 110 lt Waeco + Kipor + Solar on Van roof) as well as van fridges

thanks guys, this running the generator all night or till late. if it only takes 2-3 hours to recharge the batteries then why would they run them for that long? The answer must be that they don't have batteries and or are using 240volt stuff. this type of user would get up my nose as well, but if one is only running the generator for a few hours every other day just to charge the batteries i cant see a problem. this ofcourse should be done in the late morning sometime i would say.
The use of the fridge i think comes down to how long one would stay in the one spot. after two trips with the evakool now i think it is ideal for one to two day then moving, but any more time in the one spot i think i will take my chest cold.
cheers shane.

Hi Everyone

With petrol fast approaching $2 a litre and expected to get much dearer, I can't understand why a generator based setup would be considered a good one, especially when they are not allowed in caravan parks and national parks and annoy most campers... not to mention the risk of electrocution if not properly earth staked and let's admit it, whoever does that!!!

Am I missing something??? I personally use a 12v bushman in the car with a dual battery system and if staying put more than 2 days use a chescold 3 way fridge freezer..... no noise, one dollar a day to use gas and reliable.

regards

Kc

We went the generator way, back when we were looking at our power options. We decided on the honda 10i and a Durst battery charger. But I can say that it ended up mainly being there for an emergency (ie flat car batteries in the middle of nowhere). It's acurally been more useful at home, the battery charger to charge car batteries fully in general and the genny also as to run the frozen meat in the engel in power outages like the recent 24plus hour one we experienced. The honda 10i is good for what I described but not really enough juice to say run the kettle (hi wattage) or even a toaster, we'll be getting a 5kva when the house is built and probably not bother with once for camping as we're not likely to camp or travel as much any more. The fuel usage of the 10i isn't too bad, I think about 3L in 24hrs - but this is a guestimate from what it used during the recent power outage, and it was running the engel full ball and also a laptop computer (I didn't let hubby even think about plugging the tv in!).

Anyway I have always liked the idea of solar, but drawbacks others have described have put me off. I suppose you can't go too wrong if you have one of each. And if you find yourself staying at caravan parks regularly then it wouldn't be too much trouble to get a powered site so this would negate the need for a genny. So for us we went for a genny mainly because we could see potential use outside of camping.

Now my dream is to get a solar set up for the house, independent of the grid to provide for ALL our power needs.

Whilst I'm rambling on and still on the topic, anyone see on the TV that they are likely to have more efficient solar panels in about 3yrs? They are going to be glass painted with a dye, the dye concentrates the sunlight and it then goes to the solar cells on the side which convert it to electricity. They said these will be able to be added to work with existing solar panels, and supposedly cheaper to manufacture - and I guess cheaper to buy!