Bongo Fury

Hi guys, I'm thinking about making some solar panel power kits for the Bongo that can be installed with zero hole drilling and zero wiring knowledge and I could do with your input on what you'd prefer. They'll most likely end up on fleabay.

The kit would allow you to fix a panel (securely!) to the back or front of your AFT using the existing roof bar mounting holes (I've made and tested the brackets - very secure, all alloy and nice looking). Just put the panel in place and screw down two large securing screws. Then you'd have these choices.....

a) Zero cable routing. You just plug in a supplied cable that goes to a charger that lives under the bonnet and connects to your battery with simple crocodile clips. The wire would run accross the length of the steel roof at the side, down the windscreen, or side window, and under the bonnet. It would take seconds to lay the cable and plug it in at each end. - No holes, no cable routing, no work at all really. Arrive on site and plugin.

b) With the same kit you'd have enough cable to put a small hole in the AFT (front or rear), pass the cable through and seal with silicone sealant (this works perfectly though bear in mind this is not a critical seal as underneath is neither tent nor car interior - there is "dead space" and the front and rear of the AFT that is sealed from the inside of the car). Then you'd pass the same cable though a large, existing cable grommet at the back of the roof and into the cab, where you would then run the cable all the way to the front (a lot easier than it sounds) to the charger and battery. I'd supply full instructions with photos for those that haven't run cables behind trim before. I'd also of course provide the relevant fuses and connectors ("both" kits would be the same regarding contents).

Also - would you want to pay the bear minimum for a standard charger that does the job, or would you want the option to pay an extra £50 for one with push button LCD display that shows charging and solar power details?

Any input will be helpful.

FYI: The bracket and mounting system I've made means the panels slide accross the roof without scratching the paint, and then stay securely in place for driving. This can be done with no ladders, just standing in the door footsteps, though being on a step ladder makes life a fair bit easier. There are plugs at each end so I'd suggest fitting the panel before you set off, and then pluggin it in on site (for the zero holes/zero cabling option).

p.s. this isn't an advert - I'm not selling anything yet!

Dodgey wrote:connects to your battery with simple crocodile clips.

Quite a few people use this type of connector;

Croc clips don't fit then

Does opening the covers also release them, or is it a two stage process?

They lift a bit then release, enough to get a meter lead in but never enough to get croc clips in, at least on the version I have. I think it might be intentional ?

Thanks - good info. I can deal with that.

Did anything come of this, does anyone know?

I have a maplin 13w kit. The panels lay out on the grass and the cable goes in the passenger window to the transformer/regulator in the glovebox. The panels fold up and slide in one of the cubby holes in the back. It keeps my leisure battery alive a little longer whilst at mountain bike racers.

I bought an 80w panel on eBay in the summer, added a dual battery controller (also eBay) Works well, total cost under £125. Fitted to the rear section of the roof with a couple of brackets and permanently wired in. Fit & forget. The panels seem to be getting cheaper too.. I've seen them as low as £75.

I think that fitting one of those thick panels is not the way to go if you use your roof rack for kayakaing as I do The boat inevitably hits the panel as it's too thick.

I managed to get a 60W panel for £75 inc regulator
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-60W-FOLDA ... 564fb5b44a
that i screwed to wood i have going down the side. The unit sits at the front just out of the main wind just going back under the roof rack bar. The unit folds into a brief case so accommodates the side contours of the roof ( shape slightly. It is designed to be stored and put out when stationary but is weather proof enough to be setup all the time.

You can earth the lead at the rear gas strut lower bolt to reduce cable length also I wired under the bonnet also for the + the wire goes down the side pillar and into the bonnet quite nicely. the wire fits well into the rain gutter and is hid when down by the awning.

I opted for all time installation so i could leave my vehicle charging whilst on activity and rtn to sleep with some power rather than having to drive to charge with spit relay. I found the manufacturers abit clue less with regards compatibility of split charger units and controllers - but experience has showed me it's not a prob as when running the controller thinks the battery is full and dumps the power or the alternator back of a little not sure which as no circuit diagrams - just my reasoning.

If i had more dosh i would definitely go for semi flexible at 3mm thick you could lie it plat and walk over it with a little silicone glue no bolts no drilling
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251170128315? ... 1438.l2649 this should fit on the roof without going over the skylight or preventing boats etc been carried on the roof according to my rough calculations.

just giving ideas for wider market reach

cheers Paul

Rebiam wrote:Did anything come of this, does anyone know?

It did indeed !

I've been selling kits on Ebay all year. I don't advertise on there over winter as sales are obviously slow when no one is camping - but you can drop me a PM and I'll sort you out.

The panels have indeed come down in price by around £25, and my kits also have accordingly. A large part of my kit cost is the materials and time needed to make the aluminium brackets, all the cabling, waterproof plugs and sockets, printing colour photo-instructions and then I test everything. The kits are aimed at users with zero electrical or mechanical experience.

I've done quite a lot of installations too, frequently where extra non-solar wiring/electronics is also required.

Btw - I've used semi flexible panels but they are still very expensive, and not nearly as efficient as they overheat. The rigid panels I'm now using are 5mm thinner than the 1st ones I used.

Here is one I did recently...(along with rewiring the Mazda kitchen, installing a leisure battery, a Willington Kit, and a Low coolant alarm - was a busy morning!)

My Bongo above!!
Roger installed the kit for me just in the tail end of summer, has been working really well. Can't wait for summer now as I think the panel will provide enough juice to keep the fridge running almost constantly! Awesome work on the other bits too

P.S. Morrisons white rolls in the pic, wouldn't buy them again

Well done Dodgey. Always great to hear that someone has taken a good idea, produced a quality product, and brought it to market.

Hi guys, given that its winter and I need to ensure that my van is ready to go all the time, I decided to swap the battery lead over from the leisure battery to the main battery. My 100w Akt panel had the battery back up to strength in a few hours, but then I wondered if it was safe to drive the van while it is hooked up and the battery is getting charge from another source. The solar panel is connected via a solar charge controller that came with the panel and I assume these have a diode built in to stop charge leaking back to the panel.
Dodgey, I know you originally had a switch to switch between charging your LB and main battery but did you drive with it connected to the main battery?
Should I be okay leaving it hooked up like this over winter and driving the van as well?

Cheers
Steve

If your roof starts glowing while you're driving, then you know there's a problem . Surely its no different to having the solar panel connected to the LB which is itself being charged via split-charger while the engine is running?

LOL, its definitely not.
I don't use a split charger, the solar panel is the only thing to charge the leisure battery. But I guess people do use both so I guess its all cool to run it to the main battery for a while until I split the wire and put a switch In place for topping up the main battery when camping in the summer.