Enough power?
I currently have a 55W solar panel on the camper. Was out boondocking for a week and after a few showers and running the heater a few times in the morning, I see this panel can't quite keep up, as in ...
Forum Discussion
Did not catch how many amps your controller was rated for. Remember solar panels are rated with a wattage of absolute best conditions. I have never seen my panel put out more than 70% of the rated wattage or actual measured (amps x volts). I like the Kyrocera 140 watt panel which under best real world conditions might put out 7.62 amps plus your existing 55 watt panel at 3.00 amps for a total output of 10.60 amps or 138 total real world (3.00 amps x 13.00 volts) = watts. If you get the 120 watt panel the amps/watts are about 9.52 amps and 124 watts. Is your controller rated to do that? Also, install a 6 or 4 awg wire from the truck alternator to the TC batteries to charge from your trucks alternator if you run low on power. Not as efficient as a genset but less stuff to carry and gas to run it.
Say you have 2 100 amp hour batteries and you ran them down to 60% charge each or about 12.1 or 12.2 volts. You need to replace 40 + 40 amp hours of battery charge. At 10 amps solar output, that will take 8 hours of good sun. Longer in reality.
Say you have 2 100 amp hour batteries and you ran them down to 60% charge each or about 12.1 or 12.2 volts. You need to replace 40 + 40 amp hours of battery charge. At 10 amps solar output, that will take 8 hours of good sun. Longer in reality.
