Looking To Add Solar Down The Road
I am planning on adding solar down the road from now. Would like to see if I am on the right tract. I want to install three Kyocera 140 watt panels flat on top. Wired in parallel to a BlueSky 2000E, t...
Forum Discussion
Roy, my used T-1275s were free. They cost too much new when you can get good 6s for under $100 where you are.
Good point on how to maintain deep cycle batts with a converter that only does 14.4. You have seen the charging recommendations by the various battery makers on those that all say to get them up to 15ish for a full recharge.
However lots of people seem to be getting several years from theirs with 14.4 so who knows? If you get five years instead of ten you don't lose much money, so it just isn't that important really.
If you only get two years it is likely from other reasons not looking after them than having only 14.4. Anyway you can get 15v from any cheapo manual charger and with some solar controllers. It is worth the extra money to get the Solar30 for $34 instead of an RJ special for $17. The RJ one will do 14.4 and no adjustments, but it is a good controller as such. I have one of each so can confirm that.
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Jim, I am going to take the two T-1275s home and put them on a float for the rest of the summer season. It is nice to have a big bank of 6 batts in winter but no need till then. I will leave the 130 flat on the roof in its tray and hooked up and ignore it for whatever it does and keep the 230 in its contraption on the ground as now to do the main work. Late August and September when the weather gets spotty here again I can get more use from the 130 like in April-May as was. (unless I sell it !)
On the old MPPT/PWM thing, it is about even money here. The 230 was $270 and Eco-W was $108 so $378.
12v panels can be found for about $1.50/w so two 115s would be $345 and the Solar30 is $34 so that is $379
You do better on the price of 24v panels in the States though.
Good point on how to maintain deep cycle batts with a converter that only does 14.4. You have seen the charging recommendations by the various battery makers on those that all say to get them up to 15ish for a full recharge.
However lots of people seem to be getting several years from theirs with 14.4 so who knows? If you get five years instead of ten you don't lose much money, so it just isn't that important really.
If you only get two years it is likely from other reasons not looking after them than having only 14.4. Anyway you can get 15v from any cheapo manual charger and with some solar controllers. It is worth the extra money to get the Solar30 for $34 instead of an RJ special for $17. The RJ one will do 14.4 and no adjustments, but it is a good controller as such. I have one of each so can confirm that.
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Jim, I am going to take the two T-1275s home and put them on a float for the rest of the summer season. It is nice to have a big bank of 6 batts in winter but no need till then. I will leave the 130 flat on the roof in its tray and hooked up and ignore it for whatever it does and keep the 230 in its contraption on the ground as now to do the main work. Late August and September when the weather gets spotty here again I can get more use from the 130 like in April-May as was. (unless I sell it !)
On the old MPPT/PWM thing, it is about even money here. The 230 was $270 and Eco-W was $108 so $378.
12v panels can be found for about $1.50/w so two 115s would be $345 and the Solar30 is $34 so that is $379
You do better on the price of 24v panels in the States though.
