Forum Discussion
JimK-NY
Jan 01, 2022Explorer II
It seems lots of ideas have been contributed but to my understanding it does not seem the concerns of the OP were answered.
I have a few comments that might help with my understanding of the OP's issues. First, it seems the OP is trying to start with an energy use audit. Trying to base that on manufacturer's specs is not going to work well. Instead actual measurements are needed. My solar system can do this for me. With consistent solar light I watch the steady amp charging amount. I then turn on the appliance being audited and note the decrease in amps. Looking at a computer, even a small laptop, is extremely important. They take a significant amount of power, probably more than most people realize.
In conjunction with the initial audit, it is highly important to find ways to reduce power consumption. First would be to avoid use of major appliances such as the microwave or an electric coffee pot. I only use my microwave on rare occasions when I have shore power or when I specifically start up the generator for using it. I found a way to make great coffee with just boiling water heated with propane.
Even small adjustments can help. I avoid the use of an inverter. I found 12 v chargers for laptop and almost all other items. I never found an option for camera or flashgun batteries so for them I use a small, cheap, non-sine wave inverter. A large, sine wave inverter wastes a lot of power.
The final step is to size the solar charging system. The size often depends on money and available space. Regardless of the size, a generator is still going to be needed for cloudy days, for camping in the shade, or when the requirements are just too large. A big solar system will minimize but not avoid all generator use.
I have a few comments that might help with my understanding of the OP's issues. First, it seems the OP is trying to start with an energy use audit. Trying to base that on manufacturer's specs is not going to work well. Instead actual measurements are needed. My solar system can do this for me. With consistent solar light I watch the steady amp charging amount. I then turn on the appliance being audited and note the decrease in amps. Looking at a computer, even a small laptop, is extremely important. They take a significant amount of power, probably more than most people realize.
In conjunction with the initial audit, it is highly important to find ways to reduce power consumption. First would be to avoid use of major appliances such as the microwave or an electric coffee pot. I only use my microwave on rare occasions when I have shore power or when I specifically start up the generator for using it. I found a way to make great coffee with just boiling water heated with propane.
Even small adjustments can help. I avoid the use of an inverter. I found 12 v chargers for laptop and almost all other items. I never found an option for camera or flashgun batteries so for them I use a small, cheap, non-sine wave inverter. A large, sine wave inverter wastes a lot of power.
The final step is to size the solar charging system. The size often depends on money and available space. Regardless of the size, a generator is still going to be needed for cloudy days, for camping in the shade, or when the requirements are just too large. A big solar system will minimize but not avoid all generator use.
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