Solar Panel vs Hard wired dual battery setup

[Jase013]

Hi there,

Looking for some advice on which way to go.

I have a camper trailer with one 120ah AGM battery in a dedicated spot in the camper (thinking of moving in into the toolbox in time). I hard wired the Waeco fridge controller inside the stairwell of the camper over the weekend and will have the fridge connect to it whilst in transit.

Am now trying to decide whether to get some hard wiring done on the MQ triton I picked up on the weekend to an Anderson plug on the back of the ute vs fitting a solar panel to the toolbox of the camper trailer. I was quoted $650 today for a dual battery setup (wiring and solenoid) to an Anderson plug vs what a fixed solar panel may cost. The trouble I'm having is sourcing a solar panel that will fit on the toolbox lid (1100mm x 400mm). Long term solution might be some solar panel on the roof of the triton but its the first trip in the ute and first camping trip in about three years so don't want to go down that path just yet.

When stationary for a number of days camping I have a 120w solar setup that I connect to the battery so looking for a solution in transit.

Any ideas which setup would be best???

I hope that makes sense 

Cheers,
Jase

[Ozemu]

You will get way more charge from the car when driving than the solar (which can be or get shaded / dirty / wet etc).

It will also negate having to rely on the weather to stay charged up as in a worst case scenario, plug the car in for an hour to boost it.

Additionally, you may find that your power usage increase's over time and the solar wont be able to keep up, which then means upgrades to panels / controllers etc.

I have a simple set up like you described, running into 2 130 AH AGMs. I have found I always pull into camp fully charged and then if stationary for more than a day or two I set up the solar for the afternoon free boost and pack up a few days later to fully recharge on my way to the next spot.

Granted I have large reserves to play with, but in principal you will never have the risk of pulling into camp at 75% and then having to scrimp and save battery life to get through if you know, absolutely, that you'll arrive full.

[KeithB]

Do you really need a dual battery setup or just an Anderson plug connection from the tow? You just need a circuit breaker at the battery and maybe a voltage sensitive relay so that the Anderson plug only sees power once the starter battery is charged.
The upside of this is that you can always run the engine to charge the camper battery while stationary if things get grim. Just make sure that you alternator is giving you better than 14 volts and make sure your cables are all big enough.
Others may have better ideas.
Keith

[HKB Electronics]

Hi Jase,

Problem is sun doesn't always shine, and fixed solar might not be that effiecient when travelling. I'm a bit more
power hungry as we run a 80Ltr fridge plus 40 Ltr freezer, we have around 400W of panels and at times have had
issues trying to keep the charge up. Advantage of dual system is you know at the end of a days drive your batteries
are fully charged.

[corndog]

I would not have fixed panels myself. I have been  getting away with 1 170w folding panel and connecting that to the car and the camper to charge each of the batteries. I chase the sun. The panels get moved through the day, could be 4 or 5 times , I get the maximum charge. Fixed panels if they're in the sun, great, but some shade on then, well not so great.

[Bird]

Hi Jase,

Problem is sun doesn't always shine, and fixed solar might not be that effiecient when travelling. I'm a bit more
power hungry as we run a 80Ltr fridge plus 40 Ltr freezer, we have around 400W of panels and at times have had
issues trying to keep the charge up. Advantage of dual system is you know at the end of a days drive your batteries
are fully charged.

Best suggestion.

[GeoffA]

Definitely get the dual battery/charging from the car sorted.
If the alternator is spinning, it would be a waste to not get something from it.

Why not carry a panel on the tool box, but make it demountable?
You have to carry it somewhere. It might as well be out where it can be of use.
You'll get charge from it when the car is not running, and it's still usable around camp.

 

[Fizzie]

When we had our CT, I mounted a small (40W ?) panel on the front box, but also had a cable coming from the car via Andersen, both set-up to charge the battery, which was running the fridge.

Theory being that the car motor would charge the battery while driving, but if we stopped for lunch or whatever, the panel still had a small charge going into the battery.

Don't know if the theory is correct or not, but we always got to our camp with the battery fully charged & the beer cold in the fridge!

When set-up, we also had a portable panel to then keep things charged

 

[Steffo1]

A little 'Plus' I have with the vehicle rear Anderson plug, is an adaptor on my air compressor. Saves lifting the bonnet, especially when fishing rods are being carried and is more central for the tyres, when towing the pop top.

[terravista]

Is it feasible to rig an alternator with a rubber wheel instead of the standard pulley and mount it on a spring tensioned bracket to fold down on the trailer wheel?
No wiring from the car and no twin battery  system. Could modify one with a blade for a wind generator as backup.
This may also be the worst idea ever for some safety reason.

[Pottsy]

Is it feasible to rig an alternator with a rubber wheel instead of the standard pulley and mount it on a spring tensioned bracket to fold down on the trailer wheel?
No wiring from the car and no twin battery  system. Could modify one with a blade for a wind generator as backup.
This may also be the worst idea ever for some safety reason.

Sounds like an old style bicycle dynamo.

[austastar]

Hi,
     The inconvenience and mechanical failures, I feel would wear thin fairly soon.
Cheers

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[lloydus67]

As mentioned before, Anderson plug at the rear of your tug and no second battery is your cheapest option at a little over $150 installed


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[terravista]

Sounds like an old style bicycle dynamo.

Same principal but less effort turning and better output.

[edz]

Two trailer setups I've seen over the years.  An alternator mounted to the front of a trailer with a vaned drum fitted to spin it   ... And an alternator belt driven from a trailer wheel hub

[tryagain]

These options can be made to work, but then most come to the conclusion that is just cheaper and easier to run an appropriately sized wiring from the car alternator to the trailer battery.

[Jase013]

Thanks for all of your comments. Appreciate all of the feedback.

Thinking of grabbing one of these kits to install before our next trip at the end of November.

https://www.australiandirect.com.au/Battery-Systems/Wiring-Connections/KADBWK8MMVSR2AND

Again, happy for feedback.

Cheers,
Jase

[KeithB]

Solbian make a 50 watt solar panel that will fit your tool box. They are the very best on the market and stupidly expensive. But this one might fit if you have the bucks.
https://www.solar4rvs.com.au/solbian-sp-50w-long-flexible-solar-panel-wires-und
Keith