Eco-Worthy 12v solar panels, Now drifting to... mono vs poly
When I search here, the only Ecoworthy results I get are for their controllers. Does anyone have any experience with their 12v panels?
Forum Discussion
westend wrote:
I was thinking of using the diversion power feature to heat the water in my steel water tank when camping in cold weather. The steel tank is under s dinette seat/convertible bed and could supply some heat exchange in that area. Really, it is all about using excess harvest and being able to store it, either as electrical energy as we do with batteries or as heat through an element. I've forgotten what the diversion circuit of the little Morningstar 15 will handle but I'm pretty sure it is not 15 amps. I'll check on that.
You're basically suggesting using the extra power for hydronic (hot water) heating; and that's the first thing I would try to use it for. There's no need to limit the hot water to that tank, either. You could run 5/8" heater hose to other areas needing additional heat. You just connect the hoses to short lengths of finned copper pipe heating elements, and add a small, low draw 12v pump.
One caveat is, how much "extra" power can one really harvest in the colder/darker months? The other is, the hwh must be hybrid.
