ewarnerusa wrote:
StirCrazy wrote:
...People seem to get on this "we are waisting solar power when our batterys are full" kick every now and then. you are not waisting it, it is always being radiated and you can only waist somthing you have control over like a kitchen faucet left running for no reason. other wise we could say anyone who doesn't have a solar panel is waisting energy.
now personaly I think the idea of a deversion load is kinda neat and a 12V water heater eliment would be awsome to save a bit on propane, I have two issues though.
you are using a PWM controler so you are waisting solar energy by not having an efficient controler :B
second I am not sure of it will put out enough energy to make the element hot enough to keep it above the temp where it starts the burner up again, it might though...
First paragraph seems oddly nitpicky, in many situations the panels are able to harvest more energy than the immediate demand and to not utilize that capacity is wasting it. Let's call it wasting the capacity rather than wasting the current then.
PWM vs MPPT, yeah I get it. MPPT technology can squeeze out more amps in certain situations. But the PWM controller and 12V panels are a sunk cost from over 10 years ago.
This diversion current will never fully substitute the gas burner for primary water heating. But any electric heat input to the water can in theory offset the propane btus required to heat it up to the setpoint. I usually turn on the water heater first thing in the morning, off once breakfast duties are done, then on again for dinner duties followed by shutting off until the next day. This works for our boondocking style of camper use.
wasn't ment to be nit pickey but just my opinion, if you cant turn if off it cant be waisted as it then sends the energy into the enviorment, but ya I can agree to "waisting potential". in my case I over size just for a faster recharge, then it off setting electrical usage during the day so when I go to bed at night my batteries are always at 100%, but if I have a few bad solar days the over size will still be able to top off the batteries before the first sunny day is over.
ya I do agree that even if it isnt enough to meet your water heating needs it can reduce propane usage by keeping it warm longer.
Another idea that I have been looking at is a 200 watt ceramic 12V heater for space heating in the spring and fall thats only 600BTU but it is quiet and constant and costs 19 bucks, so I was thinking of trying it and seeing how it works. I just got to figure out how the "load" output works on my charger.. I am not sure it can handle the 10ish amp output... if I can find a MPPT with a diversion output that might be worth upgrading to. if I can off set the furnace that would be the biggest propane savings for me.
