Starcraft Basic solar setup

[Andrew_n_Amy]

Hi Guys n gals, brand new to the forum so please go easy, I'm just after a basic solar/battery combo to start with.

Planning our first trip into the free camping world, I'm looking for a suitable solar panel size and battery size that would be most suitable for us....we only plan to free camp a couple of nights in a row, we have a 2014 starcraft so only running led lighting and a tv, any help would be greatly appreciated even some links to reputable ebay sellers would be great too.

Is it just as simple as connecting battery (inside a battery box) to existing pre wired wires and then just hooking up a portable solar panel to set me under way as in the battery will be charging as well as running the van lights etc

Sorry for the basic questions just all too confusing for this newby!!
Cheers

 

[Drover]

I see youvé asked the same basic question twice, probably should have put it in another list but no drama.............if you have a good look around the place you should find an answer but in the mean time just let us know a few things about your set up, does it have provision for a battery to be added, eg: wired up but they didn't supply a battery ???

If so then it will be pretty easy to put you in the right direction.

 

[Andrew_n_Amy]

Yes i asked the same basic question in 2 areas as was unsure of how this forum worked... as i explained pretty green when it comes to this sort of stuff but all good......
Yes van being a 2014 starcraft i believe they are all prewired for solar but no we didn't take the option of having a factory setup as i would prefer the flexibility of a portable panel... as i said I'm just after some peoples recommendations of what panel and battery set ups would be suitable for our above stated typical usage

 

[Dobbie]

Try bitdeals(?) ...just tried to find them on fleabay but couldn't for some reason. Anyway, we've used them over several years and they've been good.

Looking at current fleabay offerings, I'm surprised by current prices. Much lower!

I reckon all solar panels are much of a muchness....so go for the best deal but check feedback.
We once, years ago, paid absolute premium for high quality BP panels, highly recommended but not all that great. Cheaper ones have lasted just as long, if longer.

We do tend to flog them and make them perform in both camping and at home, so they work hard!

So...recommendation.

Go for good value panel/s from eBay....suggest at least 120w with possible Anderson plug fitting or do it yourself. Get a good quality MPPT regulator and set it up with Anderson plugs so you can get controller close to battery, rather than stuck on the panels.

Battery...get a fitted Deep cycle....100amp at least...and get fitted before you set up solar panel.

Get an auto electrician you trust to do it unless you know what you're doing. He'll need to fit wiring to battery, install battery and set up solar plugs to connect to battery.

And enjoy the free camping experience.

(From our experience, it costs to set it up properly but you win in the long term with other savings in fees and effectiveness)

 

[pauljygrant]

If you are moly planning to camp for 2 nights in a row and have minimal power demands, have you considered how long a decent battery would last on its own without solar? Obviously solar would be better but depends on how much you wish to pay.

 

[Dobbie]

Yes i asked the same basic question in 2 areas as was unsure of how this forum worked... as i explained pretty green when it comes to this sort of stuff but all good......
Yes van being a 2014 starcraft i believe they are all prewired for solar but no we didn't take the option of having a factory setup as i would prefer the flexibility of a portable panel... as i said I'm just after some peoples recommendations of what panel and battery set ups would be suitable for our above stated typical usage

Shows how slow I am...just replied to other post and wondered why it sounded familiar!



Anyway, as said, I suggest you keep it simple and get what you need for now and add to it down the track.

So....deep cycle 100amp battery with Projecta box....$299 on eBay now (can recommend these ...ours is still going after five years)

120w portable solar panel....about $200

Regulator ....$50 to $250 depending on whether you want to mount it in the van or keep it totally portable.

Have fun with it!

:der:

 

[Drover]

So somewhere in a cupboard or under a seat you should have some black and white wires with terminals on the end, one could possibly have a fuse block, measure the area so you know what size battery you need but there should be enough room for the standard plastic battery box to fit, add to this a 100 to 110amp deep cycle AGM or GEL battery, you don't want a wet battery like you have in the car they vent noxious, flammable gas.
Hooking the battery up to the cables will allow you to run your van on 12v and it will be charged via the Setek unit when on 240, so long as you turn the battery switch on which should be located near the Setek.
To run on solar by a portable panel set up, you need to run a dedicated cable from your battery to the front or rear of your van, fit an anderson plug to it and also to the end of the solar panel cable, cig sockets and clamps are just no good. Do not run a solar panel thru your Setek charger onlt wire direct to battery.
I have used a 120 watt portable panel from Aldi and while the controller that came with it failed and I replaced it it with a better one it has performed quite well, controller fails with most of the cheaper panels is not unheard of. It is safer to have the controller on the panel only because if you plug it into a circuit that doesn't have a controller inline you will fry what ever is on the other end plus it gives you versatility, I can plug mine into my van or my ute to charge up batteries.
Years back I bought another set of portable panels 80w at a Van show and they are still going strong, now mounted on the roof of the Ute to keep the aux battery charged....................

If your just running a TV, led lights and a Waeco then the battery should be good for a couple of days, an inverter will drastically reduce that though.

and @Dobbie typed over the top of me.........

 

[Dobbie]

Ouch!

 

[Andrew_n_Amy]

Thanks so much to all of you for your informative replies! I've now got a direction i need to head in.....i seemed to be drowning in all the different amounts of info on here but glad I'm on the right track now!! So off to ebay i go!!!
Will let you all know how i go, we are heading off in the middle of October to the gold coast and of course the theme parks to let the kids burn off a bit of energy and slowly making our way down the coast back to Melbourne with plans of free camping along the way...looking forward to this little adventure

 

[Drover]

Great idea but you will have to really search for free camps on the coast, they are few and far between, well those within 40 km of the beach.

 

[Andrew_n_Amy]

Yes we are finding that out now, we've got a few worked out,but will be mainly cv parking it...have to keep the kids entertained!!
Thanks for all your help i really appreciate it :thumb:

 

[Dobbie]

And clean

And accessible

And quiet!

But that's if you're looking for "no charge" camps! Those on the coast I also hesitate to recommend but there's plenty of opportunity for "free of 240v" power.

Most good camp grounds offer unpowered sites, often in better positions and national parks along the way are stunning.

I must get back down there again. This has whetted my appetite.

 

[Drover]

NPWS nsw slug you about $30 a night, last time I looked, park fee, vehicle access fee................have seen some nice leave it till late to pull up and throw out the awning places though........

 

[Pauly]

I too believe a100-120ah Agm will easily see you through for a few days. When more power or longer stays are needed a set of Portable panels following the sun will give you best bang for buck but I like my lazy roof mounted ones and haven't used my portables since. A decent solar regulator is a must to get the most out of any panels.

 

[MickL]

There are a couple of good 130 AH batteries that will fit the normal size battery box. Price wise they were the best bang for buck when I looked recently and got one for my dads set up. Any 100 - 130 AH battery should last you easily four to five days if your not running a fridge. When my battery was new I would get that in my car running a 60L fridge with only the occasional drive to top up the batteries.

If you want a portable battery box solution check out the home of the 12 volt web site. They have ACE all in one battery boxes you buy and add a battery to. They also have the thumper style battery boxes which are a bit more Exy but have everything including batteries built in.

As far as panels go I would definitely be looking at a Projecta solar blanket panel if I was to get another portable. The folding ones weigh heaps and take up a lot of room. If you buy a permanent panel just make sure you get a decent regulator (MPPT type) to get the best out of your panels.

 

[NoWorries]

Be careful with battery sizes
Some people advertise (especially on ebay) 120a/h or 130a/h battery's that are about the same size as a 100 a/h
Size and Weight is the only way you can tell it is what you are paying for.
it all comes down to the amount of lead

Roll on cheaper Lifepo4 batterys then the game really changes.

 

[Dobbie]

I recommended the Projecta as the pair are matched, they're wired already, they work and are delivered to your door! That's the battery and the box.
Battery is 100ah and the box is fitted out for simplicity with 12v sockets and a basic battery monitor.
Ours is over 5yrs old, has been used extensively for camping before we got the expanda, been carried in the ute, been carried in the Swan and now used for extra shed power with the addition of an Anderson plug....for shed compressor, etc and for charging via solar.

Our old 120 solar panel, also well used, is set up, with regulator, to keep it charged.

So, from personal experience, I feel it's good value for money. It just depends on budget, etc.

I've looked at the Ark and the Thumper but haven't felt the need to upgrade as it still does the job....to my surprise and gratitude so I've more than got my money's worth.

I suppose I should say I have no connection with the company as I seem to be trying to sell them!



The best advice I'd give to anyone starting out with a 12v setup is to look at your needs in amp hours per day, look at your capacity of battery and charging, remember to keep it charged very regularly and NEVER let it get too low. A 100ah battery doesn't give you 100 amphours, more like 40.

So that, with some tv and LED lighting and some phone charging should give you a couple of days. Any more you'll need to top up the battery or run the risk of damage. (Our first deep cycle died very easily as I had no idea it needed to be kept charged....and my wallet suffered but I learned the hard way)

 

[BigSkiddy]

Aldi setup perhaps?

Panel and Battery

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Aldi setup perhaps?

Panel and Battery

Panel is OK, but the battery is only 40AH

 

[NoWorries]

40 a/h will be more than enough for the original question "only running led lighting and a tv"