100w portable solar report
Yesterday March 8 we had full sun here at Roosevelt Lake, AZ. My two Group 27 batteries read 12.52v at the start of the day, measured at the batteries with the Turnigy WattMeter. I used it to collec...
Forum Discussion
Hi BFL13,
The controller type is not going to "make or break" a system.
I think the type of panel may be more significant. Mono are the best watt per square inch, but poly appear to work better in low light with some penalty on size (they are larger per watt). Amorphous are the best at low light, but the output per square unit is 1/4 of the poly.
The total power capacity needs to be high enough to meet a full timer's average daily use.
If I heat with electricity, the peak load in winter is upwards of 72 kwh per day (possibly 120 kwh, worst case). It just is not possible to have that much solar on a class C.
Once it is above freezing, or if I am willing to heat with propane, then it becomes much more feasible for me.
I do have hopes of being able to run the roof air during the shoulder hours of solar noon when I "grow" my system. I'm hoping for 5 hours per day. Pay back is ninety days of one tank of fuel per day for generator use.
Weekenders can have a much smaller system so long as it is at least 60 watts per 100 amp-hours, particularly if they have a good size battery bank.
The controller type is not going to "make or break" a system.
I think the type of panel may be more significant. Mono are the best watt per square inch, but poly appear to work better in low light with some penalty on size (they are larger per watt). Amorphous are the best at low light, but the output per square unit is 1/4 of the poly.
The total power capacity needs to be high enough to meet a full timer's average daily use.
If I heat with electricity, the peak load in winter is upwards of 72 kwh per day (possibly 120 kwh, worst case). It just is not possible to have that much solar on a class C.
Once it is above freezing, or if I am willing to heat with propane, then it becomes much more feasible for me.
I do have hopes of being able to run the roof air during the shoulder hours of solar noon when I "grow" my system. I'm hoping for 5 hours per day. Pay back is ninety days of one tank of fuel per day for generator use.
Weekenders can have a much smaller system so long as it is at least 60 watts per 100 amp-hours, particularly if they have a good size battery bank.
