Handy solar info for lead acid batteries
Handy Bob
Forum Discussion
I think there are different main reasons most folks use solar panels for... Probably the most times solar panels are used is only for the occasional user for just a few small wattage items for just a day or two of camping off the power grid... A couple of lights, charging up of cell phones and computer batteries etc... They do this without much storage of solar power in the battery banks...
The reason I would use solar panels in my setup would be to supplement the charging of my larger battery bank... I have been running many days off my battery banks for several years now with the idea I will re-charge the battery banks the next morning using my 2KW Honda generator running my trailer smart mode converter/charger for the three hours I need to recharge the batteries. Solar panels for me would cut down the time I have to use the generator and of course this would work if iI had good days of high sun... I will have to use whatever method gets my batteries recharged as we all know what happens if you start each evening with batteries less charged then the 90% charge state. For me it always gets dark around 10PM at night. Then I have to deal with the wife as why she hates camping off-road especially in the dark haha...
The other most expensive way to use solar panels is to use many large solar panels and associated battery banks to run everything in the RV UNIT from the solar power. Several guys on this forum do just that. I always imagined there setups was like living inside a hugh building UPS setup...
The point here is there are many scenarios for using solar panels and although the process of solar panels and solar controllers is the same the application process is much different...
I would not downbeat anyone's method of using solar panels... What will work for me obviously may not work for others...
We all know one method does not fit all user's needs...
Roy Ken
The reason I would use solar panels in my setup would be to supplement the charging of my larger battery bank... I have been running many days off my battery banks for several years now with the idea I will re-charge the battery banks the next morning using my 2KW Honda generator running my trailer smart mode converter/charger for the three hours I need to recharge the batteries. Solar panels for me would cut down the time I have to use the generator and of course this would work if iI had good days of high sun... I will have to use whatever method gets my batteries recharged as we all know what happens if you start each evening with batteries less charged then the 90% charge state. For me it always gets dark around 10PM at night. Then I have to deal with the wife as why she hates camping off-road especially in the dark haha...
The other most expensive way to use solar panels is to use many large solar panels and associated battery banks to run everything in the RV UNIT from the solar power. Several guys on this forum do just that. I always imagined there setups was like living inside a hugh building UPS setup...
The point here is there are many scenarios for using solar panels and although the process of solar panels and solar controllers is the same the application process is much different...
I would not downbeat anyone's method of using solar panels... What will work for me obviously may not work for others...
We all know one method does not fit all user's needs...
Roy Ken
