Solar wasted watts/volts
I am curious what happens to the watts /volts when your system is fully charged and you have no demand? Were does the extra power go?
Forum Discussion
OP says:
"Using Go power calculator we use about 126.7 Amphrs a day in winter running furnace. summer much less. I currently have 2 6v GC batteries = 220 Amphrs. I plan on putting 300-400 watts 24v+ panels of solar and add 2 mor 6v batts "
That computes. At 35F out, we used about 110 AH in the 5er for furnace alone, and our usual 70AH on top of that. 180AH per day off grid and no solar in the winter cloudy sky and short daylight times--more lights on for longer too.
I found it worked better in those conditions to have 6 batteries instead of the usual four. However in CA, you might get solar in the winter when it is cold, where we did not, so maybe 4 batts would do, and the solar would do something for you.
Even so, IMO, consider going to 6 batts even with the additional solar as planned. the solar will still be useful in the summer with less furnace time, and you can leave the extra two batts at home on a maintenance charger till the following winter.
It seems you don't use much inverter power, which we do, so that might make the diff too. But then you might "discover" that a 2000w inverter can run the microwave, and then you are on the slippery slope! :) BTDT, would not go back to without either!
"Using Go power calculator we use about 126.7 Amphrs a day in winter running furnace. summer much less. I currently have 2 6v GC batteries = 220 Amphrs. I plan on putting 300-400 watts 24v+ panels of solar and add 2 mor 6v batts "
That computes. At 35F out, we used about 110 AH in the 5er for furnace alone, and our usual 70AH on top of that. 180AH per day off grid and no solar in the winter cloudy sky and short daylight times--more lights on for longer too.
I found it worked better in those conditions to have 6 batteries instead of the usual four. However in CA, you might get solar in the winter when it is cold, where we did not, so maybe 4 batts would do, and the solar would do something for you.
Even so, IMO, consider going to 6 batts even with the additional solar as planned. the solar will still be useful in the summer with less furnace time, and you can leave the extra two batts at home on a maintenance charger till the following winter.
It seems you don't use much inverter power, which we do, so that might make the diff too. But then you might "discover" that a 2000w inverter can run the microwave, and then you are on the slippery slope! :) BTDT, would not go back to without either!
