Solar Question

Almot wrote:
Meanwell-shmoozehell. The entire energy budget of the OP is probably 20 or 25 AH a day. I don't know what possible logical reason can be there - other than difficulties of getting big panels to this location - to run a generator and then finish it up with small treetop solar, rather than doing it all on a big-wattage high-voltage solar.

... should cost less than one Morningstar 30a mppt controller.

Morningstar makes 30A MPPT controller?

http://www.wegosolar.com/products.php?product=TS%252d30%252dMPPT-TriStar-30A-MPPT-Solar-Controller-


The OP has stated he charges his 200Ah? battery bank every other day, and that they get down to near 50% discharge. This cannot possibly occur using only 25Ah's per day. Moreover, it would not take in excess of 8 hours of charging, with a 25a charger, to replace 50 Ah's (2 days usage), it would take less than 8 hours, so clearly the OP's daily usage far exceeds 25Ah's per day.

It appears your issue is with the OP using a decent charger, which he can acquire for a mere $125? You seem hell bent on having him spend 10-20X that amount to get the job done. And I can guarantee the Mean Well will get the job done, whereas your big expensive solar install may or may not work. And I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is, are you? If the rsp-500-15 doesn't work out for the OP, I will more than gladly buy it from him. Are you willing to cough up for the solar install if and when it fails to meet his needs???

I mean seriously, why are you so bent on solar, in this particular situation? Yes, if the OP was at that cabin most, or all of the year, then indeed I would go along with a nice solar set-up, but for a couple weeks at a time, only during the warmer weather, the labour involved, and cost, are simply not justified. The small generator and a high efficient charger will do just fine.

And besides, he can take the batteries home with him in the fall, and bring them back in the spring. No biggy! Meanwhile, if he's up there every 2-6 weeks throughout the warmer months, he won't even need to float the batteries. A good 2-3 hour top charge before leaving the cabin would prepare the bank for it's extended rest.

Oh, and please stop mis-quoting myself and the OP. How many times do I need to repeat this?... THE SMALL SOLAR PANEL WOULD BE FOR FLOATING / MAINTAINING THE BATTERIES... NOT FINISHING THE CHARGE CYCLE.