Go Solar This Summer

Wonderful things happen under the sun. Morning coffee with a breathtaking view. Great hikes, climbs and biking tours out in the wild. Off-grid camping with the comforts of home. The sun is shining for free. Let it work wonders for you. Upgrade your motorhome, caravan or campervan with a solar panel, a voltage converter, a lithium battery and everything else you need to go solar this summer.

4 MUST HAVES FOR YOU TO GO SOLAR THIS SUMMER

MUST HAVE #1 – A SOLAR PANEL TO MATCH YOUR RV AND YOUR CAMPING NEEDS

The decision is made. You want to go solar this summer. Now you are busy scanning the market for the best possible solar panel for your motorhome, caravan or campervan. Preferably one that won’t take up too much space on the roof of your camper vehicle – but will still generate ample power for all the comforts you wouldn’t want to miss in your vacation. Do you love to pitch up out in the wild, or on a quiet spot under a tree? Then you should consider a solar panel that yields energy in partial shade as well.

Stop searching the web – you’ve arrived. Dometic has the right solar panel for your RV. From portable solar modules to hightech solar panels that deliver twice the power than a conventional module of the same size. Framed or frameless solar panels, black or silver, in performance classes to suit every demand – it’s all here for you to discover.

MUST HAVE #2 – A VOLTAGE CONVERTER TO GET THE RIGHT TYPE OF POWER

Make an Espresso. Dry your hair. Charge your e-bikes. Bake delicious waffles for your family and friends. You can do it all with energy from the sun. Provided you have a device on board that converts the DC voltage coming from your solar panel into a clean and stable AC voltage, like that from the power sockets at home. This special type of voltage converter is also called DC/AC power inverter, sine wave inverter or simply inverter.

Find your DC/AC voltage converter and get yourself a mobile power socket for your Espresso machine, your hair dryer, your e-bike charger, your waffle iron and other essentials for a comfortable camping vacation.

DC/DC VOLTAGE CONVERTERS AND CHARGING CONVERTERS

Do you want to run a 12 V device on a 24 V battery? Or boost the battery charging system of your vehicle to ensure that your battery is opimally charged during the drive at all times? Then one of our DC/DC voltage converters and charging converters will gladly take on the job.

 

MUST HAVE #3 – RELIABLE BATTERY RESSOURCES

Camping is more fun with friends – and even more so with reliable battery ressources to keep your gear running smoothly in every situation. Road trip, wildlife expedition, enjoying the great outdoors – you are ready for any adventure with Dometic’s premium selection of batteries. From powerful lithium batteries to long-life AGM batteries, versatile powerbanks and handy jump starters – let Dometic energy work for you. Cooking, air conditioning, refrigeration, recharging your mobile devices – you can have battery ressources for it all.

LITHIUM BATTERIES – YOUR SOLAR PANEL’S BEST FRIEND

Looking for a perfect teammate for your solar panel? Check out the Dometic TEMPRA TLB series. Our top-notch lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries give you ample power for your adventure. Plus, a couple of benefits that come in handy on the go. Light weight, superior energy density, ultra-fast recharging, extra-long life – with no maintenance required.

Winter camping? Unlike most lithium batteries, a TEMPRA TLB can be charged on frosty days without any problems. The heated TEMPRA models are operational at temperatures down to -30 °C.

MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE

Our TEMPRA TLB 150 flagship model has 50% more capacity than a conventional lithium battery of the same size. 150 amp hours in a compact housing that fits snugly under the seat – that’s enough to keep your roof air conditioner running for 4 hours. Or to recharge your e-bikes off-grid. 2 x TEMPRA TLB 150 plus a high-performance DC/AC voltage converter (e.g. Dometic SinePower DPSI 3012TS) are our recommendation for everyone dreaming of a stylish induction cooktop. Gas-free cooking with energy from the sun is within reach.

BATTERY CHARGING DURING THE DRIVE AND ON SITE

After an adventurous day it’s time to relax and refuel. Sit back and enjoy the sunset. No need to worry about things like battery charging. With the right charging infrastructure your batteries will be refuelled fully automatically. During the drive. On the mains hook-up at the campsite. Or out in the wild, with green energy from your solar panel. Say goodby to flat batteries – and hello to Dometic battery chargers.

 

MUST HAVE #4 – A CENTRAL DISPLAY OR SMARTPHONE TO CONTROL YOUR GRID

CHECK THE PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS OF YOUR SOLAR PANEL, BATTERY, VOLTAGE CONVERTER AND CHARGING SYSTEM

How is your battery doing? How much power is being fed in from your solar panel? How much battery capacity is left? How long will it last with the current consumption? How long will it take until the battery is fully charged again? Answers to all of these questions are at your fingertips. Simply add Dometic’s multifunctional touchscreen display to your network. You can also use your smartphone or tablet computer with the Dometic Power App installed.

Curious how it works? Dometic mobile power supply products are able to communicate with each other via the Dometic N-BUS system. Your solar panel, your DC/AC voltage converter, your lithium battery, your solar charging controller – all N-BUS-compatible components of your vehicle grid are connected with each other and constantly exchange performance parameters and consumption data. And share this information with you anytime you want. So you will always have your energy grid under control.

How do you know which Dometic products are N-BUS compatible? Simply scan the QR code.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A MOTORHOME SOLAR PANEL?

Energy from the sun is free for everybody to use. A motorhome solar panel expands battery power and lifetime. It is also makes self-sufficient camp time longer. Pitch up where you like, even on a lovely place out in the wild where mains power is out of reach. Remember: The efficiency of your solar system depends on weather conditions.

 

HOW MUCH WATTS SHOULD MY SOLAR PANEL HAVE?

It all depends on your individual needs. Some people love travelling in a fully equipped RV, including a compressor refrigerator, a TV/SAT system and other amenities. Others make do with little more than a water pump and an oil lamp. You should also take the size of your vehicle and your preferred travel time (spring to fall or year round) into account.

 

HOW DOES A SOLAR PANEL CHARGE MY BATTERY/BATTERIES?

Basically, a solar system charges your battery/batteries like any other battery charging system. The difference is that the energy for charging comes from the sun – and not from the alternator or a mains hook-up. You also need a solar charge controller that adapts the solar power to the charging characteristics of your battery.

 

CAN I POWER A 230 V HAIRDRYER, ESPRESSO MACHINE OR E-BIKE CHARGER WITH SOLAR ENERGY?

Yes, you can. Provided you have a DC/AC converter on board. This practical device, also referred to as inverter or sine wave inverter, turns the 12 V DC voltage delivered by your solar system into a clean 230 V AC voltage, like that from your power socket at home. Choose an inverter with sufficient capacity to cover the power rating of the devices you want to operate.

 

LITHIUM OR AGM BATTERY?

It depends on your comfort requirements. Would you like to use your espresso machine, your hair dryer or other power-hungry 230 V appliances even if your vehicle is not connected to a mains hook-up? Then you should consider a lithium battery. If you don't need much more than your lights, your radio and, perhaps, a small inverter, you may be well served with a (considerably less expensive) AGM battery.

 

WHICH LITHIUM BATTERY TECHNOLOGY IS RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN MOTORHOMES?

Lithium batteries come with different chemistries. The chemistry we are using for our products is lithium-iron-phosphate, also referred to as LFP or LiFePO4 for short. You should rely on this technology, as it offers the best thermal and chemical stability – and thus the highest level of safety. Lithium iron phosphate cells also have a long service life (up to 2,500 cycles). Plus, they are able to support high voltages and currents, which allows high-speed recharging. 

 

MY VEHICLE HAS A LEAD ACID BATTERY. HOW CAN I UPGRADE TO LITHIUM TECHNOLOGY?

When converting from lead acid to lithium battery technology, you need to upgrade your battery charging system, because standard lead acid chargers may harm your lithium battery. If you don’t want to upgrade your charging infrastructure, you have three alternatives.

• DOMETIC TEMPRA TLB BATTERY: These top-notch lithium batteries have a built-in controller, so that even your existing lead acid battery chargers can be used without any problems.
• DOMETIC BÜTTNER POWERUNIT: Keep your existing AGM battery and install the lithium battery of the PowerUnit in parallel. The battery computer included in the PowerUnit retrofit set ensures that the lithium battery always gets the correct charging curve.
• DOMETIC BÜTTNER POWERSET: If you want to change to lithium power completely, our PowerSets give you a convenient "plug-and-play" solution. Lithium battery, battery control booster, battery computer, connection cables ... all you need is included.

 

WHICH BATTERY TYPE IS BEST FOR WINTER CAMPING?

AGM batteries are quite robust against low temperatures. Most lithium batteries are not, which means you should not charge them in temperatures below zero. If you enjoy winter camping, or want to be prepared for charging your lithium battery on frosty days, you have two options.

• Option 1: Choose a lithium battery with heating function (e.g. Dometic TEMPRA F models). These batteries can be safely charged at temperatures down to -30 °C.
• Option 2: Install a lithium battery plus an AGM battery as a "backup" that will take over when the temperature falls below freezing and your lithium battery can no longer be recharged.

 

I’D LIKE TO UPGRADE THE CAPACITY OF MY BATTERY SYSTEM. IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO CONSIDER?

If you upgrade your battery capacity, your existing charging infrastructure will probably require an upgrade too. Otherwise, it may take longer to recharge your battery system.

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE DOMETIC N-BUS SYSTEM?

Dometic N-BUS turns your motorhome, caravan or campervan into a smart mobile home. Solar system, battery, chargers, inverter ... all mobile power devices are interconnected in the N-BUS network and constantly exchange information. This makes your onboard grid much more efficient and safer. And child's play to manage. Check performance, monitor consumption – simply your smartphone or a central wall display.