My Solar Project is Done

Sounds good.

We're loving our 700W solar. The batteries are solely maintained by the MPPT controller. We do have a 1000W Inverter but don't use it for much. So haven't needed a generator.

When summer camping at state/provincial/national parks we now always ask for non-electric sites which are cheaper and sometimes preferable location-wise. (But sometimes not as they may be more for tents and not have the vertical clearance we need).

But we'll see how things work this November for a week in probably rainy Smoky Mountain N.P. Suspect my 220Ah battery bank is too small.

Shadow Catcher wrote:

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Heat is a car heater core with a 100MM case fan and 12 solar water pump drawing from the water heater.
...

Now that is cool (or hot?). But the fan plus the water pump are probably drawing as much battery juice as a regular furnace fan? Gotta be quieter though.

Way to go getting it done. I still hope to test my system a few more times before mounting this fall. I bet you are chomping at the bit to get the rig out and run it for real.

We have far more freedom with the system than we ever did while using the generator. The same coffee maker and cook top we used while it ran is used with the solar and batteries now. We use the system to conserve propane.

Well done!

Shadow Catcher wrote:
I have a Kipor generator I have yet to use. Our teardrop has 185W high voltage solar panel going into a Morningstar MPPT controller. All lights are LED and we have a Morningstar Sursine 300W inverter. When off grid the coffee is done with a French Press and we grill of use the cook top. The big draw is a Waeco 12V refrigerator. Heat is a car heater core with a 100MM case fan and 12 solar water pump drawing from the water heater.
Conservation is part of the equation.

I have a Kipor generator I have yet to use. Our teardrop has 185W high voltage solar panel going into a Morningstar MPPT controller. All lights are LED and we have a Morningstar Sursine 300W inverter. When off grid the coffee is done with a French Press and we grill of use the cook top. The big draw is a Waeco 12V refrigerator. Heat is a car heater core with a 100MM case fan and 12 solar water pump drawing from the water heater.
Conservation is part of the equation.

2oldman wrote:

CT_WANDERER wrote:
As you said electric coffee in the AM would be great. I would be more interested in sizing a new inverter for the coffee more so than the MW.

2kw

Thanks Now I can keep an eye out for that.

CT_WANDERER wrote:
As you said electric coffee in the AM would be great. I would be more interested in sizing a new inverter for the coffee more so than the MW.

2kw

smkettner wrote:
Welcome to the 500+ club...

Need pictures :B

Will have to work on that!

2oldman wrote:
How many batteries? It's good to make your coffee with electricity first thing in the am sans generator. For that you would need a bigger inverter.

Have 4 GC2 on one bank and the other bank is 2 Group24 under the steps. Could not fit the GC2 under the steps. Post would have been above the steps by 3/4 inch. I might cut the bottom out when it come time to replace the Group 24 and add a few inches so I can replace them with two GC2. I have a selector switches to control the banks and charging system.

As you said electric coffee in the AM would be great. I would be more interested in sizing a new inverter for the coffee more so than the MW.

But for now, maybe, see how we do getting this free electricity. You know how that goes. Once I see how nice it is, I will be wanting to get the new inverter. Gary

Sounds great... I'm still in the scrounging stage... My OFF-ROAD POPUP roof will support two 120WATT panels on one end and maybe a 240WATT panel on the other end.

All I want to do is cut back on my daily use of the 2KW generator each morning fighting my 52-53 AMPS DC current demand from my on-board converter/charger from the batteries when they first get hit with 14.4VDC each morning after my day/night run off the batteries...

Already pretty much self sustained using the generator each day and adding solar panels should be icing on the cake for us... Our biggest use of power is between 6PM and 11PM where we will draw roughly 20AMPS continous from the battery banks during that time period. This reduces our 255AH battery bank to their 50% charge state by 8AM the next morning...

Will be getting new batteries first to replace my original 2008 85AH GP24 12VDC Interstates then start adding solar panels starting with the two 120WATT panels...

Glad to hear you making some solar power...
Roy Ken

Welcome to the 500+ club...

Need pictures :B