ruffy
Member Since: 05 Feb 2015
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 61
  
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| Advice please - basic electrical set up for camping |
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Some recommendations would be really useful please. I’ve just ordered a roof tent for the D3 to use for holidays and short trips (i.e. not overlanding) and I’m looking for a portable and relatively cheap way of generating power. I’ll have a gas stove for cooking, so I’m thinking enough juice to power a small fridge, basic lighting etc. I’ve seen several solar panel set ups that look good but have no experience of using them. Although the D3 does have 2 batteries (a legacy of it being an ex-police car) I don’t particularly want to hardwire anything, and the extra battery is a normal car battery in any case. 2007 V8 S
1981 88” diesel GONE
2007 FFRR TDV8 Overfinch GONE
2000 Defender 90 TD5 GONE
2007 FFRR 4.2 Supercharged GONE
2009 Discovery TDV6 S GONE
1990 RR 3.9 V8 VSE GONE
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 3rd May 2023 9:52 am |
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KevinD3
Member Since: 05 Aug 2020
Location: Sutton Coldfield
Posts: 1277
 
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Hey ruffy. Appreciate if you don’t want to hard wire anything, although these vehicles were made for it.
it sounds like you’re half way there already for what you need. If it’s ex police with the 2nd battery, that battery would have been used to power the auxiliary bit and pieces around the car so you’ll probably already find wiring to the rear etc you can use to run the fridge and lights off. Seem to remember there was an extra fuse box in the Center arm rest on emergency vehicles for the ancillaries so that may be a good place to look.
How’s your roof? Did they run cable through for the light bar? Would be a good way to get a power socket to the roof tent 
Use the search facility on here, plenty of threads on setting these up for camping etc. 2008 HSE Stornoway Grey
My Wife thinks the D3 is a hobby, The D3 thinks the wife is 💕
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| 3rd May 2023 6:36 pm |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8225
 
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All can say is solar panels ready do work in summer, including the fold up type which are best for you, all you need is a kit off Eblag, they come with all cables and a controller.
Although mine is permanent, with a little practice you could set a portable one up in a few minutes. If you go for two panels they should be the same output volts. Don't point the panels to the sun until they are connected to the controller and battery whilst setting up.
You could start with one battery and one panel and add another if needed, a 100 amp battery will only give you 50amp service as you do not want to run the battery to low or its life will be shortened, the controller will manage this automatically.
I have 4 panels (fixed) feeding 2 12v leisure batteries and a 3000w inverter on my static, they power a small fridge, TV, LED lighting, phone chargers.
The hardest part is they are expensive. It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 4th May 2023 5:56 am |
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ruffy
Member Since: 05 Feb 2015
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 61
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KevinD3 wrote:Hey ruffy. Appreciate if you don’t want to hard wire anything, although these vehicles were made for it.
it sounds like you’re half way there already for what you need. If it’s ex police with the 2nd battery, that battery would have been used to power the auxiliary bit and pieces around the car so you’ll probably already find wiring to the rear etc you can use to run the fridge and lights off. Seem to remember there was an extra fuse box in the Center arm rest on emergency vehicles for the ancillaries so that may be a good place to look.
How’s your roof? Did they run cable through for the light bar? Would be a good way to get a power socket to the roof tent
Use the search facility on here, plenty of threads on setting these up for camping etc.
Thanks for your reply. Yes, there are wires all over the place, just need to find out what they all do! 2007 V8 S
1981 88” diesel GONE
2007 FFRR TDV8 Overfinch GONE
2000 Defender 90 TD5 GONE
2007 FFRR 4.2 Supercharged GONE
2009 Discovery TDV6 S GONE
1990 RR 3.9 V8 VSE GONE
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| 4th May 2023 6:31 am |
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ruffy
Member Since: 05 Feb 2015
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 61
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M3DPO wrote:All can say is solar panels ready do work in summer, including the fold up type which are best for you, all you need is a kit off Eblag, they come with all cables and a controller.
Although mine is permanent, with a little practice you could set a portable one up in a few minutes. If you go for two panels they should be the same output volts. Don't point the panels to the sun until they are connected to the controller and battery whilst setting up.
You could start with one battery and one panel and add another if needed, a 100 amp battery will only give you 50amp service as you do not want to run the battery to low or its life will be shortened, the controller will manage this automatically.
I have 4 panels (fixed) feeding 2 12v leisure batteries and a 3000w inverter on my static, they power a small fridge, TV, LED lighting, phone chargers.
The hardest part is they are expensive.
Thanks for your reply, I’ve seen a few decent portable solar set ups for not too much money. I could probably combine with the auxiliary battery to cover what I need. 2007 V8 S
1981 88” diesel GONE
2007 FFRR TDV8 Overfinch GONE
2000 Defender 90 TD5 GONE
2007 FFRR 4.2 Supercharged GONE
2009 Discovery TDV6 S GONE
1990 RR 3.9 V8 VSE GONE
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| 4th May 2023 6:33 am |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8225
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There is endless amount of information on YouTube  It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 4th May 2023 7:09 am |
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Moo
D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14388
 
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A Jakery or equivalent with solar panel would do you fine.
https://uk.jackery.com/ New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner 
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
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| 4th May 2023 7:54 am |
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Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1820
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Jakery…… cheap as chips… 
A decent auxiliary battery with a pair of decent solar panels safes a lot and will do mostly imho.. Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc. 
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| 4th May 2023 1:16 pm |
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ruffy
Member Since: 05 Feb 2015
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 61
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Moo wrote:A Jakery or equivalent with solar panel would do you fine.
https://uk.jackery.com/
Thanks, I’ll take a look 2007 V8 S
1981 88” diesel GONE
2007 FFRR TDV8 Overfinch GONE
2000 Defender 90 TD5 GONE
2007 FFRR 4.2 Supercharged GONE
2009 Discovery TDV6 S GONE
1990 RR 3.9 V8 VSE GONE
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| 4th May 2023 1:32 pm |
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ruffy
Member Since: 05 Feb 2015
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 61
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Motolab wrote:Jakery…… cheap as chips…
A decent auxiliary battery with a pair of decent solar panels safes a lot and will do mostly imho..
Thanks, I’ll take a look 2007 V8 S
1981 88” diesel GONE
2007 FFRR TDV8 Overfinch GONE
2000 Defender 90 TD5 GONE
2007 FFRR 4.2 Supercharged GONE
2009 Discovery TDV6 S GONE
1990 RR 3.9 V8 VSE GONE
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| 4th May 2023 1:32 pm |
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s60r
Member Since: 14 Mar 2021
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 287
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Hi,
I had the same intention... I have a large roof tent (sadly only used it once!) and this as a power solution.
https://uk.ecoflow.com/products/delta-mini-portable-power-station
Way better than the American (Jackery) stuff... works well and I bought solar panels off amazon which charge it (and trickle charge the car battery) when parked up. It recharges off 12v when you are driving and in under an hour when near mains voltage.
Check their range out... you can go higher power or lower. This one runs up to 1400w so hairdryer, coffee machine, fridge and even a jet wash has run off it.
What roof tent did you go for? I went Yuna Sheepie... very impressed with it to be fair.....when we used it  A mod a week until I have nothing to improve or add.
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| 4th May 2023 1:39 pm |
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ruffy
Member Since: 05 Feb 2015
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 61
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Thanks for your reply, £1500 with the solar panels is a bit much for me! I’ve ordered a Ventura roof tent, not delivered yet but it looks good. 2007 V8 S
1981 88” diesel GONE
2007 FFRR TDV8 Overfinch GONE
2000 Defender 90 TD5 GONE
2007 FFRR 4.2 Supercharged GONE
2009 Discovery TDV6 S GONE
1990 RR 3.9 V8 VSE GONE
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| 4th May 2023 2:53 pm |
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Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1820
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2 foldable solarpannels = approx 400 Watt are around 440 GBP + VAT here..
have a good look around...
+
Auxillary battery + a split charge doesn't need to be expensive..
change the splitcharge to a better DC-DC charger you need to add 200/300 quid
both far and far from the higher notes above.. Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc.
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| 4th May 2023 4:01 pm |
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s60r
Member Since: 14 Mar 2021
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 287
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Yes... I got a 300w panel from amazon way cheaper... around £140 from memory... it does the job perfectly. A mod a week until I have nothing to improve or add.
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| 4th May 2023 4:21 pm |
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