Advice on Lithium Solar setup
Hello, I'm about to move into a conversion van full-time, 80% boondocking, and would like your advice about what I'm planning. My electrical requirements won't be much. I don't expect to use more t...
Forum Discussion
The one pic shown appears to have a bunch of 18650 or some other type of cylindrical size cell.
18650 cells are not Lifepo4 but Lithium colbalt or Limaganese.
Been some blanket statements across the whole lithium spectrum in this thread. LiCo cells are fully charged at 4.2v.
As to the laptops power requirements, I am glad you checked again with full batteries, as 20 to 30 watts is a huge difference from 80 watts continuous. Lowering screen brightness can save a few watts too.
I know many people's solution to powering laptops is an inverter powering the original power brick, but a dc to dc 'car adapter' is much more efficient.
The issue with them is the ciggy plug. They are only good for 60 watts or so continuous. They will eventually fail.
Blue seas makes a much better replacement plug. I opted to use anderson powerpoles instead. My PWR+ dc to dc car adapter uses significantly less wattage powering my laptop, compared to my 400 watt PSW inverter powering the original 120vac to 19.5dc power brick.
It is closing in on 8 years old. The dc output cable has a third wire for my dell which has proven to be fragile, and required replacement more than once though. if the 3rd wire breaks the battery will not charge and the laptop runs slow.
The last time I used a longer but thicker 3 wire bundle soldered from circuit board to barrell connector. It likely receives higher voltage from adapter now.
If possible, save your laptop batteries for use in the morning, so the solar can get the batteries to absorption voltage sooner. Once they reach absorption voltage then not too long afterwards there is solar excess wattage that can be utilized for the recharging of the laptop batteries.
The DC to DC adapter will likely also be more efficient the higher voltage it receives, so keep the circuit feeding it, short and fat despite a 90 watt maximum flow.
12v ciggy plugs and receptacles insult DC electricity. It is a shame they are a worldwide standard.
18650 cells are not Lifepo4 but Lithium colbalt or Limaganese.
Been some blanket statements across the whole lithium spectrum in this thread. LiCo cells are fully charged at 4.2v.
As to the laptops power requirements, I am glad you checked again with full batteries, as 20 to 30 watts is a huge difference from 80 watts continuous. Lowering screen brightness can save a few watts too.
I know many people's solution to powering laptops is an inverter powering the original power brick, but a dc to dc 'car adapter' is much more efficient.
The issue with them is the ciggy plug. They are only good for 60 watts or so continuous. They will eventually fail.
Blue seas makes a much better replacement plug. I opted to use anderson powerpoles instead. My PWR+ dc to dc car adapter uses significantly less wattage powering my laptop, compared to my 400 watt PSW inverter powering the original 120vac to 19.5dc power brick.
It is closing in on 8 years old. The dc output cable has a third wire for my dell which has proven to be fragile, and required replacement more than once though. if the 3rd wire breaks the battery will not charge and the laptop runs slow.
The last time I used a longer but thicker 3 wire bundle soldered from circuit board to barrell connector. It likely receives higher voltage from adapter now.
If possible, save your laptop batteries for use in the morning, so the solar can get the batteries to absorption voltage sooner. Once they reach absorption voltage then not too long afterwards there is solar excess wattage that can be utilized for the recharging of the laptop batteries.
The DC to DC adapter will likely also be more efficient the higher voltage it receives, so keep the circuit feeding it, short and fat despite a 90 watt maximum flow.
12v ciggy plugs and receptacles insult DC electricity. It is a shame they are a worldwide standard.
