Tilting solar panels

I added a two way tilt setup to my van so I could get the panel near vertical in the winter when the difference is most significant (4-500% increase in output, when the sun was out) but since switching to Lithium batteries there’s been no real need to tilt them simply because Lithium recharges so much more efficiently no need to spend hours and hours for lead acids to trickle charge the last but oh so crucial 20%.

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CriftinsCampers said:
I added a two way tilt setup to my van so I could get the panel near vertical in the winter when the difference is most significant (4-500% increase in output, when the sun was out) but since switching to Lithium batteries there’s been no real need to tilt them simply because Lithium recharges so much more efficiently no need to spend hours and hours for lead acids to trickle charge the last but oh so crucial 20%.

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It's getting to the time of the year you don't need to tilt them like you say its the winter months that made a really big difference .
 
Exwindsurfer said:
It's getting to the time of the year you don't need to tilt them like you say its the winter months that made a really big difference .
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Pound for pound my genny still has the edge though lol

Makes me laugh on Facebook when folks go on about the free energy from solar. Don’t bother to point out how much all the blue bits cost them though, so long as they are happy 😂😂
 
nabsim said:
Pound for pound my genny still has the edge though lol

Makes me laugh on Facebook when folks go on about the free energy from solar. Don’t bother to point out how much all the blue bits cost them though, so long as they are happy 😂😂
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It's only free after the initial lay out lolol
 
Exwindsurfer said:
this time of the year you can stop off grid indefinitely theses day Neal with all this solar
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I stop off grid all year round and all in the U.K. maybe make it harder on myself with the big compressor fridge but I wouldn’t be without it by choice. Not used the second 5 litre can of petrol yet as I only run genny when I have to get some charge in the battery’s . Keep toying with a second b2b but would still need a good three hour drive every couple of days and not sure if I would be pushing alternator then. No need to think too much for six months or so now though as solar been enough for the last month or so 👍
 
Exwindsurfer said:
I think I've got about 800 quid on my roof ie panels brackets alloy mastic .
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Yeah but you do it all yourself, would hate to think how much the electrical bill would come to for someone having a van built for them and using the latest EcoFlow power kit. Wouldn’t surprise me if it was more than some vans you can pick up
 
nabsim said:
Yeah but you do it all yourself, would hate to think how much the electrical bill would come to for someone having a van built for them and using the latest EcoFlow power kit. Wouldn’t surprise me if it was more than some vans you can pick up
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Fore sure
 
nabsim said:
Yeah and some of the setup you see these days can be approaching the 10k mark lol
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Because I'm a boring old fart who worked in a Bank at the end of the Captain Mainwaring era, I learned about Fixed Costs and Variable Costs quite early on [and Capital and Revenue Expenditure]. So I regard the kit purchase as Capital Expenditure [takes the pain away from reading the cretin card statement ...] and then measure the revenue/running costs to take away the pain!

In wider society at present [see 'Surplus Food' Thread on Wildcamping Forum], the opposite effect is stopping those in food poverty from improving their lot and moving towards an escape. They cannot afford the Appliances and energy costs that would enable them to buy less expensive raw materials for cooking 2-3 meals for the same cost as 1 preheated takeaway meal. A few quid extra would make a world of difference!

Steve
 
Biggest benefit for me is keeping all the batteries charged up via Solar when not using the van or when at events. No need for mains hookup ever nor pointless engine idling for ages which sadly seems to be a very regular occurrence especially at meet ups.

Although it would be nice to have a few KW on the roof in reality it would be way to easy to waste lots of money for very limited gain so my economical setup suits our requirements 99% of the time
 
marchie said:
Because I'm a boring old fart who worked in a Bank at the end of the Captain Mainwaring era, I learned about Fixed Costs and Variable Costs quite early on [and Capital and Revenue Expenditure]. So I regard the kit purchase as Capital Expenditure [takes the pain away from reading the cretin card statement ...] and then measure the revenue/running costs to take away the pain!

In wider society at present [see 'Surplus Food' Thread on Wildcamping Forum], the opposite effect is stopping those in food poverty from improving their lot and moving towards an escape. They cannot afford the Appliances and energy costs that would enable them to buy less expensive raw materials for cooking 2-3 meals for the same cost as 1 preheated takeaway meal. A few quid extra would make a world of difference!

Steve
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If your old Steve where an I lololol
 
CriftinsCampers said:
Biggest benefit for me is keeping all the batteries charged up via Solar when not using the van or when at events. No need for mains hookup ever nor pointless engine idling for ages which sadly seems to be a very regular occurrence especially at meet ups.

Although it would be nice to have a few KW on the roof in reality it would be way to easy to waste lots of money for very limited gain so my economical setup suits our requirements 99% of the time
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I leave my compressor fridge running all thd time just to give the the 400 amps of lithium something todo lolol
 
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