Solar regulator display installation in a caravan

[@anthonygardham4573]

Thank you Dan, another great informative video. Thanks for walking us through it all very clearly.

[@TheTrudgians]

My pleasure!

[@petercutts8822]

Hi Dan, I had a PV Logic solar panel fitted to the caravan and downloaded the app. Connects via Bluetooth. Gives you all the info you need. Job done.

[@DavidMcIntyre-u7d]

Bailey and other brands should install a quality solar controller such an Epever solar controller from the outset . From that and your new display - you can see how the solar is performing. Volts isn't the best measure of a battery SOC though. Best to counts Amps in and out with a shunt. I added both the Epever and a Victron smart shunt with bluetooth to our Swift. From the house I can see what the caravan is doing outside. The Victron is so much more accurate than the Sargent unit.

[@JohnHemmer-e7x]

Excellent video Dan - clear and concise as always.

[@TheTrudgians]

Thank you. 🙏

[@nickbrown9894]

Thanks Dan We have the same controller in our Bailey Porto and like you found the original battery gauge , totally inadequate , and was starting to think about alternatives. I know the Victron comes with bluetooth, but there is something strangely reassuring about a physical gauge! Food for thought..

[@vincejenkins1143]

Nice Video! If you need to replace the Truma MPPT, I can thoroughly recommend Victron gear. It comes with bluetooth, 100% reliable with lots of data available, if you want it.

[@garyawilliams574]

Thanks Dan. We have a Vigo with the same equipment as yours. I didn’t know you could get one of those meters so will be investing. Thank you for the advice 👍

[@TheTrudgians]

Glad to help

[@paulfuller7409]

Nice video Dan really interesting.

[@busterboy7505]

Much better to have something that you can see a true reading of in stead of what does that mean??, our unicorn has the built in battery meter reading which is great, switch power on and you can see what charge is in the battery, nice neat job Dan thanks for your video, 👍👍.

[@TheTrudgians]

Glad it helped. By the way, its 13.34 today ;-)

[@anthonygardham4573]

What a great video Dan. A great idea and useful addition to anyone’s caravan. I’ve just ordered one for our Evora. Thank you. Just a quick question, have you a chance to make a video on making the internal water tank far more easier to fill?

[@TheTrudgians]

Hi, yes I did - its all filmed, tested and editted. Its a video i'lll release as a winter project as there are a few steps. Plus I need to write up an article for it to serve as a step by step guide.

[@anthonygardham4573]

@@TheTrudgians that’s great, looking forward to seeing it in due course. Thank you.

[@roymorgan138]

A very interesting Blog Dan and one I will be keeping as next weekend I’m going to look at a 2025 Bailey Alicanto Grande Deluxe Evora and if the same control panel as you have got I will be doing this job.

[@philipmccabe9685]

Another top Dan mod !👍

[@andrewnorvill3093]

Cracking vid Dan

[@andrewwilkinson664]

Very good video... But...I'm sat in my 2017 bailey scratching my head to understand why new caravans don't tell you the voltage. I have a crystal clear digital voltage reading as part of my standard bailey switch panel. Why would manufacturers get rid of this? Backward step?

[@antonystacey2010]

Hi daniel with the truma mppt and lcd screen can I use any solar panel as truma ones are dear

[@TheTrudgians]

Hi, yes you can add any panel to the MPPT controller. Hope that helps

[@colinmew7139]

Very good Dan however if you had a 2015 Coachman VIP caravan you had a volt meter in control panel.

[@caravaningincarathevan467]

interesting. I have a similar solar panel display. (No display just lights) this looks easy too install. Xx

[@percyprod6574]

Interesting about the unbranded version. Saw a video on KZbin recently about buying a Yaesu remote keypad from a very popular Chinese website, which was branded Yaesu, looked identical, but very small details differed, but was pretty certainly a copy, especially as it was half the price as one from a Yaesu dealer! Very Clever these Chinese!

[@tabboo5576]

Great info, exactly what I was looking for, can you also confirm what the App name is for the bluetooth dongle as I want to also add that option for a complete solution.

[@TheTrudgians]

sure its called Charger Connect here is the link for the Apple version. apps.apple.com/gb/app/chargerconnect/id1513684422

[@kerryinven]

Hi Dan, another very useful mod - thanks. Did you ever get round to fitting a remote heat sensor to the Alde heating system? We are experiencing the same problems as you have mentioned previously - I.e. the system thinking it’s warmer inside the caravan (2024 Bailey Unicorn V Seville) than it actually is, due to location of current heat sensor which is inside the Alde control panel fixed to the external (offside) wall panel.

[@TheTrudgians]

Hi, yes I did. ive fitted teh external sensor and a new internal sensor too. Both vids coming soon.

[@Caravanningwiththehoopers]

Nice tidy job Dan but for the £60 cost I’d just upgrade to a Victrom Smart solar mppt controller, the 75/10 can be purchased for around £50 and will be a good upgrade over the Truma controller, the Victron app is great and gives everything you need to know

[@peterkane4524]

Hi The Hoopers, I have the same van as Dan, the Victrom 75/10 looks to have all the same features as the truma one Dan fitted but with the benifit of reading it on my phone, was yours a like for like swop or did you have anything the alter ? Cheers Peter.

[@Caravanningwiththehoopers]

@@peterkane4524 hi Peter, it will be a straight swap, really easy just a positive and negative from the battery and a positive and negative from the solar panel, once all wired in go into the app and update the firmware and select the battery type you have, that's it easy 5 min job

[@leeblack7817]

Hi, great video. Thanks. We're thinking about getting a solar panel in the future. One question about my battery. Our caravan is parked up on our drive hooked up up to mains from our garage. Would this be okay for the winter. Is it best to remove the battery and keep it on charge in a warmer place, like the garage. Thanks

[@TheTrudgians]

The great thing about keeping a battery plugged in on teh drive is you can set the heating on low to drive off any frost or freezing weather. However, the charger on board is essentially a power supply, constant voltage, constant current. So it wont charge a battery, more keep it topped up. Occasionally switch the power off and run something on the battery to draw some current, then switch the power back on to re-charge the battery.

[@leeblack7817]

@@TheTrudgians Thankyou for the reply. really helps watching theses videos, as a newbie to caravanning.😁

[@oakbankjohn6985]

Hi Dan, after viewing your earlier vlog I fitted the dongle and it works okay. What would be really useful is some way of measuring the AC mains input current, so that you do not trip the breaker on sites where the power is limited. Any ideas?

[@johntekao]

Alde do a load monitor which we had fitted to our Evora. worked really well in France and Spain this year.

[@TheTrudgians]

Ah, ive been beaten to it. Alde do have a load monitor, but its not somthing you can read (Like how much power youre using) but instead it cuts the power for the heater based upon your current draw. Handy for lower power pitches.

[@tomthetechy]

For that money a proper battery monitor with shunt would be far better. Granted you would have to run a cable back to the battery which is more effort than simply plugging in the display you have used, however importantly I note, you have already upgraded the charge controller to Truma MPPT and the standard Truma PPT controller installed at factory doesn't have the port so for most would not be possible to use that display. If you don't actually want proper battery monitoring and merely want a digital volt / amp meter with estimated battery State of Charge, which is basically all that display is, then I would suggest for most people (assuming they have the standard factory fit Truma PPT controller) they would be better to swap their controller for an MPPT controller, benefitting from the charge efficiency improvement but not to upgrade to the Truma MPPT controller and instead choose one that has a display on it, thereby solving both the lack of display and improving charge efficiency with one device and costing a lot less than the Truma MPPT and separate Truma Display. I would still put in a proper battery monitor with shunt in too though.

[@TheTrudgians]

Hi, the caravan did come with this MPPT controller, as the old PWM controller is now no longer fitted. As for a shunt, yes thats a much better solution - but to be honest, i just dont need that level of accuracy. I just need to see what the actual voltage is, and if there is anything coming from the panel.

[@tomthetechy]

@@TheTrudgians about time caravans are fitted with MPPT controllers from factory. Yes, in your use case simplest easiest option is what you have done. For those with older vans that don't have a MPPT controllers then get one (so so much better) but get one with a display on it. For those that want to really geek out on data, then also get a smart shunt and display, preferably with Bluetooth and logging, this will give all the data and historic data anyone could ever wish for. Great Vids Dan, I think I have watched every video you have ever put on this channel. Still prefer the how to video's you do but there is only so much you can or would want or need to do to a new van. Being a tinkerer, I love fixing and upgrading stuff, give me a van that's a few years old and out of warranty every time.

[@neilsumner1929]

I'm happy they don't include screws as included hardware is almost always terrible quality and only included as a token gesture. I'd rather get some screws that are just the right size, length and quality for my needs.

[@irene1770]

Great vlog very informative, Dan your shaking a lot and your skin needs moisturising, im only commenting because I’m concerned .

[@TheTrudgians]

Thanks for your concern. Dry skin has always plagued me - the shaking sadly will only get worse, but it’s managed. 👍

[@barry1615]

Very interesting, Dan. I have a Victron MPPT solar controller with Bluetooth and a LiFEPO4 leisure battery with built-in BMS & Bluetooth. The information provided on the apps for both is good, so personally, I don't feel a display like the Truma is justified in our setup.

[@TheTrudgians]

And.. it wouldn’t work with your set up.

[@khammered]

Victron do a similar product ( Victron Energy BMV-700 Battery Monitor ) but as you say the app does a really good job

[@barry1615]

@@TheTrudgians that's why I said, ".....a display like the Truma..."! 😄

[@robforrest12739]

Can’t believe for £60 they don’t bung in a few screws! Would cost them pence!