Portable Solar Connection.

[Bigdazd]

Have had a look at a few threads and can't make my mind up as to the answer.
I have just purchased a Photonic Universe 40w (2 x 20w) portable solar panel. I am hoping i can just attach the solar panel direct to my Van's battery? As you can see from the pics it has all the gubbins so i am sure i can, although i just wanted to check?
I am hoping it will keep the van's battery topped up whilst camping running maybe the led lights and a cool box? Does anyone know if it will?
I have seen that someone has fed direct into the cigarette lighter, is this another option?
All help and advice welcomed.
p.s. I am having a conversion done although in stages and cant afford the full electric set up, so thought this might be a good stopgap?
Many thanks.
Darren.

 

[Pauly]

Looks like it has its own regulator stuck to the back in which case yes it can be connected directly to your leisure battery
I run a similar setup and have a small rigid panel with a quick connector that goes to my leisure battery and it does help add a bit of charge but nowhere near enough to run a cool box, it will extend the runtime until the battery goes flat but won’t keep running it

Have a look at your coolbox and you should be able to work out how much it will draw vs how much the solar can put back in

 

[Bigdazd]

Cheers @Pauly , haven't bought the cool-box as of yet, looking for a cheap second hand one as don't want to spend loads as having a conversion done.
Thank again.

 

[Pauly]

I think if you look into it you will find most coolboxes pull around 4-5 amps and although the solar panel will claim to put out a decent current, half what it says for what you can expect (averaged over a day) and you will see how short you are on input vs output, unfortunately coolboxes are quite power hungry unless you go the compressor route and then the price goes up quite considerably
What we generally do is use a 12/240v coolboxes running off mains electric through the night at home before we set off and also put a couple ice packs in the freezer and in the morning we switch it to 12v in the van whilst driving and put ice packs in and it stays cold for ages, unplug it overnight and run it again the second day by which point the battery normally goes flat

 

[Phil_G]

As Pauly says, a 40w panel won't keep up with a Peltier coolbox, not even in direct sunlight.
Here's a gas-can powered coolbox, it does 12v and 240v too:
https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/outdoor/cool-boxes/electric-cool-boxes/dometic-rc1205-with-gas-canister-cradle

 

[Bigdazd]

Cheers @Pauly @Phil_G
Exactly the info and help I was after.
Cant thank you enough.
Cheers.
Darren.

 

[JamesP]

I’ve just bought myself a 6W Solar Powered Battery Maintainer, but going by the thread above, I’m guessing that it won’t be powerful enough to keep my leisure battery charged if I’m running a Webasto isotherm fridge and interior lights (although not much at this time of year)??

Any thoughts on this, before I return it in its box? Many thanks

 

[Loz]

The only thing you could use that for would be to cover the loss from the alarm when you leave it locked up.
You would need a 100w panel getting an average of 40w to keep on top of the fridge.

 

[JamesP]

Thank you @Loz
I’ll take it back

 

[andys]

Even my phone charger is 10W.

 

[xswind]

Compressor fridge needs about 1amp once up and running to maintain cooling but they take a lot more getting up to speed, up to 6 amps and then this is also impacted by the temp in the van.

A 6w solar panel will only give 0.5amps at most.
Remember p=iv therefor 6w/12v = 0.5amps