Using energy from the Sun, the solar panel can provide additional charge to 12 volt caravan, mobile home, and other recreational vehicle battery systems. The solar panel is effective, as a permanently fixed option or flexable non fixed option to top up battery power when off grid or on extended trips without needing to run the engine plug into AC mains or user generator. Fixed panels differ from portable panels in that they can be used both on the move and when stationary, whereas portable options can only be used when set up at camp.

Advantages of fixed solar panels

 If you fix your panels to the roof of your vehicle, say your caravan, you can just forget about them, no need to take them out of some box, find a place to set them up and configure all the wiring. Although there is a problem with charging in the shade, whilst you are travelling, they solar panels will be doing their work to charge up you secondary battery. Solar panels still charge in the shade, just not as efficiently as if they were in the full sun.

So, it’s important, no matter what type, size, or how your solar panel is mounted, you must have a solar regulator. And the reason for that is a 12-volt solar panel like these guys can put out somewhere between 19 and 25 volts in full, good sunlight. If you’re looking at a 12-volt battery that you’re charging, obviously that’s far too high. So, the role of the solar regulator is to actually bring that panel voltage down to a voltage that is suitable to apply to that battery and bring it up to full charge. However, here at Monteltham Auto Electric we usually install a REDARC BCDC1225D which is a 12V 25A In-vehicle DC to DC battery charger . This is far more efficient and programable to give you the most efficient current to keep your battery healthy and fully charged.

Redarc 180W Monocrystalline Fixed Solar Panel – Slimline – SMSP1180

• Fixed installation, used for the roof of caravans and motor-homes. They can also be installed on trailers for camping and some 4 by 4’s
• If you have existing ABS mounts these are already compatible, no problem.
• The frames are anodised.
• The Anodised aluminium frame has been treated to develop an exceptionally durable finish, and the glass has a tempered coating.
• These are easy to install with their MC4 connectors.
• Made of Monocrystalline cells their efficiency around 20.6%

Redarc Solar Panel Monocrystalline 180W (Each Panel)

These perfected Redarc Monocrystalline Solar Panels are designed the roof of a vehicle, caravan, or similar motor home and RV.

There is a range of sizes and power output options.

Sunman eArc 185W – Semi-Flexible Solar Panel

• Designed lightweight for caravans, motorhomes, 4 by 4’s
• These solar panels are made of a composite material but are lightweight, frameless and do not have glass.
• A vented gap increases efficiency and prevents over heating where the surface is attached.
• A structural silicone (Fix8) can be used to adhere the panel to a surface.
• The panel can be secured using bolts or screws through eyelets in the panel.

Specifications:

Dimensions (LxWxH)      1520mm x 680mm x 2mm

Weight 3.3kg

Cell Type            Mono PERC

Cell Configuration           36 (4×9)

Maximum Power (Pmax)             185 Watt

Voltage Maximum Power (Vmp) 19.9V

Current Maximum Power (Imp)               9.30A

Open Circuit Voltage (Voc)          24.1V

Short Circuit Current (Isc)            9.78A

Operating temperature (℃)        -40 ℃ to 85 ℃

Maximum system voltage           1000V DC (IEC)

Maximum series fuse rating        20A

Application Class            Class A

Power Tolerance             0/+5 W

Backsheet Colour            White

Junction Box      IP 68 rated (each j-box has one by-pass diode)

Output Cables   Photovoltaic technology cable 4.0 mm2, (+)150 / (-)450 mm

Cable Type         PV1-F, 4mm2 (tinned copper)

Connector Type MC4

Features:

• eArc (formerly eArche) are the only lightweight solar panels approved for grid connect on buildings which means they have passed the same testing criteria as traditional solar panels.
• Tougher, lighter, thinner and more durable
• eArch thin lightweight solar panels have a tough top layer
• Cutting edge technology – glass fibre-reinforced composite polymers similar to aircraft windows
• ​This reduces the coefficient of thermal expansion to a similar level as fixed panels, eliminating the main cause of cause of flexible/lightweight solar panel failures as seen in ETFE and PET panels, thermal expansion related stress causing failure of the cell to cell connections
• Lightweight – 100W frameless is 1.8kg
• Thin – 2mm

Tough – Hail tested with ice stones of 35mm diameter and 200g mass at 39.5m per sec​

Strong – rated 2400 pascals for wind and 2400 pascals for load

Durable – ​10 year product warranty for building and 5 years for mobile application

​25 year exposure simulations/tests show degradation of the solar module at similar levels to fixed panels

Output – Efficient monocrystalline cells, 25 year performance guarantee

The only lightweight solar panel composition with Clean Energy Council (CEC) Accreditation

​Development of the new waterproof composite polymers and panel structure was accelerated by funding of $3.3M from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to achieve the same durability as conventional solar panels.

eArc panels have been installed on the world’s first solar powered train in Byron Bay and 812 (235kW) panels have been installed onto the Sydney Maritime Museum’s Heritage Building which could not support heavy glass framed solar panels.  To date more than 1MW of eArche capacity has been installed in Australia

eArc has obtained a series of other certifications for reliability, including: