Solar Controllers--Don't be a Sucker! :(
Just got to say it again, how it is we are sitting here for five months off grid on solar with no problems at all (third season on solar like this), using the non-programmable, non-MPPT, solar control...
Forum Discussion
Mena, somebody recently in another thread ISTR found 190w 12v panels.
But whatever the biggest 12v, you can also get a bunch of smaller 12s and put them here and there that the big 24s won't fit.
The big thing to remember is that you will not be doing 50-90s on solar; more like 85-95s with a chance to get to 98% some days. Lower amps area!
Which means (do the math) you are only exercising a small part of your giant bank and you don't need all those watts you imagine. Think max battery acceptance rate in the 85-95 range for your size bank. What's the point of having so much solar that it can do 40amps if the batteries will only take 20? IE you don't need that big a bank as you have when solar conditions are right. (but they do vary! we also camp in winter)
--Yes I have enough solar for various conditions, especially with my swivel contraption so I can point it at the sun if it only comes out part of the day at odd times as with North-West Coast routine.
Note how yesterday I was able to get into Float at 98.5% SOC before 5pm and the start of heavy battery usage to make supper, watch movie, etc. How can anybody with a zillion dollar controller beat that? Can't. Which is my point. The controller is not needed to do any fancy stuff.
But whatever the biggest 12v, you can also get a bunch of smaller 12s and put them here and there that the big 24s won't fit.
The big thing to remember is that you will not be doing 50-90s on solar; more like 85-95s with a chance to get to 98% some days. Lower amps area!
Which means (do the math) you are only exercising a small part of your giant bank and you don't need all those watts you imagine. Think max battery acceptance rate in the 85-95 range for your size bank. What's the point of having so much solar that it can do 40amps if the batteries will only take 20? IE you don't need that big a bank as you have when solar conditions are right. (but they do vary! we also camp in winter)
--Yes I have enough solar for various conditions, especially with my swivel contraption so I can point it at the sun if it only comes out part of the day at odd times as with North-West Coast routine.
Note how yesterday I was able to get into Float at 98.5% SOC before 5pm and the start of heavy battery usage to make supper, watch movie, etc. How can anybody with a zillion dollar controller beat that? Can't. Which is my point. The controller is not needed to do any fancy stuff.
