Still Don't Get It (Solar)
What will charge 2 6v golf cart batteries better, a single 270 watt high voltage panel with mppt or two 135 watt 12v panels (parallel) with PWM and why???? Thanks. Gman
Forum Discussion
Hi,
Are you 1000% certain 270 watts is enough? If not, choose a controller that allows for expansion.
The watts are the same. The difference will be the choice of controller. Many folks advocate low end controllers. My feeling is that unless there is lots of wattage, this is an error.
I would go with a controller that allowed for expansion of the system. It was my one mistake when I designed mine.
The ideal controller will have:
temperature compensation
adjustable set points
room for expansion of the system.
If it is MPPT, that is a little bonus--but going MPPT will almost always cost more. Again it depends on the wattage. At 270 watts, a quality PWM controller would be more cost effective.
If I limit my inverter use, I run out of drinking water before I run out of power.
When I was not full time, my system provided all my battery charging needs for many years and I did not have a generator. That worked because I had a larger that usual battery bank, which would recover to fully charged when the RV was in storage. I had a 2500 watt inverter for my 120 volt needs.
Having fewer panels means fewer holes in the roof.
While being able to aim and/or tilt the panels does give more charging ability, I'm inherently lazy and know I would never do so. Making powered tilting mechanisms is possible but extremely expensive.
Are you 1000% certain 270 watts is enough? If not, choose a controller that allows for expansion.
The watts are the same. The difference will be the choice of controller. Many folks advocate low end controllers. My feeling is that unless there is lots of wattage, this is an error.
I would go with a controller that allowed for expansion of the system. It was my one mistake when I designed mine.
The ideal controller will have:
temperature compensation
adjustable set points
room for expansion of the system.
If it is MPPT, that is a little bonus--but going MPPT will almost always cost more. Again it depends on the wattage. At 270 watts, a quality PWM controller would be more cost effective.
If I limit my inverter use, I run out of drinking water before I run out of power.
When I was not full time, my system provided all my battery charging needs for many years and I did not have a generator. That worked because I had a larger that usual battery bank, which would recover to fully charged when the RV was in storage. I had a 2500 watt inverter for my 120 volt needs.
Having fewer panels means fewer holes in the roof.
While being able to aim and/or tilt the panels does give more charging ability, I'm inherently lazy and know I would never do so. Making powered tilting mechanisms is possible but extremely expensive.
