Solar Electric Specialties: Reviews?

[DesertMax]

Hi Guys, just picked up my new to me '96 Squire 3000 and it has lots of tech goodies on it. I had a 4000 before and learned a lot about solar. Still have my own system to transfer to new rig but unfamiliar with SES. Is this a solar controller and any comments on background of this company, reviews, reliability or quality level of this unit? Appreciate all responses..

Can't find anything on line about current price of this unit..

[DesertMax]

Ok now I will have to agree on that.. I was full time a couple of years ago and made the same inquiries and there were some naysayers but isn't the "sealed" factor for just that purpose... safe, no spill, no vapor or venting.. can be mounted on their sides etc???

[2oldman]

AGMs should be ok in a living space. Others may not be of the same opinion.

[DesertMax]

Also, I'm thinking of building a lower step (battery enclosure) on the floor at the very front of the camper to house 2 more batts for a 36V system..

I used my cooler as a "batt place holder" just for the shot..


There is 30" of usable width space and I don't need the factory step so that won't be a problem.. Question is, while AGM's are "sealed," is it really actually safe to have 2 of them in the living area? I'm thinking to put them inside battery boxes and then again inside of a wooden constructed enclosure and carpet the top of it to match the interior carpeting..

I have in the past, used the camper corner spaces in the truck bed for batts but the Squire 3000 is compact and the crawlspace doors are too small to access the batts unless I built them in and then loaded the camper "over" them which sounds tricky upon tricky as loading a slide in is never fun in the first place...

[DesertMax]

Hey oldman, I agree and here's the situation. I have been "Stuck in Lodi Again" for much too long and will be escaping back to full time in a month or two.. I may build up this system as I go as I will have more funds but this time I want the biggest system the rig can handle.. It has a crappy "cranking amps" house batt right now that came from some local tire store and I'll stick the 90 in there for starters but I'm aware of the Trojan or comparable 6V system standard and wonder if I should just design a system with those from the get go?? In a TC, wouldn't that mean more batts taking up more space which in a Truck Camper is at a premium?

[2oldman]

A single 90ah isn't much.. but depends on your usage.

[Almot]

Old. Likely, PWM, i.e. you can only use 12V panels with it. 24V panels didn't exist back then. SES was bought by another Ca company in 1990-s.

Found This SES 14 - could be a successor, though it looks different, no display. Still, very-very basic.

[DesertMax]

Too funny... I was afraid of that.. I have a little ASC controller that works really great and perhaps I should pull this old thing out and use mine..??



And this is my AGM Batt which is not yet in my rig but has been an excellent battery.



Here is a shot of the one the rig came with which is from some local tire outfit... Since it has the words "cranking amps" on it, I'm going to pull it out and stick my AGM in there as the main house batt...

[2oldman]

Never heard of it. Wow.. analogue gauges. Sure looks like the '90s.

Looks like you're limited to 15a, or roughly 250w max of panels.