First time caravan owner and very excited! Purchased a Jayco expanda 2006 model. It currently does not have any solar or battery solution and I am looking for a solution which will give me enough power for lights, fan, charging phones the standard 12v Jayco fridge and a 90l waeco freezer. I realise there are many solutions and can spend thousands getting the absolute best. I have a budget of $1000 to spend to get our Off grid power sorted. What would you recommend I buy or do to fit within budget but give me the necessary power for some off grid caravaning. Am i being way to ambitious thinking that i can have a solution within this budget?
Solar $1000 power solution
- Thread starter terry_evian
- Start date
Hello @terry_evian and welcome to the forum. As you said there are plenty of options and plenty of ways to apply those options too, as many members will attest. But first of all, for off grid power, you need a good AGM battery/ies. A good 130ah AGM can be obtained on Ebay for $250.00 to $300.00. Then you need to be able to charge the battery/ies. Portable folding solar panels are now relatively cheap. You can get a 200 watt version with a cheap PWM controller for around $130.00 delivered. These are fixed glass type. and weigh about 12kgs. Lighter folding type are around the $280.00 mark and sometimes do not have a controller which may have to be purchased separately. An MPPT controller is far more efficient but costs around the $150.00 mark for a PROPER MPPT type with a display screen. Other more sophisticated types need a separate display screen but can be connected by blue tooth to your phone.. The skies the limit. Things to consider are your daily power usage and storage. More panels gives quicker recharging, but more batteries provides better storage when recharging is not real good because of cloud or rainy conditions. Lithium are great but will well and truly blow your budget!!!
Then you have to consider weight, storage capacity in van when travelling and various connections to exterior of van for solar panels. If you are knowledgeable on 12 volt electrics, then there are plenty of posts on this subject on this forum for you to read about.
My system came in well under the $1000.00 you are thinking about and I only have a 2013 Penguin and a single 120ah AGM, now 8 years old. I have 1 x 180w, and 2 x 200w folding type solar panels connected in SERIES. My daily power use includes lighting (all LED type) electric computer fans in both 3 way fridges, charging by USB connections for phones, I pads, and rechargeable LED lights. Probably extravagant use at times. Daily power averages 37.0ah and is easily recovered by solar panels before midday, and after that the MPPT controller just goes into Float mode and handles any other loads that come on. I do not have a compressor fridge only a 93L Thetford 3 way which runs on gas when off grid. I have attached a few links on Ebay for you to think about. I hope you find them useful and at least some sort of starting point. Good luck!
I assume your van Fridge is a 3 way Absorption type and not a 12 volt compressor type. If so, then even more storage/charging is definitely required. The 90l Waeco running continuously will draw approx 2 to 3 Amps per hour, and so working on a 50% on/off cycle, power usage will at least 35 to 45 ah per day on top of all other usages. You will have to consider Waeco fridge demands carefully.
Atem Power 135Ah 12V AGM Deep Cycle Battery Portable 4WD Sealed Marine Solar SLA | eBay
The ATEM POWER AGM battery, which has built-in pure lead grip and AGM separator for enhanced conductivity and electrolyte absorption and effective charge keeping, is all weather- and temperature-resistant, and this battery is also designed for a more efficient discharge recovery. Faster...
www.ebay.com.au
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LDSOLAR...172144?hash=item2ab324fcf0:g:vuAAAOSwF2FbrbjP
There are good Epever models too, but you need to buy some peripherals to get the most out of these models and that costs extra.. Personally, I have similar panels to those listed and I also have the MPPT controller listed too which has all controls and settings available on a display screen so no need for extra accessories. Chose wisely, as the need for power grows the more you have it. And hopefully, you will be using these sort of things for many future off grid camping trips. Modifications to meet your own demands and custom is the name of the game.
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Have a squiz at the FWD Superstore bundles, their panels seem to be okay, you will be on a steep learning curve to get your head around everything so don't rush into anything... Going to one of the big names for gear and fitting will cost more than you have so you need to do research.
Portable would be the way to go then when you get sorted you could fit a roof panel, just have to work out a plan first, starting with a 120ah AGM battery a portable panel with a decent controller then look at a roof panel later on when you have your ideas sorted, the right portable set up can be expanded with no hassles.....something like this would get you going............. //www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/products/solar/160w-solar-panel-combo-deals/adventure-kings-160w-solar-panel-battery-box-agm-deep-cycle-battery-115ah-10m-lead-for-solar-panel-extension.htm
The beauty of buying from this mob is you can take it back and if there's one nearby you can have a lookie, they are nice to deal with....and they don't charge for a name like most of these places. Extra cables/andersons etc I go to autoelec on ebay.
This would run your Waeco and other bits okay the standard 12v Jayco fridge is usually a 3 way so you would only be using the 12v part when your driving with 12v from tug, 12v for camping isn't any good, when camping you would be plugged into 240v or running it on gas, unless of course as mentioned its a compressor fridge in which case I would go for 2 of those kits in which case they would all connect up and be happy........
Portable would be the way to go then when you get sorted you could fit a roof panel, just have to work out a plan first, starting with a 120ah AGM battery a portable panel with a decent controller then look at a roof panel later on when you have your ideas sorted, the right portable set up can be expanded with no hassles.....something like this would get you going............. //www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/products/solar/160w-solar-panel-combo-deals/adventure-kings-160w-solar-panel-battery-box-agm-deep-cycle-battery-115ah-10m-lead-for-solar-panel-extension.htm
The beauty of buying from this mob is you can take it back and if there's one nearby you can have a lookie, they are nice to deal with....and they don't charge for a name like most of these places. Extra cables/andersons etc I go to autoelec on ebay.
This would run your Waeco and other bits okay the standard 12v Jayco fridge is usually a 3 way so you would only be using the 12v part when your driving with 12v from tug, 12v for camping isn't any good, when camping you would be plugged into 240v or running it on gas, unless of course as mentioned its a compressor fridge in which case I would go for 2 of those kits in which case they would all connect up and be happy........
how does the uninformed know what is a good product from a bad investment ? i have never heard of the ATEM battery they look good on screen and the price is good but some of my purchases from ebay and other sites have proved to be of poor investments, which comes down to who can you trust ? the face to face salesman who is trying to get the largest profit but will be there if there is an issue or an unknown number on a screen who can be anywhere in the world and impossible to trace when things go wrong. this is where this forum shines,there is a great depth of experience and formal training which is available to anyone who asks and from people who have no $$$ interest in the purchases ,and if there is an issue it soon gets passed around, final question why are we still faithful to jayco ??
All so true @poor but proud !! Fortunately for me, I have had no problems with anything I have bought from Ebay. I have purchased AGM batteries for friends from 3 different sources including Autolec in Bairnsdale when they had a special price on a 130ah battery, also from two other sources when the price has been right. Yes, one has to have some knowledge on what to look for including weight of a "good" AGM and also guarantee although most only offer 12 months. I think the best way is to look at the last 6 months or so feedback lists and also look at the positive feedback for each seller to get some idea of their reliability also.
I do not usually buy on "brand name " alone as I have found that you are paying extra for their name and their expensive advertising too. IMHO.
Whilst I cannot offer any feedback on the battery I listed, I CAN provide personal feedback on the solar panels and the MPPT controller. @Drover mentioned that 4WD Super Centre was a reasonable place to purchase solar items, yet even their advertising is a bit suss. They state that they now include a MPPT controller with their 160 watt panel and that it can achieve a "massive 12.0A output" to quickly charge your battery. In the "real world" as @Drover often speaks about, you would be lucky get even 6 amps under good conditions and even if the MPPT controller was to achieve a remarkable 30% increase, it is still nowhere near 12A!!! Also when you look at the picture of the "supposed" MPPT controller, it does not look like a proper MPPT controller with the necessary large inductor coil necessary to be a real MPPT type. I could be wrong, but a lot of PWM controllers are marked and sold as MPPT. Yes, let the buyer beware!! I agree that looking at a lot of forum reports, you can quickly gauge when people know what they are talking about and those who are just whingers.
hi boots ,do you have an opinion on the super charge all rounder battery ( combined start and deep cycle), i am coming up for replacements, i like them as i can put them anywhere in my battery bank , 1 stick with 80ah (two) as they fit the engine bay trays (105 ah too big physically) and my third battery also 80 ah is for the canoe or fridge when off grid ,by keeping the same type of battery i can swap them around if there was ever an issue. also no mental work on charging rates and how long they will run my toys, also the 80ah is physically lighter and smaller to get in and out of the canoe, i have a ritar agm 105 in the van which i stick with as less venting is needed and a little lighter in weight, BTW for christmas i bought myself a digitech battery analyzer and tester from JAYCAR to do my own battery health checks, as i went to two battery suppliers who gave me vastly different opinions on the condition of my battery bank, (both capalaba ) i have been going to wynnum batteries for many years and find them well priced and honest they also advertise on gumtree
Wow thank you soo much for such a fantastic reply. Gives me plenty insight and things to consider. Seems like the waeco is something we need to find a better solution with. What is the best way to keep quite a bit of meat frozen in an efficient way?Hello @terry_evian and welcome to the forum. As you said there are plenty of options and plenty of ways to apply those options too, as many members will attest. But first of all, for off grid power, you need a good AGM battery/ies. A good 130ah AGM can be obtained on Ebay for $250.00 to $300.00. Then you need to be able to charge the battery/ies. Portable folding solar panels are now relatively cheap. You can get a 200 watt version with a cheap PWM controller for around $130.00 delivered. These are fixed glass type. and weigh about 12kgs. Lighter folding type are around the $280.00 mark and sometimes do not have a controller which may have to be purchased separately. An MPPT controller is far more efficient but costs around the $150.00 mark for a PROPER MPPT type with a display screen. Other more sophisticated types need a separate display screen but can be connected by blue tooth to your phone.. The skies the limit. Things to consider are your daily power usage and storage. More panels gives quicker recharging, but more batteries provides better storage when recharging is not real good because of cloud or rainy conditions. Lithium are great but will well and truly blow your budget!!!
Then you have to consider weight, storage capacity in van when travelling and various connections to exterior of van for solar panels. If you are knowledgeable on 12 volt electrics, then there are plenty of posts on this subject on this forum for you to read about.
My system came in well under the $1000.00 you are thinking about and I only have a 2013 Penguin and a single 120ah AGM, now 8 years old. I have 1 x 180w, and 2 x 200w folding type solar panels connected in SERIES. My daily power use includes lighting (all LED type) electric computer fans in both 3 way fridges, charging by USB connections for phones, I pads, and rechargeable LED lights. Probably extravagant use at times. Daily power averages 37.0ah and is easily recovered by solar panels before midday, and after that the MPPT controller just goes into Float mode and handles any other loads that come on. I do not have a compressor fridge only a 93L Thetford 3 way which runs on gas when off grid. I have attached a few links on Ebay for you to think about. I hope you find them useful and at least some sort of starting point. Good luck!
I assume your van Fridge is a 3 way Absorption type and not a 12 volt compressor type. If so, then even more storage/charging is definitely required. The 90l Waeco running continuously will draw approx 2 to 3 Amps per hour, and so working on a 50% on/off cycle, power usage will at least 35 to 45 ah per day on top of all other usages. You will have to consider Waeco fridge demands carefully.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-200...Caravan-USB-Controller-Charging-/293580686588 (not a proper MPPT controller!!!) but panel looks good.Atem Power 135Ah 12V AGM Deep Cycle Battery Portable 4WD Sealed Marine Solar SLA | eBay
The ATEM POWER AGM battery, which has built-in pure lead grip and AGM separator for enhanced conductivity and electrolyte absorption and effective charge keeping, is all weather- and temperature-resistant, and this battery is also designed for a more efficient discharge recovery. Faster...www.ebay.com.au
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LDSOLAR...172144?hash=item2ab324fcf0:g:vuAAAOSwF2FbrbjP
There are good Epever models too, but you need to buy some peripherals to get the most out of these models and that costs extra.. Personally, I have similar panels to those listed and I also have the MPPT controller listed too which has all controls and settings available on a display screen so no need for extra accessories. Chose wisely, as the need for power grows the more you have it. And hopefully, you will be using these sort of things for many future off grid camping trips. Modifications to meet your own demands and custom is the name of the game.
Welcome @terry_evian, and glad you got good advice. We find keeping meat by cryovacing it Is the best method. It doesn’t need freezing. We have a small machine to create the vacuum in the bag and as long as the meat is then kept at fridge temperature the the meat will keep for weeks. Because it packs flat it can easily be stored.
Well @terry_evian , you will have to make some big decisions regarding the use of your large Waeco compressor fridge, perhaps a smaller one, as a lot of members have? The figures I quoted are CONSERVATIVE as regards power usage and if operated in 30C temps, the compressor fridge is going to work hard, and use lots more power. This is especially so if you are going to be opening the lid more frequently for contents, and also if you are thinking of loading it up while off grid with a lot of freshly caught filleted fish or other meats which are at ambient temperature. That being the case, then you may use up to 60A daily!!
The running of a large portable compressor fridge is going to chew up more power than the total daily use of your van. So any use of your Waeco should be considered and treated as a separate electrical demand. For the Waeco alone, minimum requirement would be 2 X 130ah AGMs and sufficient solar power to generate at least 50ah per day on average. Just because you have approx 260ah capacity in the two AGMs does not mean that you can operate your Waeco using approx 50ahs per day for 5 days. In fact with the two batteries, you are limited to ONLY two and a half days without charging as batteries should not be discharged below 50% capacity if you want them to last more than 200 to 400 recharges.
It can and has been done to keep lots of fresh meat in portable 12 volt freezer when off grid, but you will need to invest in significant battery storage and solar charging capacities , plus Dc to Dc charging from your tug and probably a portable generator and 12 volt "smart charger" to boot. Do you have or want to use your funds that way, or is there really a need??
The following links will give you more info from experts. There are also posts on this forum on how you can improve the operation of your van fridge in hot conditions with computer fans to help remove hot air from the rear of van fridge and also to move the interior air around to get a more even temperature.
How Many Amps Does My Portable Fridge/Freezer Use?
How Much Power Does 12Volt Stuff Use?
A list of 12Volt devices and their power consumption. Use this list to work out the total power draw of your 12Volt System, to size the battery and solar.
12voltblog.com.au
This is a shot of how I boosted up the internal operation of my Thetford 93L 3 way fridge. I do not have pictures of how thermostatically controlled computer fans have been installed at rear of fridge. Nothing is impossible. It depends on your desire to do something and the depth of your pockets!!!
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What is the actual model of your van fridge ????
The Waeco probably won't chew as much as the maths shows, location and air flow does play a big part... 90lt is pretty big though......my small Engel when used as a freezer,run on 240v at first then loaded up with frozen, used far less than I thought when kept plugged into 12v, kept out of sun was expecting it to suck the guts out of my battery...with a top lid at least the cold didn't fall out like the fridge.
Running the van fridge for 2 days before departure will ensure it has cooled down the cabinet and gives a good start to things, loading up fridge, turning iton and heading off is certainly not a good idea....................
We vac seal all our meat and its all frozen before we leave and along with all other stuff in fridge, everything is cold so it gets a good start.......
The Waeco probably won't chew as much as the maths shows, location and air flow does play a big part... 90lt is pretty big though......my small Engel when used as a freezer,run on 240v at first then loaded up with frozen, used far less than I thought when kept plugged into 12v, kept out of sun was expecting it to suck the guts out of my battery...with a top lid at least the cold didn't fall out like the fridge.
Running the van fridge for 2 days before departure will ensure it has cooled down the cabinet and gives a good start to things, loading up fridge, turning iton and heading off is certainly not a good idea....................
We vac seal all our meat and its all frozen before we leave and along with all other stuff in fridge, everything is cold so it gets a good start.......
Aldi have a 100Ah AGM battery on special for $199 on Saturday 13th feb I bought their 80Ah a while ago I know the supplier they are good value for money
@Drover , once again no disagreement with anything you say. However, the second link about "how much power does 12 volt stuff use" is the best guide I have seen regarding power usage "in the real world" and should provide all the info that @terry_evian (and others?) needs. Also your advice regarding pre-cooling on 240 volts and adding pre-chilled food is always helpful for "newbies". Note the projected/tested power usage for upright 12 volt compressor fridges too.
@poor but proud , unfortunately I do not have any experience or knowledge of that battery type. I have heard of "Super Charge" batteries that are sold by Auto Barn outlets, but as I have not had a need for that type for any of my vehicles. It does appear to be a hybrid type being a mix of starting (SLI ) and Deep Cycle which covers a lot of your situations. That is particularly handy for your 3 devices and provides great flexibility too. Your Ritar AGM would not really need too much venting, even if you upgraded to a bigger capacity as the one way valves on top of battery only open to release excess pressure if being overcharged. My AGM is under the bed and has no special venting other than that for the Setec. Still weight is always the penalty with a higher capacity AGM.
The battery analyser would be a very handy bit of kit. I guess it places a heavy load on battery and shows how it handles that. I recently had a situation where I was getting a wheel alignment and the battery was tested. The salesman came over and told me that battery was only able to produce 30% of capacity and that he could provide a new one for my tug at around $256.00. I knew that the battery (a Calcium type) was getting down, but at more than 4 and a half years' old, I had to expect that. Declined offer and said I would put battery on "smart charger" as I had been doing on and off every few months for a while. Eventually, several weeks later, I got a replacement battery from RACQ depot for less and with greater CCA and RC. So it all depends on how each battery supplier sees your battery at the time and his/her confidence that you will not be inconvenienced if battery dies. And to make money if they can!!!
I do not have any worthwhile alternatives to suggest for your replacements. If you cannot successfully find a suitable alternative and have confidence in the quality, then stick with what you have. Although the only way to find out is to "test the water"!
In September 2016, I needed a good battery for my AP6 Valiant slant six - a large heavy donk to turn over - but an easy starter. Now normally, later modern cars especially!!, have very little room in the engine bay and it is very hot, and AGMs do not like heat. Fortunately in my classic, the battery tray is positioned in free space to the side of the radiator. In addition, there is a 75mm circular hole in the support right in front of the battery to allow cool air to flow into that space and past the battery, so no heat problems at all. Still going strong and cost approx $249.00 back then. No longer see it available. Specs were good too. 600cca, 60ah, 125 min RC and 36 months replacement warranty . So not all things on Ebay are faulty and I am not complaining!!
I've used a similar dual purpose battery when I had a simple camping setup . Started the car, ran the fridge in the tray, lasted 3 ish years. From memory I paid around $200. Added an AGM in the tray but it didn't cope with my driving so I used (and still use) dual purpose batteries for starting and fridge. I like the idea of having a spare cranking battery in the outback. Definitely look for a wholesale supplier (eg in perth we have challenge batteries)
Excuse my ignorance. Does the 2006 only come with 240v lights and a 240/gas fridge? So no Setec power supply?
It's weight is the best indicator. My next purchase will be lithium - voltax 100ah are selling on ebay for $400 and youtube reviews say they meet spec ok (their limitation is 20amp charging and 50amp load
Solar panel length (in cms) x width (in cms) / 70 is a simple rule-of-thumb to how much power it will really produce. Renogy and sunyee are some of the ebay few that come close to truthful - their panels are nearly twice the size for the same claimed output
I used a wet Marine battery as the Colorado aux ran fridge and stuff for years, chose it in case I needed to use it as a starter.
Mine too @jazzeddie1234. Surely it must have some of 240 volt charging system/power distribution arrangement (probably an early Setec Series I) even if it did not have a battery in the system!!
However, I guess that all 12 volt lighting would be the old incandescent type which use a lot of power, compared to the later LED type. They can always be upgraded to provide better lighting and reduce power consumption by @terry_evian as part of his grand plan.
Our 1999 swan had a setec as did our 2005 expanda no factory batteries but did have a connection to charge them if you did install batteries.
No LED globes but all lighting 12v
No LED globes but all lighting 12v
Thanks @mfexpanda for that info. Now we have some idea of where @terry_evian are starting from with their van electrics.
Hi @poor but proud , I had a further look at the ATEM 135ah AGM battery I provided in a link recently for @terry_evian . I note that the seller is Sunyee, one of the producers of the best solar panels as mentioned by @jazzeddie1234 in an earlier post. So using that as a guide and the fact that the battery weighs 30kgs and @jazzeddie1234 states that "they are one of the few sellers on Ebay that come close to truthful", I think that those batteries MAY BE a good buy at that price. Credentials look good too with 99.9% positive feedback rating. More good value from feedback on this forum.
So that would suggest @terry_evian can make a good start with a fairly typical jayco setup? A deep cycle battery connected to the existing setec battery terminals, a solar panel (portable or fixed) connected to a solar controller which is connected in turn to the battery, a wire from the setec to the 12 pin plug that allows the car to also charge the battery.
Then a basic dual battery setup in the tug to run a second fridge.
2 batteries, a solar panel, a mppt controller, a basic dc dc charger, some cable and connectors should squeak in under $1000?
Then a basic dual battery setup in the tug to run a second fridge.
2 batteries, a solar panel, a mppt controller, a basic dc dc charger, some cable and connectors should squeak in under $1000?