I am Moving to Solar
Started to install my solar system today. I have a Morningstar TS45 PWM controller. It is installed and wired up. I have 3 Solar Cynergy 120 Watt panels. I did manage to get one installed late today. ...
Forum Discussion
400 W-hrs with 360 W of panels on a cloudy day is not bad. Should be able to 400 W of panels on a minivan.
We have lasted 5-6 days in heavy shade on Olympic Peninsula, WA and at Cave Creek Canyon, Chirichahua Mountains. we still "harvested" over 300 W-hrs each day but we were to -5 kW-hrs by the time we left each place (we could have been down -7kW-hrs with LFP or 20% SOC with no problems). Had to change energy management under these conditions: inverter was turned off when not in use but we still used the micro-wave to heat tea/coffee and watched Mystery Theater each night. Have a 1 kW Honda for emergency but have not had to use in two years.
Reed and Elaine
2006 Chevie 1-ton 4x4 dualie w/45 gallon Transferflow auxiliary tank
34' Open Range 337 RLS 5th wheel (cheap but really nice)
1.4 kW panels (6 x 235 W ganged 3 in series (90 V) then parallel to controller)
TriStar MPPT-45 controller
8.7 kW-hr LFP (48 V nominal - 54 V actual at float)
4.0 kW Magnum PSWI
508 W Mean Well converter (48 V to 12 V)
We have lasted 5-6 days in heavy shade on Olympic Peninsula, WA and at Cave Creek Canyon, Chirichahua Mountains. we still "harvested" over 300 W-hrs each day but we were to -5 kW-hrs by the time we left each place (we could have been down -7kW-hrs with LFP or 20% SOC with no problems). Had to change energy management under these conditions: inverter was turned off when not in use but we still used the micro-wave to heat tea/coffee and watched Mystery Theater each night. Have a 1 kW Honda for emergency but have not had to use in two years.
Reed and Elaine
2006 Chevie 1-ton 4x4 dualie w/45 gallon Transferflow auxiliary tank
34' Open Range 337 RLS 5th wheel (cheap but really nice)
1.4 kW panels (6 x 235 W ganged 3 in series (90 V) then parallel to controller)
TriStar MPPT-45 controller
8.7 kW-hr LFP (48 V nominal - 54 V actual at float)
4.0 kW Magnum PSWI
508 W Mean Well converter (48 V to 12 V)
