Self regulating solar panels
Hi I've been reading posts on this forum for a while and finally got around to signing up. I have recently purchased a used 25' vanguard fifth wheel. It came with a small solar panel mounted on...
Forum Discussion
How large is that 50 watt panel? Measure it and tell us.
I have a pair of 45 watt panels, and they are about 12" X 36" long, maybe a few more inches, they are not close enough to measure right now.
I also have a self-regulating 10 or 15 watt solar panel on top of my A/C unit. These do not require a regulator because they are so much smaller than the battery, or in other words the 15 watt panel might put out 7amp hours per day, not enough to overcharge any battery.
Most modern RV's have a CO detector, propane leak detector, and refrigerator that together use about 35 amp hours per day. This is about what one of my 120 watt solar panels can put out in 1 day of good sunshine. I have a pair of 120 watt and a single 75 watt on my RV roof now.
The pair of 45 watt became a home lighting system. I used a $13 PWM solar controller that also turns on the lights at night for an adjustable 1-13 hours or until sunrise. IT will shut off the lights if the battery voltage is to low. It is rated at 10 amps maximum.
The lights are 24 LED panel lights that put out a fair amount of light, while only using 0.13 amps per panel. There is about 10 panels attached to the underside of the rafters around the house, lighting it up nicely.
The light panels are $1.60 each when you get 50 at a time. Ichanged my most used RV lights to LED panels. THe porch light has 4 of the 24 LED panels. The bathroom has 2 panels in each side of the factory two light fixture. So I replaced about 2.2 amps of lights with only 0.45 amps of LED's that are brighter.
For heating, I use a Olympic Catalytic heater. It puts out about 6,000 Btu's and can heat a 30' RV to 70F when it is above 40F outside, and I run the furnace a bit when it is colder outside, but not much each hour.
Good luck,
Fred.
I have a pair of 45 watt panels, and they are about 12" X 36" long, maybe a few more inches, they are not close enough to measure right now.
I also have a self-regulating 10 or 15 watt solar panel on top of my A/C unit. These do not require a regulator because they are so much smaller than the battery, or in other words the 15 watt panel might put out 7amp hours per day, not enough to overcharge any battery.
Most modern RV's have a CO detector, propane leak detector, and refrigerator that together use about 35 amp hours per day. This is about what one of my 120 watt solar panels can put out in 1 day of good sunshine. I have a pair of 120 watt and a single 75 watt on my RV roof now.
The pair of 45 watt became a home lighting system. I used a $13 PWM solar controller that also turns on the lights at night for an adjustable 1-13 hours or until sunrise. IT will shut off the lights if the battery voltage is to low. It is rated at 10 amps maximum.
The lights are 24 LED panel lights that put out a fair amount of light, while only using 0.13 amps per panel. There is about 10 panels attached to the underside of the rafters around the house, lighting it up nicely.
The light panels are $1.60 each when you get 50 at a time. Ichanged my most used RV lights to LED panels. THe porch light has 4 of the 24 LED panels. The bathroom has 2 panels in each side of the factory two light fixture. So I replaced about 2.2 amps of lights with only 0.45 amps of LED's that are brighter.
For heating, I use a Olympic Catalytic heater. It puts out about 6,000 Btu's and can heat a 30' RV to 70F when it is above 40F outside, and I run the furnace a bit when it is colder outside, but not much each hour.
Good luck,
Fred.
