Hi There,
Recently just about received an AC180 and a neighbour gave me a Victron 140w Blue Power solar panel…am i piddling into the wind with it? I understand that during dull and overcast days itll be next to useless but during the summer?
Thanks!
Gavin
I think you have probably answered your own question, however, the Victron was free and it will do something. Your way forward is to consider other options, such as more solar in series, vehicle charging i.e. Charger 1, petrol generator etc etc. It’s always easier to answer the question if you note your intended use, lol. 
You are totally right, i should have provided more information! I already have two 120 panels on the roof of the van which are looking after phone charging and a 100ah leisure battery which is for lighting, waterpump and most importantly a deisel heater on the 12v side of things.
The AC180 was bought to allow us run a tv/dvdplayer/firestick and for Mrs. FR to have the ability to hair dry, hair straighten and also to have a milk frother for coffee. Um planning on plugging the 180 into the EHU of the van and run it that way. It may also run a fridge on a timer, perhaps a blast every 2-3 hours to keep it chilled if gas isnt an option. Due to roof space i think this is the last panel ill be able to fit and while the 180 is a luxury the leisure battery on the other panels is a priority.
I know the feeling, I got the 1st 180 for my caravan. For the microwave mainly. It uses around 13-14% for a 6min frozen meal. So I charge from the van panels next day as well as the van. I have 200Ah of Li on board and only 1 x 160 roof panel. I supplement with 2 x 150 hardkorr solar matts, = 460W total. I also run a diesel heater, but all my on boards are 12V, TV Hubbl, laptop all 12V or 5V USB. I have short straight hair so no dryer, lol and use instant coffee. Wife is not able to travel, so I solo trip, mainly gold prospecting. However, there is a 375W Victron in the 4x4 and I carry a 800W genny just in case…Options…
I’d like foldaway panels but storage is at a premium and we’ve a nearly 3 year old boy who’d see them as a dancing platform! Anything really needs to go on the roof but again due to a prior install were limited to the space, this panel came up so hopefully itll go!
Coffee for herself is a must, being italian she won’t do the Nescafe!!
Yup many have the SWMBO issue (She Who Must Be Obeyed). My caravan is a 15’ poptop, with on the roof aircon near the rear, shower hatch, wind up TV antenna and the 160W panel. Although I have space for possible 2 x 150W additional panels, my issue is weight. I had air risers put on the roof as it was already too heavy for me to lift.
I am a firm believer in “options”, i.e. more than one option. Solar alone is not an option for me, why? …
My average daily use on the house batteries is approx 60Ah, in good sun, I get over 20amps from my 460W which is self sufficient. But in overcast conditions, only around 5amps, which is not. I have 3 days of stored power and in winter can find myself running out in extended poor weather.
So, my options are, the 800W genny directly to the 240VAC van charger, or, hook the van to the car power via an extension Anderson using the 25A Redarc DC-DC I installed, idling the 4x4 for an hour or two. I tend to replace daily use every day, van and AC180 rather than wait until I’m desperate for recharge.
Re the Bluetti - Set to Silent charging mode, I have the 375W Victron running from the 4x4 auxiliary, which charges it at 285W when driving. This also allows approx 900Wh (60-70Ah @ 12VDC) I could transfer from the AC180 to the caravan. Which means cooking on the gas stove instead of microwave use.
We all have differing needs, budgets and processes and in your case a child. If a solar mat is on legs and angled, would he still try to “dance” on them? With all off grid systems there are 2 main criteria, capacity (available power and available recharge) and management/monitoring of the system.
Budget isnt so much a thing, its space. The 180, i have a cubby hole for, the 200 was a smidge too tall, would have been great but the location at the back door close to the EHU for the van combined with my last bit of roof space for a panel was the deciding factor for the 180. More capacity would be great but for the minute i think it’ll be ok! I was going to look at connecting up a second VSR as the current one looks after the leisure battery and fridge while we are on the move but its an older Merc 312d with a 80/90 amp alternator and i dont want to put too much of a strain on it combined with the fact that 12v charging isn’t the quickest and we’donly travel maybe1.5-2 hours from home so the charge would be minimal. I was also toying with the idea of using a 300/600 peak inverter to charge if we got stuck on a site as its an older van without a DPF so it can idle all day if needs be whild hooked up to an inverter. Again, a frame with legs, its all space we dont have, i think I maybe pushing it weight wise also, its a heavy build. I’m not sure what the weather is going to bring over the next few days but i have the 180 at about 90% so I’m going to test the panel and make sure its working and then make a plan.
What is EHU? I’m in Australia, where are you?
Aaah the VSR - I have the Projecta PM300 in my caravan, it has a VSR, was absolute crap for charging my lithium batteries. I rerouted the vehicle input to a Redarc BCDC1225N 25A. Now it charges great and it’s especially better due to my Prado having a smart alternator. As an aside, I power an Anti Sway device for the caravan, the Redarc 25A in the van and a slimline 75A lithium auxiliary in the 4x4 with its own inbuilt 20A charger (around 50A total) from my alternator, but not sure of alternator size, but from Google searches, I think 100A. I’ve night driven with all that connected, plus high beam and light bar without an issue.
EHU - Electric Hook Up ie the 16 amp socket on the side of a unit.
I’m in Ireland. Yeah, our leisure battery is a lead acid so the VSR is grand for that. I also have a battery charger connected to the van battery so i can charge it and then charge the leisure battery through the VSR all at the same time when plugged in.
Our van is 97 with low mileage but i still dont want to send the alternator into meltdown. The AC pump is disconnected as its not at all needed in our climate, i was toying with the idea of fitting a second alternator in its place but i need to draw a line somewhere! Its a camper after all, not a power station!
Thanks, never heard that one, lol. We call it Grid connect or shore power, even though caravans don’t float lol.
I started a test today on one of my house AC180s to see how long it will power my kitchen 508lt fridge, but will post in my other thread “Real World Use”.
I’m then hooking a 100Ah LiFePo4 to it to assess extended run time. All the best with your set up.