SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS
What are they and what do they do? There are three kinds of solar panel generally available:
Amorphous, Mono-crystalline & Poly-crystalline. All are made from silicon but all have different performance characteristics with amorphous panels being only roughly 1/2 as efficient as crystalline panels. Amorphous panels also have a much shorter lifespan than crystalline models - approx 10 years as opposed to 25 years+. Amorphous cells are generally found on small, low-power panels of the type which fold up into a case or are designed to sit on a dashboard and plug into the lighter socket. For use on
[ You prefer to use an environmentally friendly energy source rather than a generator or your vehicle or boat’s engine.
Solar panels are not cheap and an installation capable of providing enough electricity to power all your needs could you change vehicles.
be very expensive indeed. However, good quality panels Most solar panels will generate at least some electricity will carry on working for a minimum of 25 years and, if you even in overcast conditions. However, performance will use your vehicle / boat a lot, you could well make back be greatly diminished compared to times when the panel much of your initial outlay from savings made by not
needing mains hook-up. Most installations can be transferred from one vehicle to
is exposed to direct sunlight. If you plan to spend a lot of time in places where there’s not much sunshine, you should consider getting a larger panel or even several.
Choosing the right system Whatever vehicle or boat you have, you can almost certainly get at least some
of your power from the sun. If you plan it carefully, you may well be able to harvest enough energy to enable you to be completely self-sufficient. Both solar systems shown here use panels which are angled to face the sun. This makes a huge difference to the power generated - see our adjustable panel on page 20.
Solar panels are rated in terms of their output power. consumption of all the appliances which are powered by However, for technical reasons and because solar panels the battery: lights, TV, water pump, fan, fridge, etc. Then don’t usually operate under ideal conditions, you should work out how many hours a day each appliance will be only expect a panel to produce between half and a third of used for. Multiply the hours by the power consumption of its nominal output. For example, in ideal conditions, a each appliance. Add everything up to get a grand total 75W panel will produce around 4 Amps per hour at most, and you should have a rough idea of your total daily equivalent to approximately 48 watts. Which panel you power requirements.
choose depends on what you want it to do. If you just want For example: it to keep the batteries topped up between visits to
campsites, you may only need a small, low-output model. If, on the other hand, you want to be able to power your vehicle's or boat's electrical requirements on a full-time
basis, you may need a solar array consisting of several large panels.
In order to work out what size of installation you need, it's necessary to do some sums. Make a note of the power
4 lights @ 12W: used 4 hours per day = 192 watts
1 TV @ 30W: Used 2 hours per day = 60 watts 1 pump @ 24W: Used 20 mins per day = 8 watts 1 cooler @ 48W: Used 6 hours per day = 288 watts
Total daily power consumption: (continued on next page)
= 548 watts
[ You need to recharge your batteries and don’t always have mains hook-up available when you’re out and about. Even if you always have mains hook-up, a solar panel can still be useful; for example, when the vehicle / boat is not being used for a long period and you need to keep batteries topped up in order to ensure that equipment such as a tracking device carries on working.
You need one if: another so that your initial investment will not be wasted if
boats and vehicles, crystalline panels are usually the best choice as they give roughly twice as much power in a given space.
In order to produce electricity, any solar panel needs to be exposed to sunlight but it’s not quite that simple! A solar panel will work most efficiently when the sun is striking the panel at an angle of 90 degrees. Clouds, shadows and ambient temperature can all make a difference and this needs to taken into account as well when choosing a solar power installation.
Prices and models can change. For up to date prices, to find a dealer near you or for further information on any of our products, please phone us on 01327 312233 or visit our website:
www.roadpro.co.uk 19
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