To select a suitable charge controller you simply take the rated output of the panel and divide by the nominal voltage of the battery. So 100W / 12V = 8.33 Amps. Therefore a 10A solar charge controller will do the job and will typically have a power range up to 130W for 12V system.
Greg Virgoe I I am planning my own van project also and I just like to say thank you so much your videos have helped me very much you are such a smart man
For the cost and the benefit, I would go solar as much as I can. A lot of people end up parking for up to 30 days (in the American southwest anyway) and running the engine long enough to keep a laptop or some other higher requirement device could be an issue. If you don't need it, then cool; but I would hope for the best while preparing for the worst. I would rather have it and not need it all than need some juice and not have it available. Having said that, those who travel a lot are often very individualistic with our own ways of doing things. Do what feels right for you and that is what makes each of us unique, and we are a unique lot.
Devonian If you’re going to be living in a van, running lights, charging devices etc from the van battery is going to end in you getting stranded with a flat battery, unless you drive for at least a few hours every day. A second (“leisure”) battery that charges from your van’s alternator via a split charge relay will remove that risk and if you drive a few hours each day it will be enough for light to moderate daily use. If you stay in one place for a few days, you will need solar to compliment the charging. Solar is definitely the way to go if you spend a lot of time in the van IMHO. If you live in Devon, get in touch and I can help you with figuring out a system if you like. I’ve been living in my conversion for almost 10 years now and have had a solar setup for 2.5 years. Do you live in Devon per chance?
Certified Photovoltaic / Solar Thermal Technician here. i loved my classes back in the day. wish this is what they should've started instead of months into it. this tutorial cuts thru the chase, goes straight to the jugular. well done i Like, OLE'!
What I love about your videos is that you respect your audience's intellectual abilities. Your logical, clear descriptions are excellent yet not patronizing nor "dumbed down." Thank you.
I am a newbie to solar panels. I've just started experimenting with a 20watt panel and there are so much useless information on the internet except for this video. Thanks for your time making this video. This is really a good video to watch and it is easy to understand as well. 🙏🏼👌🏼
I love watching your videos, it reminds me of watching 'open university' on BBC2 at 3am in the morning in the 1970's Nice, clear and concise explanations!
After deciding to install solar on my van i knew the only persons videos i could trust was Gregs, and of course he never fails to deliver. I have oversized everything 4x for longer off grid/no solar. A lot of things i didnt think about until i watched this video. You should seriously consider creating an in person paid course for this Greg, you are one hell of a teacher. Thanks again for everything.
Thank you for great feedback. Be careful not to fall into the trap of having an oversized battery bank that you can’t then recharge. It’s best to base your usage on what you can generate either by solar or B2B 👍🏼😃
Such a clear explanation. I’ve really enjoyed your van build series. My dad was a mechanical engineer. He was meticulous like you are. He would have appreciated you!
Just came across this video by accident while struggling to get to sleep. I can't say for sure but I think I dozed off into a coma after about 56 seconds of viewing and woke up 7 months, 1 week, 3 days and 4 hours later.( which is now ). Thank you for the vid. There comes a time when one can tolerate so much snooker repeats to get some sleep. Thanks to you I have now reduced my intake of medication and am feeling much better
@@GregVirgoe You're a perfectionist Greg? I couldn't tell 😉. It must be the Virgoe in you, bum bum 🦊 (virgo's are perfectionists in case you didn't know, lol).
It must come from years of presenting HVAC designs across boardroom tables to a room full of clients and architects. I try to put things across in layman's terms that anyone can understand and not use lots of jargon.
Great video. Would just like to add from 25yrs using solar that panels work from sunrise to sunset in daylight not just in sunshine. Obviously at reduced power but that all adds up. Many folk say you cannot use solar in winter in Scotland for example, well we do :-) We also no longer tilt but increased the panels as "larger" capacity became available in a smaller area and we get older :-)
That all makes perfect sense Desmond and thank you for sharing your experience. No point in tilting them up on overcast days as you're not getting direct sunlight anyway? As you can see with my van I have maximised the solar and gone for 3x160W 36 cell panels, 480W total which should give me plenty for what I want to do. So what would you say the percentage solar power on a cloudy day?
We have 2x160W panels and 330Ah of battery. In winter with cloud and short days it can be as low as a 10Ah harvest in a day by this time (March) of year 20Ah plus on a cloudy day. Not sure on % overall but possibly as low as 10% in winter. In Nov-Feb we have to watch consumption a little but the rest of the year we have a surplus.
you can always use them,it just depends what you expect them to do and whether they will produce useful power in your application. There is a bit of a tendency to say everything is awesome and just gloss over comprimises, generators runs etc.
Thank you for carefully describing this. I appreciate how you made this video. It’s easy to follow. AWESOME! I, like some others, am a bit tired of bells and whistles for 15 minutes before the important content is shared.
Greg, this is the video I wished I'd found weeks ago when I was tasked with building an off grid lighting system in Greece. This has everything I need to know as a complete PV novice with easy to follow explanations and examples. I think you just saved us over specing the installation and saved us a few quid, thank you!
Greetings from Orange County California. Even though I'm 2 years late to this party the information is new to me and I thank you for doing this very easy to understand video. I'm going to be starting my own van build here in the near future and I'll be trying to get the most bang for my buck as far as solar panels and batteries go while keeping the number of them to an adequate minimum. Thanks once again
hello George from Thessaloniki Greece, i saw a lot of videos about the system of a solar panel, and i admit that you are the best of all ,you explain very simple everything, and you cover all the foot steps, of the information ,for this solar panel. Thanks for your time.
As an engineer and a maker I have to say your videos are fantastic. Your attention to detail is becoming a lost art. I had a thought about your panel tilt system. Use gas struts with adjustable pre marked stay straps, it would save a lot of roof climbing and time. Just park, pull the pin and watch as they glide into place!
That's not a bad idea, I've hit a bit of a stumbling block with the combined weight. Each Panel weighs 10.8kg so that's 32.4kg combined plus a few nuts and bolts. The aluminium support struts I originally bought are not strong enough to hold the weight and will easily bend. So I'm having to rethink the bracketry and source some stronger materials. I'll look into the gas struts now as I could fit 4no, one either end and two mid in between the three panels. Will look at holding weights, lengths of struts and geometry now. Thanks
HI Greg and Steelfoot- My boyfriend and I are converting a citroen relay currently using the majority of your videos Greg to get by...! We have found the whole build series invaluable and would be much further behind without it... have you thought any more about this now and how you might attach the panels on? We are looking at doing the same as you- except to have 4 panels so about 44kg in weight- tilted on the short axis... The idea of the gas struts seems excellent- thanks for suggesting. What kind of strap are you imagining? And Greg if the aluminium isn't strong enough- what were you thinking next- material and source?! Thanks, Katie and Mike
This was an extremely helpful video for a newbie like me. I will now try and find some tutorials on solar so that I really know what to ask for when I get a system installed. Many thanks!
Dan Barber check out my other build videos I have a good video on installing solar panels and sizing batteries too. Also check out my off grid wiring video
Greg Virgoe I have the plastic mounts for the corners and side. They won't fit between the ridges in the roof. It's a sprinter the same as you have so I might do the roof rail approach. I might make some aluminium angle bar. Weather holds I'm doing it this weekend.
Hello David, the rails that run the length can go where the Merchant OEM roof rails go. Plus it takes the curve out of the roof. A 36cell panel is 50-70mm wider than the gutter so this allows you to go over the roof a little too.
Haha your thumbnail nicely contrasts to the typical vanlife style! Awesome video, thanks. Since I'm also in Europe I'll be eager to hear more about your vanlife vlogs!
This really is the most clear video explaining solar that I have watched that actually explains how all of the parts and numbers relate to one another. Thanks!
Watched a tilted solar set up from a guy Bob interviewed on his “Cheap RV “ channel, the guy had the panels tilt from either side which might be useful. Can’t always park in ideal direction to the sun. Looking forward to seeing panels connected to aluminum rails. Always enjoy your post, I thank you.
Trouble is the cables are connected to one end only. You can always park in forwards or backwards so that should be enough. Van needs to be facing west all the time so the panels will face due south. Thanks 😀
Hey Greg, I just thought the same thing as Dani did. I'm pretty sure there will be times when you want to park your van _just like that_ because of the view or whatever and the panels would pop up in the wrong direction. If the cables are your only concern: simply run them back to the center of each panel and allow some lift, then bundle and run them through the roof. With all the effort you're putting in, I'm sure you can get it to work. Would be a shame if you'd had to decide for _either_ the view/ entry/ etc _or_ full batteries ;)
If I wanted to park up to enjoy a particular view I will probably just leave them flat, I won't worry about the small loss of solar because I'd be too busy enjoying the view. 😃👍🏼
Greg Just another note on this video,,,My wife ask me a question out of the blue tonight,,,,Her question was what can you run on a Hundred Watt Solar system ?? So Thanks for this timely video,,,,Made me look like a Genius when I told her the devices we could charge,,, She asked how do you know that ?? ,,I replied ,Well you know it's a guy thing,,, LOL,,,Then I showed her your video,,,,Best Regards
What an absolutely brilliant video. I've been looking into solar for ages and not found anything as useful as that video. Never knew anything about the angle changes or the concept of over estimating on the batteries to allow for a day of no sun. Brilliant video
Many thanks Greg, I was having deliberations on the viability of 100w panel, the addition of tilting I think is a must for Europe, you’ve put my mind at rest.
Fantastic Greg 👍🏼 totally inspiring approach as usual it gives me great confidence to get going on my dream of doing the same , always look forward to your videos , top man and appreciate your exact and precise way of achieving your goals can’t wait for the next installment thank you 😊
That's great to hear Mike, best wishes with your build. If you use Instagram or Facebook share some photos as you progress, would be great to see what you do with it.
Thank you so much for your generous and super easy to understand explanation especially as compared to others advising purchase of expensive systems 🙏🏻
Great video. One thing people forget is wind noise when driving. Increased fuel costs as well as whistles and general noise generated by square edges on mtg brackets. Also lying in bed on a windy 50mph gust weather being kept awake. Norfolk Uk coast can be bad. George
Nice one Greg - like all your videos very well researched and thorough and very clearly presented information. Can I just tease you about the inclination of the panels? There can be no doubt that achieving the sun striking the panels at 'normal' maximises conversion - but that is only one of the angles involved - as the earth rotates the sun will transit across the van so to speak - have you considered a 'lazy susan' type mount so you could track the sun - or is that additional weight up top just the last straw?
I suppose you'll want me to motorise it too and install GPS solar tracking software on my laptop ;) lol Joking aside, the sun is at its hottest midday when it's the highest point in the sky, so with a fixed array (which this is really) its best to point them due south for us northerners and due north for those southerners. In my setup, I shall try and park the van facing west if possible so the panels face south and get the sun most of the day. I like the idea of tracking the sun but worried it will start to look like GoonHilly. Cheers Norman
There is an issue with using the average insolation value to calculate your loads. For instance, in January the value is only 25% of the average, and no amount of tilt will make up the shortfall. As monthly insolation tables are easily available I think it would be more prudent to work from a worst case value.
Hello, you are correct that values in winter will be less than in summer. The average daily sun hours takes into account the amount of sun across the entire day and reduces this to the equivalent number of hours at STC. I’d did take the lower value. I could have just gone with 1hr of daily sun and see what that gave me. It’s at Best an estimate anyway as there are so many variables it’s never going to be an exact calculation. With regards to tilt the winter is when you need it most as the sun is lowest and the sun hours are the shortest. Thanks for your feedback. 👍🏼
Okay, so using your calcs and the January average insolation value of around 0.8 (SE England), you would produce only 56wh from a 100w (horizontal) panel. That's just enough to run your LED lights for 5 hours (an underestimation for January). With the lights off it will take 10 days to charge a 90ah battery bank from 50% DoD. Even with a 30% increase for the tilt and three panels (as seen in the sketchup model) you'll still only get ~218wh. The figures become even worse when you factor in the efficiency loss of ~15% for an inverter (which you would need to power a laptop). Granted, these values are only estimations at best, and the average value would be suitable for someone looking to go away for the odd weekend here or there, but if you're planning on using your van on a semi-permanent (or even permanent) basis you'll find that you'll be putting too much strain on your battery bank during the winter months and may find yourself replacing your lead acid batteries (including AGM and gel) every year or two. Don't get me wrong Greg, I think your videos are excellent, but there is a growing number of people looking at solar to provide all of their energy needs for their van. I think it is valuable for them to know that at worst case (with a 100w monocrystalline panel) they will produce around 50 watt hours per day (average) in January compared to around 350 watt hours in July (without tilting).
I’m demonstrating the method of calculation. You then apply your own situation and data accordingly as you have just done. You have to apply common sense. Here in UK we go days with constant cloud cover and solar becomes completely useless. You will of course have to plan for alternative such as a small generator if you want to be wild camping or plug in on shore power on a camp site. If you are someone that likes camping in the artic circle in winter you will need a different strategy. Alternatively if your camped out on the Mediterranean Sea all the time you will most like not needs anything else. Solar at best is very inefficient why they are so many add on factors to include. Thanks for you thoughts on this and I’m sure a few will find it useful. Cheers
On a separate note, have you done any weight calculations? I see lots of videos where I'm pretty sure that what they end up driving is illegal. Yours was the first video I saw with any kind of insulation calculation, I wonder if it'll be the first with a weight calculation too.
Haha are you available for birthday parties too. 😂 This was one of the first things I considered. I’ve had to drop the original plan to haul two bikes and now it will only be one. Where possible it’s all been lightweight materials, aluminium etc. I did a spreadsheet but not published it yet. I will be weighing the van when complete as I am not going to risk being pulled over when abroad and having it impounded. Things like emptying grey tank regularly all helps. In hindsight the LWB 5T version would have been the safer bet. My furniture will be minimalist, no 2x4 timbers. all lightweight ply, it’s on the right track. What van have you got?
MAPS The Way From 10:55, it appears that he has seven sheets totally accounted for. Perhaps the eighth panel show it's a safety sheet. Also, yes, you can have any number of panels with any number of batteries. You just need to account for the charging current produced vs. that which is needed for your battery bank. Undersizing you panels will result in very long charge cycles.
Yes, the 100W panel is designed to charge 12v batteries so if you have two 12v batteries wire them in parallel. Like this, you can add the Ah duties of the two batteries together. Connect charger live to one battery and neg to the other to ensure even charging across both batteries. If you have 6v batteries wire them in series to make them a 12v battery string. The Ah will not be added in this case.
As the cutting plan shows I got it down to 7 boards in the end, which is a lot but I have the shower, bulkhead, bed wall and loads of cupboards in this build. Also ordered 6 sheets of white vinyl covered 3mm plywood for the headliner and bedroom side walls. Going to look amazing with the multicoloured LED lights washing down the white vinyl walls. D>I>S>C>O!!
Greg have you thought about maybe going lithium for your batteries? I'm doing so as IV ran lead acid for many years and sick of the losses involved with charging, temperature and life span.
Greg Virgoe IV been looking at these Valence u27 used (eBay)lifepo4 with built in BMS, with logged cycles and discharge depths etc. Most have very very little cycles. Worth a lookl
Another GREAT video!! Tomorrow i am taking my Promaster the Universal Motion to have our VMI wheelchair lift installed. After that, the build is on!!! Thanks Greg.
Great video and easy to follow for someone like me who has very limited knowledge in this area and just starting out with a couple 300 watt panels I recently acquired.
George once again and thank you for this very informative instruction video. We are converting over a 2018 Dodge ProMaster 3500 to a camper. I really appreciate the engineering look at these subjects very the hearsay of most of the vid's on U Tube.
Great vid, nice idea with the tilting! Adding a split charge relay and use the alternator on your way to the campsite, once arrived the panel will just have to top up your consumption that you use from the already charged batteries... Thx for the vid! :-)
Yes, I have a split charge relay kit to fit. I’m personally fitting 480w of Solar so will have over 1kWh of potential daily power available. I’m going to carry a small Genny for emergencies. 👍🏼😀
Absolutely brilliant! Clear, detailed and easy to understand. Many thanks. Looking forward to watching the rest of your video. Have also subscribed. Thanks again.
GREAT VIDEO GREG! Thank you! I have about 3500 solar panels (30watt) for trickle charging motorcycle sized batteries we use for our lightning prediction warning horns and strobes if there’s no place to mount them for a/c. A 52-54 degree angle for solar panels is without question a difference maker. Especially in the winter when the sun is lower and there’s less of it. My solar panels for work are stationary, so this is easy, but if you have the ability to point your solar panel(s) a southwest direction to aim them. Our little batteries are $125 we charge our customers, and we should get 5-7 years out of them. When one of the batteries die before 5 years the first thing I check is the volts directly from the solar panel. (They never go bad. Maybe 2 bad panels over 8 years and over 3000 of them) If there’s an error it’s either the angle or the direction the panel is facing. I’m going trying to convert a cargo trailer from generator to solar power. Your video was a great help on figuring out what I can charge or run while working at a remote site without power for 6 or 8 hours. (Drill batteries, circular saw, a couple of small fans inside and the usual cellphone charging)
On my 25 foot boat in Norway, which I use in the summertime, I get at least 10 hours a day with sunlight at sea. I run two computers, one fridge, one radio, and one electric razor without any problems on one 100w solar panel (about 19 v). It charges my battery more every day, then what I need. I get about 5 -5,5 amp into the battery every hour, and more than 50 amp (sometimes up to 80 amp on a very good day) into my battery. The Gps, walkie, talkie, and systems I need when moving at sea, draw power from my other battery that my engine is charging. If it rains for a couple of days, and I only get 40 amps into my battery, I can always connect my fridge for a few hours to my other battery. This way, a 100 w solar panel, can surely provide you with all the power you need on board a boat. I do have a 50liter fridge made to be very efficient for this type of use. Ps. I don't use computers for other than weather and news. My leisure battery is at 115 amp, and the other battery is 85 amp. Remember, summertime in Norway never gets totally dark. Remember to use an MPPT controller, so it gets usage of the Voltage over the first 12 V a not MPPT controller can. The fridge is using power at most for 20 minutes per hour, even less at night time.
Unfortunately not all of us live close to the Arctic Circle with long days and short nights during the summer months. Some of us live in the American Southwest with dry very hot temperatures requiring a air conditioner powered by a noisy inverter generator banging away all day and all night. Solar panels are only good for recharging batteries for smart phones, tablets, notebooks, and LED lighting. We use propane to power refrigerators, air conditioners, heaters, stoves, and hot water tanks...
Another great video Greg. The tease for a future video with the cabinets all designed and cut pieces, I assume, all ready for you to assemble, looks amazing. Can't wait for that one.
Hello David, The furniture ply is made to order so I wanted to be sure I ordered the right amount. It is due for delivery on Monday 26th March :D then I have 10days off work over Easter to get stuck in!
From the drawing on the video, I assumed each piece of each cabinet has been all ready cut for you, so all you had to do is assemble...did I assume incorrectly?
Nothing will be pre-cut. I was laying out the panels to maximise the use of the boards so I didn't over order. I will be cutting all the 8x4 sheet fo furniture myself. look forward to those videos at Easter.
To select a suitable charge controller you simply take the rated output of the panel and divide by the nominal voltage of the battery. So 100W / 12V = 8.33 Amps. Therefore a 10A solar charge controller will do the job and will typically have a power range up to 130W for 12V system.
Greg Virgoe I I am planning my own van project also and I just like to say thank you so much your videos have helped me very much you are such a smart man
Well explained! Still complicated but we'll explained
For the cost and the benefit, I would go solar as much as I can. A lot of people end up parking for up to 30 days (in the American southwest anyway) and running the engine long enough to keep a laptop or some other higher requirement device could be an issue. If you don't need it, then cool; but I would hope for the best while preparing for the worst. I would rather have it and not need it all than need some juice and not have it available. Having said that, those who travel a lot are often very individualistic with our own ways of doing things. Do what feels right for you and that is what makes each of us unique, and we are a unique lot.
Thanks for this
Devonian If you’re going to be living in a van, running lights, charging devices etc from the van battery is going to end in you getting stranded with a flat battery, unless you drive for at least a few hours every day. A second (“leisure”) battery that charges from your van’s alternator via a split charge relay will remove that risk and if you drive a few hours each day it will be enough for light to moderate daily use. If you stay in one place for a few days, you will need solar to compliment the charging. Solar is definitely the way to go if you spend a lot of time in the van IMHO.
If you live in Devon, get in touch and I can help you with figuring out a system if you like. I’ve been living in my conversion for almost 10 years now and have had a solar setup for 2.5 years.
Do you live in Devon per chance?
Certified Photovoltaic / Solar Thermal Technician here. i loved my classes back in the day. wish this is what they should've started instead of months into it. this tutorial cuts thru the chase, goes straight to the jugular. well done i Like, OLE'!
This video was amazing. You have a huge talent for teaching and explaining complex stuff in a very simple and logical way. Thank you very much!
What I love about your videos is that you respect your audience's intellectual abilities. Your logical, clear descriptions are excellent yet not patronizing nor "dumbed down." Thank you.
that I'll tel my Ex-wife next time ... "I respect your intellectual abilities, but ..." :))
I actually understood this without my brain stopping and my eyes rolling back into my head (and I've watched a number of videos thus far). Thank you!!
Hopefully you'll will find the rest of my videos to be of similar pace and useful to you
Ditto
We're building our van this year and your videos are now the main source of information. Thank you.
That's really nice to know George.
Thanks for such great feedback.
That's fan, I'm currently building mine while filming the process on TH-cam.
I am a newbie to solar panels. I've just started experimenting with a 20watt panel and there are so much useless information on the internet except for this video.
Thanks for your time making this video. This is really a good video to watch and it is easy to understand as well. 🙏🏼👌🏼
Glad you found it to be useful. I have quite a few more off grid electrical videos on the channel
I love watching your videos, it reminds me of watching 'open university' on BBC2 at 3am in the morning in the 1970's
Nice, clear and concise explanations!
Love it lol Iwas only just saying to my mum it reminded me of a Christmas lecture this one 😂
Look Around You
Extremely well done, easy to understand and no fluff at all. Great job, thank you Greg! It is people like you who make TH-cam a better place!
After deciding to install solar on my van i knew the only persons videos i could trust was Gregs, and of course he never fails to deliver. I have oversized everything 4x for longer off grid/no solar. A lot of things i didnt think about until i watched this video. You should seriously consider creating an in person paid course for this Greg, you are one hell of a teacher. Thanks again for everything.
Thank you for great feedback. Be careful not to fall into the trap of having an oversized battery bank that you can’t then recharge. It’s best to base your usage on what you can generate either by solar or B2B 👍🏼😃
Such a clear explanation. I’ve really enjoyed your van build series. My dad was a mechanical engineer. He was meticulous like you are. He would have appreciated you!
That’s really nice of you to say so and thank you for such great feedback 😊
171 dislikes? I found it very informative, clear and concise.
Ex girlfriends 😂👍🏻
@@tanja8907 171 ex-girlfriends? Greg has been busy!
Big like!
Just came across this video by accident while struggling to get to sleep.
I can't say for sure but I think I dozed off into a coma after about 56 seconds of viewing and woke up 7 months, 1 week, 3 days and 4 hours later.( which is now ).
Thank you for the vid. There comes a time when one can tolerate so much snooker repeats to get some sleep.
Thanks to you I have now reduced my intake of medication and am feeling much better
I enjoy your engineering approach to the van build. So many other van build videos seem to consist of large amounts of hand waving and cheesy music.
I’m a bit of a perfectionist and like to do things well. Create more work for myself but satisfying to see end result.
@@GregVirgoe You're a perfectionist Greg? I couldn't tell 😉. It must be the Virgoe in you, bum bum 🦊 (virgo's are perfectionists in case you didn't know, lol).
Clear and concise without annoying music - it doesn't get any better! Thanks. I've subscribed.
That's brilliant, hope you enjoy the other video here too
What an excellent job you have done with this series of videos mr Virgoe, you have a natural knack for teaching instruction. Thanks so much.
It must come from years of presenting HVAC designs across boardroom tables to a room full of clients and architects.
I try to put things across in layman's terms that anyone can understand and not use lots of jargon.
Wow, so clear in his explanation, illustration, voice, speed. Love his style.
What a lovely comment. Thank you 😊
Great video. Would just like to add from 25yrs using solar that panels work from sunrise to sunset in daylight not just in sunshine. Obviously at reduced power but that all adds up. Many folk say you cannot use solar in winter in Scotland for example, well we do :-) We also no longer tilt but increased the panels as "larger" capacity became available in a smaller area and we get older :-)
That all makes perfect sense Desmond and thank you for sharing your experience.
No point in tilting them up on overcast days as you're not getting direct sunlight anyway?
As you can see with my van I have maximised the solar and gone for 3x160W 36 cell panels, 480W total which should give me plenty for what I want to do. So what would you say the percentage solar power on a cloudy day?
We have 2x160W panels and 330Ah of battery. In winter with cloud and short days it can be as low as a 10Ah harvest in a day by this time (March) of year 20Ah plus on a cloudy day. Not sure on % overall but possibly as low as 10% in winter. In Nov-Feb we have to watch consumption a little but the rest of the year we have a surplus.
you can always use them,it just depends what you expect them to do and whether they will produce useful power in your application. There is a bit of a tendency to say everything is awesome and just gloss over comprimises, generators runs etc.
Thank you for carefully describing this. I appreciate how you made this video. It’s easy to follow. AWESOME!
I, like some others, am a bit tired of bells and whistles for 15 minutes before the important content is shared.
Channel must be broken. No 30 second heavy metal intro, followed by a Skillshare promo.
Even worse, no droning useless musical score in the background competing with the narration in an effort to give that professional documentary feel.
This comment is a skillshare promo 😑
Stupid fucking goofs.
Greg, this is the video I wished I'd found weeks ago when I was tasked with building an off grid lighting system in Greece. This has everything I need to know as a complete PV novice with easy to follow explanations and examples. I think you just saved us over specing the installation and saved us a few quid, thank you!
You are most welcome. You may find this video helpful too th-cam.com/video/rVkDPzrA-zw/w-d-xo.html
Great video. Quality production. Useful information presented with no ego and intimidation, just pure facts and figures. Thanks for making this.
This technical aspect is lost on many. Excellent information Greg. Thanks!
Thanks for your appreciation 😃
Greg, love your videos, I am a heating/electrical engineer and think you do a excellent job in giving detailed information on all of your topics.
That's nice to hear, esp from a fellow HVAC engineer :D
Great video easy to understand with the added bonus of zero annoying background music thanks very much 👍
Thank you Kev, I’m glad you liked it
Brilliant. First time I've heard of tilting panels on a van!! Thanks
Greetings from Orange County California. Even though I'm 2 years late to this party the information is new to me and I thank you for doing this very easy to understand video.
I'm going to be starting my own van build here in the near future and I'll be trying to get the most bang for my buck as far as solar panels and batteries go while keeping the number of them to an adequate minimum.
Thanks once again
You described this subject very clearly. Thank you
Thank you Mike
hello George from Thessaloniki Greece, i saw a lot of videos about the system of a solar panel, and i admit that you are the best of all ,you explain very simple everything, and you cover all the foot steps, of the information ,for this solar panel. Thanks for your time.
As an engineer and a maker I have to say your videos are fantastic. Your attention to detail is becoming a lost art. I had a thought about your panel tilt system. Use gas struts with adjustable pre marked stay straps, it would save a lot of roof climbing and time. Just park, pull the pin and watch as they glide into place!
That's not a bad idea, I've hit a bit of a stumbling block with the combined weight.
Each Panel weighs 10.8kg so that's 32.4kg combined plus a few nuts and bolts.
The aluminium support struts I originally bought are not strong enough to hold the weight and will easily bend.
So I'm having to rethink the bracketry and source some stronger materials.
I'll look into the gas struts now as I could fit 4no, one either end and two mid in between the three panels.
Will look at holding weights, lengths of struts and geometry now. Thanks
Had a quick look, these people look like they might have something strutsdirect.metrol.com/fixed-force-gas-struts-ranges
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-X5-X6-F15-F16-tailgate-automatic-spindle-drive-7294469/222577661741?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150313114020%26meid%3D36d187a5816144abb60cba9ff8ffb45b%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D29%26sd%3D282779405562%26itm%3D222577661741&_trksid=p2141725.c100338.m3726
HI Greg and Steelfoot- My boyfriend and I are converting a citroen relay currently using the majority of your videos Greg to get by...! We have found the whole build series invaluable and would be much further behind without it... have you thought any more about this now and how you might attach the panels on?
We are looking at doing the same as you- except to have 4 panels so about 44kg in weight- tilted on the short axis... The idea of the gas struts seems excellent- thanks for suggesting. What kind of strap are you imagining?
And Greg if the aluminium isn't strong enough- what were you thinking next- material and source?! Thanks, Katie and Mike
I found it really informative and easy to follow. Usually I’d get lost halfway but I got this first time . Thanks
Carleton Blackwell that’s good to know. Thanks for watching.
This guy sounds just like the computer from "Red Dwarf". Loved that show.
Holly 🤣
This was an extremely helpful video for a newbie like me. I will now try and find some tutorials on solar so that I really know what to ask for when I get a system installed. Many thanks!
Dan Barber check out my other build videos I have a good video on installing solar panels and sizing batteries too. Also check out my off grid wiring video
love love this concept, this idea, this video - of course we all wondered what can be run off a panel, this is great very helpful and well explained
gReGsKi GmAiL really pleased you liked this video thank you 😊
Thank you so much, I've only started the idea of using solar panel on my shed. This broke down the details and made is so much easier to understand
This video may also help you with the wiring of an off grid system. 👍🏼
th-cam.com/video/rVkDPzrA-zw/w-d-xo.html
I believe you should have a show of your own dedicated to RV planning, building and troubleshooting. Keep up the great work, Greg.
I like to think I already have, on here :D
TH-cam is the new form of TV
Thank you for the compliment, much appreciated.
This inductive reasoning is a much better reference for people starting out, thanks a lot!
The best video on solar panel use. Perfectly explained! Thank you very much for your effort Greg!
I'm really pleased you liked it thanks for commenting
Well done once again Greg. Mounting the solar panel Will be the next hurdle I will have to overcome. Like your idea of tilting them.
Hi David, what type of van do you have? I have looked at using the OEM roof rails that bolt into the pre fixed nuts in the gutters on the roof.
Greg Virgoe
I have the plastic mounts for the corners and side. They won't fit between the ridges in the roof. It's a sprinter the same as you have so I might do the roof rail approach. I might make some aluminium angle bar. Weather holds I'm doing it this weekend.
Hello David, the rails that run the length can go where the Merchant OEM roof rails go.
Plus it takes the curve out of the roof. A 36cell panel is 50-70mm wider than the gutter so this allows you to go over the roof a little too.
Haha your thumbnail nicely contrasts to the typical vanlife style!
Awesome video, thanks.
Since I'm also in Europe I'll be eager to hear more about your vanlife vlogs!
This really is the most clear video explaining solar that I have watched that actually explains how all of the parts and numbers relate to one another. Thanks!
Watched a tilted solar set up from a guy Bob interviewed on his “Cheap RV “ channel, the guy had the panels tilt from either side which might be useful. Can’t always park in ideal direction to the sun. Looking forward to seeing panels connected to aluminum rails.
Always enjoy your post, I thank you.
Trouble is the cables are connected to one end only.
You can always park in forwards or backwards so that should be enough. Van needs to be facing west all the time so the panels will face due south. Thanks 😀
Hey Greg, I just thought the same thing as Dani did. I'm pretty sure there will be times when you want to park your van _just like that_ because of the view or whatever and the panels would pop up in the wrong direction. If the cables are your only concern: simply run them back to the center of each panel and allow some lift, then bundle and run them through the roof. With all the effort you're putting in, I'm sure you can get it to work. Would be a shame if you'd had to decide for _either_ the view/ entry/ etc _or_ full batteries ;)
If I wanted to park up to enjoy a particular view I will probably just leave them flat,
I won't worry about the small loss of solar because I'd be too busy enjoying the view. 😃👍🏼
Great video. Clear, concise and at the right pace to trickle charge my old grey cells with the required info, thanks! 👍
Pleased you found it to be interesting, thank you
Greg Just another note on this video,,,My wife ask me a question out of the blue tonight,,,,Her question was what can you run on a Hundred Watt Solar system ?? So Thanks for this timely video,,,,Made me look like a Genius when I told her the devices we could charge,,, She asked how do you know that ?? ,,I replied ,Well you know it's a guy thing,,, LOL,,,Then I showed her your video,,,,Best Regards
LOL just at the right time. That's great and pleased it was useful to you.
Did she fall for it ?, Funny guy, great reply and honest after all, another old guy, TOO FUNNY !.
What an absolutely brilliant video. I've been looking into solar for ages and not found anything as useful as that video. Never knew anything about the angle changes or the concept of over estimating on the batteries to allow for a day of no sun. Brilliant video
Super video!! That is the easiest and best explanation I have ever come across.Thank you for doing and sharing:)
Many thanks Greg, I was having deliberations on the viability of 100w panel, the addition of tilting I think is a must for Europe, you’ve put my mind at rest.
I'm pleased you found it to be useful.
54° is very steep so it makes sense.
Best video on youtube explaining this. Appreciate it.
Anthony Spencer really pleased you liked it
I'm glad you made the calculations Greg I just bought solar panel for my caravan to top up battery works fine all the best
That’s excellent Barry, nice when a plan come together 😊
Fantastic Greg 👍🏼 totally inspiring approach as usual it gives me great confidence to get going on my dream of doing the same , always look forward to your videos , top man and appreciate your exact and precise way of achieving your goals can’t wait for the next installment thank you 😊
Really appreciate you fantastic feedback Simon, spurs me onto creating more content. Cheers
I am solar panel illiterate. Thanks to you I have learnt quite a lot. You won another subscriber
Anti War thank you for your support and glad it was useful.
Really one of best videos I have ever seen! Great work! Thank you!
That's very generous off you, thanks
I'm new. I've only seen two of your videos. I love your calm demeanor and how thorough you are. You have a subscriber out of me.
now thats how you explain a solar setup, very helpfull, thank you very much.👍
You are most welcome and glad it was useful to you
Excellent video. I just bought my Sprinter van and am about to upfit this beast. Your videos are one of my go-to links to get ideas.
That's great to hear Mike, best wishes with your build. If you use Instagram or Facebook share some photos as you progress, would be great to see what you do with it.
phenomenal information, always a pleasure to watch your videos. Great content explained so well!
Many thanks, Allen, it really means the world to me to get feedback like yours.
Great video. Thank you for taking the backwards approach to explaining this. Now I understand.
WDM MARK I’m pleased that has helped you 😊
Interesting breakdown and very informative. 👍🏻
Thank you Peter, much appreciated. Cheers
Thank you so much for your generous and super easy to understand explanation especially as compared to others advising purchase of expensive systems
🙏🏻
Great video. One thing people forget is wind noise when driving. Increased fuel costs as well as whistles and general noise generated by square edges on mtg brackets. Also lying in bed on a windy 50mph gust weather being kept awake. Norfolk Uk coast can be bad. George
There's your gap in the market. You need to design an aerodynamic solar panel for vehicle use.
Nicely explained Greg
Cheers Larn, Much appreciated.
fantastic , thankyou its made me realise small systems are more worth it than I thought .
Exactly peter, modern tech uses surprisingly little power.
Very hrlpful indeed. Thank you. :-)
No problem, glad you liked it.
This video is like a tresaure for me. I was looking for a video like that, finally find it, and its a 12 minutes only!!!
Thank you sir :D
Hi Greg Do you need to isolate the solar system when charging from battery charger on hook up?
Ross Brooks no not at all. Your solar charger will see a high voltage from the mains charger and back right off.
Finaly....nice,clear straight forward.. thanks very much for your time and effort. I have confidence to push-on.
Nice one Greg - like all your videos very well researched and thorough and very clearly presented information. Can I just tease you about the inclination of the panels? There can be no doubt that achieving the sun striking the panels at 'normal' maximises conversion - but that is only one of the angles involved - as the earth rotates the sun will transit across the van so to speak - have you considered a 'lazy susan' type mount so you could track the sun - or is that additional weight up top just the last straw?
I suppose you'll want me to motorise it too and install GPS solar tracking software on my laptop ;) lol
Joking aside, the sun is at its hottest midday when it's the highest point in the sky, so with a fixed array (which this is really) its best to point them due south for us northerners and due north for those southerners.
In my setup, I shall try and park the van facing west if possible so the panels face south and get the sun most of the day.
I like the idea of tracking the sun but worried it will start to look like GoonHilly. Cheers Norman
Greg Virgoe It’s a fair cop guvnor😂
Very helpful for a newbie who knows nothing about solar thank you 😊
There is an issue with using the average insolation value to calculate your loads. For instance, in January the value is only 25% of the average, and no amount of tilt will make up the shortfall. As monthly insolation tables are easily available I think it would be more prudent to work from a worst case value.
Hello, you are correct that values in winter will be less than in summer. The average daily sun hours takes into account the amount of sun across the entire day and reduces this to the equivalent number of hours at STC. I’d did take the lower value. I could have just gone with 1hr of daily sun and see what that gave me. It’s at Best an estimate anyway as there are so many variables it’s never going to be an exact calculation. With regards to tilt the winter is when you need it most as the sun is lowest and the sun hours are the shortest.
Thanks for your feedback. 👍🏼
Okay, so using your calcs and the January average insolation value of around 0.8 (SE England), you would produce only 56wh from a 100w (horizontal) panel. That's just enough to run your LED lights for 5 hours (an underestimation for January). With the lights off it will take 10 days to charge a 90ah battery bank from 50% DoD. Even with a 30% increase for the tilt and three panels (as seen in the sketchup model) you'll still only get ~218wh. The figures become even worse when you factor in the efficiency loss of ~15% for an inverter (which you would need to power a laptop).
Granted, these values are only estimations at best, and the average value would be suitable for someone looking to go away for the odd weekend here or there, but if you're planning on using your van on a semi-permanent (or even permanent) basis you'll find that you'll be putting too much strain on your battery bank during the winter months and may find yourself replacing your lead acid batteries (including AGM and gel) every year or two.
Don't get me wrong Greg, I think your videos are excellent, but there is a growing number of people looking at solar to provide all of their energy needs for their van. I think it is valuable for them to know that at worst case (with a 100w monocrystalline panel) they will produce around 50 watt hours per day (average) in January compared to around 350 watt hours in July (without tilting).
I’m demonstrating the method of calculation. You then apply your own situation and data accordingly as you have just done. You have to apply common sense. Here in UK we go days with constant cloud cover and solar becomes completely useless.
You will of course have to plan for alternative such as a small generator if you want to be wild camping or plug in on shore power on a camp site.
If you are someone that likes camping in the artic circle in winter you will need a different strategy. Alternatively if your camped out on the Mediterranean Sea all the time you will most like not needs anything else. Solar at best is very inefficient why they are so many add on factors to include. Thanks for you thoughts on this and I’m sure a few will find it useful. Cheers
On a separate note, have you done any weight calculations? I see lots of videos where I'm pretty sure that what they end up driving is illegal.
Yours was the first video I saw with any kind of insulation calculation, I wonder if it'll be the first with a weight calculation too.
Haha are you available for birthday parties too. 😂
This was one of the first things I considered. I’ve had to drop the original plan to haul two bikes and now it will only be one. Where possible it’s all been lightweight materials, aluminium etc. I did a spreadsheet but not published it yet. I will be weighing the van when complete as I am not going to risk being pulled over when abroad and having it impounded. Things like emptying grey tank regularly all helps. In hindsight the LWB 5T version would have been the safer bet. My furniture will be minimalist, no 2x4 timbers.
all lightweight ply, it’s on the right track. What van have you got?
You're channel is utterly brilliant and useful. Thanks so much!
You're awesome Greg! Great content.
Thanks again John
Best video about solar panels on TH-cam by far. Well done.
Than you very much, glad you liked it
Hi Greg 2 questions 1st am I ok to use 2 batteries with the 100 watt panel ?..... 2nd how many boards have you needed to order from moorland
MAPS The Way From 10:55, it appears that he has seven sheets totally accounted for. Perhaps the eighth panel show it's a safety sheet.
Also, yes, you can have any number of panels with any number of batteries. You just need to account for the charging current produced vs. that which is needed for your battery bank. Undersizing you panels will result in very long charge cycles.
Yes, the 100W panel is designed to charge 12v batteries so if you have two 12v batteries wire them in parallel.
Like this, you can add the Ah duties of the two batteries together. Connect charger live to one battery and neg to the other to ensure even charging across both batteries.
If you have 6v batteries wire them in series to make them a 12v battery string. The Ah will not be added in this case.
As the cutting plan shows I got it down to 7 boards in the end, which is a lot but I have the shower, bulkhead, bed wall and loads of cupboards in this build. Also ordered 6 sheets of white vinyl covered 3mm plywood for the headliner and bedroom side walls.
Going to look amazing with the multicoloured LED lights washing down the white vinyl walls. D>I>S>C>O!!
Hi John, The eighth panel are in fact 6no - 8x4 sheets of 3mm white vinyl covered plywood that I'm using for the headliner and bedroom walls.
How did you get the exact size of walls an headliner?
This is the most informative, understandable, and concise video I have found on this subject. Well done!
Thanks Abe, I'm pleased that you liked it 👍🏼
Greg have you thought about maybe going lithium for your batteries? I'm doing so as IV ran lead acid for many years and sick of the losses involved with charging, temperature and life span.
They are just so expensive unless you have found some cheaper ones??
Greg Virgoe IV been looking at these Valence u27 used (eBay)lifepo4 with built in BMS, with logged cycles and discharge depths etc. Most have very very little cycles. Worth a lookl
$5K for a useable bank of lithium batteries is just too costly. Perhaps they will come down later.
Thanks Greg.....you explained this very well in a much better detailed way
KIVUMBI ALEX I’m pleased you liked it 😃
Double the panels, double the bats, got it! Thanks! Lol
Yep 👍🏼 pretty much works
Greg Virgoe lol jokes aside, very nice video man. Cheers!
Much appreciated, thank you
One of the best videos I've seen on the topic. Lot's of thanks, Greg.
Salaam.
Very kind of you to say so, many thanks, Salaam
Another GREAT video!!
Tomorrow i am taking my Promaster the Universal Motion to have our VMI wheelchair lift installed. After that, the build is on!!!
Thanks Greg.
Rockinrobbyboy exciting times ahead 👍🏼😀 keep us posted on progress
You explain like you would if you were talking to young children-love it! Just what I need cos I'm clueless about this stuff. Big help, thanks 😊👍
Great video and easy to follow for someone like me who has very limited knowledge in this area and just starting out with a couple 300 watt panels I recently acquired.
Dave's Hong Kong & China Channel you’ll have plenty of power with 600W solar.
That’s the most comprehensive, yet understandable vlog on this subject. It’s helped me a great deal, thank you. SUBSCRIBED 👍🏻
Thank you very much, glad it was useful to you.
Very well explained and displayed. Best I've seen on the subject (and I've sold Solar systems here in Australia)
Well done !
George once again and thank you for this very informative instruction video. We are converting over a 2018 Dodge ProMaster 3500 to a camper. I really appreciate the engineering look at these subjects very the hearsay of most of the vid's on U Tube.
Like so many people commenting below - this is amazingly simple and clear to understand. Excellent material - Thank you!
Great vid, nice idea with the tilting!
Adding a split charge relay and use the alternator on your way to the campsite, once arrived the panel will just have to top up your consumption that you use from the already charged batteries...
Thx for the vid!
:-)
Yes, I have a split charge relay kit to fit. I’m personally fitting 480w of Solar so will have over 1kWh of potential daily power available. I’m going to carry a small Genny for emergencies. 👍🏼😀
Absolutely brilliant! Clear, detailed and easy to understand. Many thanks. Looking forward to watching the rest of your video. Have also subscribed. Thanks again.
Thank you for subscribing it really does help me. Cheers
GREAT VIDEO GREG! Thank you! I have about 3500 solar panels (30watt) for trickle charging motorcycle sized batteries we use for our lightning prediction warning horns and strobes if there’s no place to mount them for a/c.
A 52-54 degree angle for solar panels is without question a difference maker. Especially in the winter when the sun is lower and there’s less of it. My solar panels for work are stationary, so this is easy, but if you have the ability to point your solar panel(s) a southwest direction to aim them. Our little batteries are $125 we charge our customers, and we should get 5-7 years out of them. When one of the batteries die before 5 years the first thing I check is the volts directly from the solar panel. (They never go bad. Maybe 2 bad panels over 8 years and over 3000 of them) If there’s an error it’s either the angle or the direction the panel is facing.
I’m going trying to convert a cargo trailer from generator to solar power.
Your video was a great help on figuring out what I can charge or run while working at a remote site without power for 6 or 8 hours. (Drill batteries, circular saw, a couple of small fans inside and the usual cellphone charging)
A combination of parallel and series wiring fir this small panels will give you a decent array for off grid use.
Thanks for watching the videos. 👍🏼
rob from the toon, best video I seen on solar panel calculation, easy to understand many thanks.
Excellent Greg thank you, as ever clear and understandable - please continue.
Thank you Martin
Thank you Greg. I must agree with The Traveling Carpenter. Well Done.
Thanks for great feedback, always welcome
So well done. Fantastic work Greg
Thank you very much. 😃👍🏼
thank you for explaining this in basic form
ginacardarella my pleasure and hope it was useful to you 😊
On my 25 foot boat in Norway, which I use in the summertime, I get at least 10 hours a day with sunlight at sea. I run two computers, one fridge, one radio, and one electric razor without any problems on one 100w solar panel (about 19 v). It charges my battery more every day, then what I need. I get about 5 -5,5 amp into the battery every hour, and more than 50 amp (sometimes up to 80 amp on a very good day) into my battery. The Gps, walkie, talkie, and systems I need when moving at sea, draw power from my other battery that my engine is charging. If it rains for a couple of days, and I only get 40 amps into my battery, I can always connect my fridge for a few hours to my other battery. This way, a 100 w solar panel, can surely provide you with all the power you need on board a boat. I do have a 50liter fridge made to be very efficient for this type of use. Ps. I don't use computers for other than weather and news. My leisure battery is at 115 amp, and the other battery is 85 amp. Remember, summertime in Norway never gets totally dark. Remember to use an MPPT controller, so it gets usage of the Voltage over the first 12 V a not MPPT controller can. The fridge is using power at most for 20 minutes per hour, even less at night time.
Unfortunately not all of us live close to the Arctic Circle with long days and short nights during the summer months. Some of us live in the American Southwest with dry very hot temperatures requiring a air conditioner powered by a noisy inverter generator banging away all day and all night. Solar panels are only good for recharging batteries for smart phones, tablets, notebooks, and LED lighting. We use propane to power refrigerators, air conditioners, heaters, stoves, and hot water tanks...
Another excellent video Greg. Very grateful for your experience
Thank you very much
Great video, nice simple explanations spoken slow enough to write down, super useful. Thank you.
Another great video Greg. The tease for a future video with the cabinets all designed and cut pieces, I assume, all ready for you to assemble, looks amazing. Can't wait for that one.
Hello David,
The furniture ply is made to order so I wanted to be sure I ordered the right amount.
It is due for delivery on Monday 26th March :D then I have 10days off work over Easter to get stuck in!
From the drawing on the video, I assumed each piece of each cabinet has been all ready cut for you, so all you had to do is assemble...did I assume incorrectly?
Nothing will be pre-cut. I was laying out the panels to maximise the use of the boards so I didn't over order.
I will be cutting all the 8x4 sheet fo furniture myself. look forward to those videos at Easter.
First time iv watched a video on solar panels and understood it great info thanks
Really pleased you found that to be useful Robbie, thanks for great feedback.
Finally someone that teaches. Thank you so much for sharing. I have a much better understanding of solar panels now.
Tanya Joseph it’s a pleasure. I’m pleased it was useful to you 😊
Excellent explanation and your graphics are superb! Thank you!