Let the sunshine in

Taking advantage of the free power from the sun needs a little planning, a lot of lifting and some common-sense care. Nigel Donnelly explains

- Nigel Donnelly

OUR FIRST TRIP away in Penny back in 2023 was fun, but something of an adventure. We took her away to see what worked and what didn’t. It didn’t take long. Pretty much nothing worked. But we were at a music festival so we didn’t much mind; it helped us build a list of what needed doing.

We gradually worked through the dodgy handbrake, non-existent plumbing, lack of towing electrics and all sorts of other issues. One thing that really makes sense when heading to a music festival is solar power. You can head off to the main stage all day, then come back to a battery that’s full and ready to charge your phone for day two.

Solar panels are a smart upgrade. These days they aren’t too expensive, and they keep your leisure battery topped up so your van can function without needing a mains hook-up, which is rarely available at a festival. Over the past year, we have upgraded Penny’s wiring to make sure she was ready for solar. We added bus bars, a battery monitor, a brand-new battery and fresh cables to make sure the basic electrics were sound. All she needed now was a panel.

Getting started

I’m no expert in solar, so I spoke to people who are. Bimble Solar in East Sussex supply solar kits for all sorts of set-ups. I got in touch to ask what I should consider. They had a deal on 90W Victron panels, which I thought might be a good fit, but their team recommended going bigger. Since we had a 100Ah battery and lots of roof space, they pointed me to a 150W panel. It cost less than £100 and would easily fit. I also asked about cheaper PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) charge controllers, but they were clear: spend extra on an MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) controller. These smart controllers get more power out of weak sunshine, which we get plenty of in the UK. They cost more, but if you want to get the most from your panel, it’s worth it.