Solar Camper Solutions

[sticky1]

It looks like a great kit! I’m planning to put one together as well.

This summer I bought a T5, and the previous owner had already made some upgrades to the electrical system:

• Victron Energy Orion-Tr Smart 12/12-30 DC-DC charger
• Blue Smart AC-DC charger 12/30/1
• 2x Vanvolt Arctic 100Ah 12V smart batteries

Now I’m planning to install a solar system too.
I saw the Kalifaktur German kit, but the price is insanely high. So I did some research using AI and blogs to assess the best solar panels on the market, and I ended up finding this one:

• https://lensunsolar.com/collections...ducts/lensun-400w-2x200w-flexible-solar-panel

together with:

• Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 150V 35A charger

I’d really like to find a spiral cable with the proper gauge for the kit, as well as the type of mounting plates you have, instead of building a full DIY setup.
The solar panels I’m considering have the following dimensions: 1110 x 1055 mm.

Does your kit have custom-made plates, or did they come included?
Does anyone know of a source for Cali mounting plates in different dimensions, or someone who makes custom ones?


Thanks in advance!

Aren’t these flexible panels designed to be bonded to the surface?
The only people I know who have used these complain after a few years if they fail and need removal.

 

[Blanco]

Derbyshire is quite a trot from Kendal, but if you're after ideas you're welcome to take a look at the system knocked up in my shed.

I used 100W Renogy panels (£80 each in their sale) bonded to 19x19x3 aluminium angle stretched in an arc to clear the roof. Victron MPPT 75/15 controller, solar disconnect, 20A circuit breaker, solar curly cable, panels wired in parallel. Cost about £350 so less expensive than a kit, although takes much longer than you might think doing it yourself. The only real difficulty which did take an absolute age was tracking down why a 7001 error appeared in the control panel every time the sun shone.