Solar panel questions again

[True_temper]

I have a good friend that is a camp host all summer in Wyoming. Next year he wants to get a solar panel setup for his bumper pull camper. I don’t know enough to help him get started. He is running 2 deep cycle batteries now and charging them with champion 3400 generator
What is the best choice for him for a solar panel setup? he said he has a budget of 600.00 to 700.00 bux.
Is that in the ballpark to get something that will work good?
Would he be able to run a microwave on a very limited time with 2 batteries and an inverter?

[pianotuna]

Hi Mex,

Thanks to you, I don't have to worry about dirty power!

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
P.T.
Absolutely Correct. As verified with my Power meters. Try as I might I could not find a way to cook different size potatoes without having the "bottom" of the spud get hard. The Panasonic fixed that.

But the inverters are quite sensitive to dirty power. They'll blow out the control board on the oven. A good amount of electronic protection is recommended.

[beemerphile1]

mike-s wrote:

LScamper wrote:
Could he use an inverter microwave at lower power setting.

Probably not. Most (all?) always put out full power when heating. Lower "power" is done by pulsing off/on with different duty cycles.

An inverter microwave varies the power rather than cycling on-off.

[time2roll]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Time2roll,

I sure would not get a controller that was only 30 amps. It means expansion of the system is a "do over". (I think morningstar is excellent).

Best to go all in with one shot IMO. MPPT is too expensive to go double oversize and see if you need more panels. The 60 amp puts OP over budget. Besides with 400 watts into two batteries he will be in absorption by 11am. Only time controller would clip power is if you have a low battery and heavy clouds that clear about noon. Even then OP will get plenty charged.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

P.T.
Absolutely Correct. As verified with my Power meters. Try as I might I could not find a way to cook different size potatoes without having the "bottom" of the spud get hard. The Panasonic fixed that.

But the inverters are quite sensitive to dirty power. They'll blow out the control board on the oven. A good amount of electronic protection is recommended.

[pianotuna]

mike-s,

I believe Panasonic makes an inverter microwave--where power is not pulsed on and off but rather is actually lowered.

[BFL13]

mike-s wrote:

LScamper wrote:
Could he use an inverter microwave at lower power setting.

Probably not. Most (all?) always put out full power when heating. Lower "power" is done by pulsing off/on with different duty cycles.

There is a Panasonic that does reduce power requirement at lower settings, but other brands do have that full power but with longer off times for the lower settings

[red31]

red31 wrote:
If the roof allows for it!

I'd go with a couple 60 cell panels via free pick up!
https://www.solarblvd.com/product-category/solar-panels-systems/24-volt-solar-panels/

and something like a victron 100/50 SMARTsolar controller.
https://www.victronenergy.com/solar-charge-controllers

something smaller, PWM, I'd go with 100w panels delivered to homedepot and grape's new comet 40A controller

no problem being repetitive!

[BFL13]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Time2roll,

I sure would not get a controller that was only 30 amps. It means expansion of the system is a "do over". (I think morningstar is excellent).

I get 16-18 amps from my 255w panel aimed at a high sun. I have a 20 amp MPPT with it. You can "over-panel" a little as recommended by Morningstar. So a 30 with two would be over-panelling for sure--if the panels are aimed at a high sun.

We don't know how open the sky is around this spot for what is the best play. With my "twirler" I would want 20 each, but with both panels fixed tilted up South, a 30 would be ok, since it is only over-panelled for a short time mid-day.

With a "twirler" you get a "high sun" longer in the day so you need 40. But if trees cut off the sun for half the day, you can't take advantage. So then tilt the panels up to the open part of the sky (instead of South) and grab what you can with your 30.

[mike-s]

LScamper wrote:
Could he use an inverter microwave at lower power setting.

Probably not. Most (all?) always put out full power when heating. Lower "power" is done by pulsing off/on with different duty cycles.

[LScamper]

Could he use an inverter microwave at lower power setting.

[pianotuna]

Hi Time2roll,

I sure would not get a controller that was only 30 amps. It means expansion of the system is a "do over". (I think morningstar is excellent).

[time2roll]

If he is basically in one place for an extended period I would look at a couple of the large 24v panels and a 30 amp MPPT controller as a portable system.

Shipping on the large panels will get you hard so look to pick them up some place.

255w 24v $140

TriStar-MPPT-30 controller $380

That is $660, did I blow the budget?

[bpounds]

Based on my own recent experience, I would not buy a thing until I had layed out my roof space to see what will fit best. Solar panels are expensive if you get the wrong ones and they don't fit well.

Plan first. Buy later.

[Almot]

allen8106 wrote:
...with 240 ah six volt Crown batteries I spent $2300 and can't run my microwave at all. I could for a short time if i had a bigger inverter

And inverter wattage was... ?

240 AH battery bank is marginal for 130A draw of microwave anyway.