Windynation solar kit install and performance.

[Muddydogs]

This is for you guys that asked me to report back on the Windynation solar kit. This is the kit I purchased: Solar kit

I just received the kit today which was pretty fast shipping considering the main UPS route between here and CA was washed out in the flooding around Mesquite NV.

I will post some pic in the next few days as I install the components on the trailer but my first impressions of the kit are good. For some reason I thought the wire in the kit would be more flexible then it is so I think I'm going to purchase a 10 ga extension cord tomorrow to use between the solar panels and controller since I will be using the panels in a portable set up until I have more time to do a roof install. I will save the wire from the kit for the roof.

Besides the kit I also purchase this fuse holder to use between the controller and battery as well as an inline ATC fuse holder for the positive solar panel to controller line. For the cabling between controller and battery I'm using a set of 4 ga battery jumper cables I had and battery cable lugs purchased from Windynation.

I will be getting the trailer from storage Thursday after work and starting the install weather permitting although it has to be done by first thing Sunday morning as this is when we pull out.

[westend]

Thanks for posting the continued outcome of your solar installation. Nice pictures, too.

Yeah, you found out early about migrating the panels to the roof, why put up with the headache of moving them in and out. Only those users that are in complete shade cover, continually, or like to tweak and wring out the most amps need the mobility of a movable array.
You may want to integrate some tilt into your roof-top mounting. I find that it helps with the snow removal in the Winter, when stored. Even after a 6" dump of wet snow, the panel will melt off the snow by the next day.

[Muddydogs]

Alright got back from my hunt a few days early but it was a good hunt. The solar worked great and kept the battery's topped off. I did have a problem with the MC4 connectors that came on the solar panel not gripping the cable and allowing the connector guts to pull lose but once I figured that out all was good. The MC4 connectors I ordered separate from Windy nation are fine it's just the 2 on the solar panels.

I set the panels facing due South and never touched them again. I took morning (around 5 am), afternoon (from 1100 to 100) and night (8 pm) readings to see how they did.

In the morning my voltage read 12.2 to 12.3 as what I had left after running some lights, radio and heater set on 55 all night. Heater ran 3 to 5 times a night best I could tell.

Afternoon reading showed 13.0 to 15.0 volts at the battery's with 1.4 to 10 amps coming in under sky's that ranged from mostly cloudy to clear.

Evening readings showed my battery's at 12.5 to 12.8 volts with a total PV amp's in ranging from 20 amps on the cloudy days to 44 amps on the sunny days.

I did see a couple amp's in readings of 20 when I checked at different times. I think I was collecting way more solar then I could use.

I only ran my genny to use the microwave a couple times. I did gang 2 older group 27 battery's in with my 2 group 24 battery's just to make sure I had the juice to keep the heater running if needed. I turned out to be a warmer hunt this year with nightly lows in the low 30's and day temps from 50 to 70.

As for the portable panels I say to heck with storing them in the trailer, setting them up and trying to not trip on the cord. In the spring I'm putting 400 watts on the roof and forgetting about them.

Here's some camp pics.

[NinerBikes]

I would set the offset voltage, if you are boondocking and running about 210 amp hours of parallel 6v GC2 batteries, at 14.8V.

If you are running something like car battery construction accumulator Screwy 31's or screwy 29's or a single or a pair of Trojan T-1275's, which can be a bit problematic or tempermental in recharge needs, I would go to 15.0V.

If your batteries are at a 60 to 65% SOC or starting out at 12.25 or less Volts when charging, and it's past 10 am, and you just then hook the panels up and your panels are aimed directly as possible at the sun, you should see 11 Amps charge rate on the panel if you push the far left button 2x to get an amp reading.

11 amps is pretty healthy for 210 AH of batteries needing a recharge, IF, they are portable, and if you keep aiming them directly at the sun for maximum yield.

[jandjbaums]

Electronic porn, gotta love it.Its been years since ive been into it. Looks like a good install to me. Short and sweet. Its hard to start drilling holes in a new rig, but once you drill the 1st hole its easy after that. Im waiting to see how it works in the real world. Im in the half a$$ planning stages of portable so this is interesting. Thanks for the info.

[BFL13]

Muddydogs wrote:
Just checked out how well I'm doing, of course the battery's are charged so I was not getting much from the solar so I turned on every light in the trailer and the controller said it was putting 7.5 amps stead into the battery's.

There is only one adjustment for voltage and its a voltage off setting. Where would you guys recommend setting this level at? Factory is 13.8.

That is the Vabs and Float so "it depends" I use 14.8 for camping on solar, and don't mind it staying at 14.8 till dark (the batts get a lower voltage rest each night, so don't need the controller to drop to float of 13.x)

If using the solar as a battery maintainer when not camping, IMO pick the battery spec's float voltage (13.x) and let the temp comp adjust that for your climate.

Right now with full batts is a good time to jack up the voltage to something higher and wait to see what voltage it actually stops at, so you will know the "error" to allow for when setting the voltage.

[pianotuna]

Hi Muddy,

For winter time I'd go to the maximum possible setting.

In summer time I'd probably go 13.6, depending on how hot it is in Utah.

I forget the size of the battery bank?

[Muddydogs]

Just checked out how well I'm doing, of course the battery's are charged so I was not getting much from the solar so I turned on every light in the trailer and the controller said it was putting 7.5 amps stead into the battery's.

There is only one adjustment for voltage and its a voltage off setting. Where would you guys recommend setting this level at? Factory is 13.8.

[NinerBikes]

It looks like Windy Nation is using the same Solar 30 Charge controller that BFL and I are running. The Bulk Voltage charge rate is adjustable on that model, up to 15.0V, on the lcd display, but it's best to verify what you are getting at the battery, once the battery is close to fully charged. Good unit, I like mine a lot. A setting of 15.0V on my unit would put 15.3V to the battery. For my Trojan T-1275 sweeper battery. It's a lot like a Screwy 31 in it's voltage and charging needs.

The end voltage you get at the battery terminals from the controller will depend a lot on the gauge of the wire you run, and the length of the final run from controller to battery. Keep it short and run fat wire.

[BFL13]

Bend wrote:
Muddy-

I read the controller's manual and saw only the parameters for the float charge. Are you finding any for bulk/absorb? If so, what are they?

If it is like the Solar30, there is only one voltage setting. Once it gets up to that later in the day, it stays there till dark.

The Solar30's manual is confusing by calling that voltage Vabs in one place and Float in another.

Also be sure to cross- check the voltage reached against the setting. On mine, to get it to stop at 14.8 and stay there I must set it to 14.3 However the actual voltmeter reading on the unit gives the correct voltage and the ammeter gives correct amps cross-checking with DVM and Trimetric.

One big advantage to that setting calibration error on mine is that I can set it to 15 (max) and get 15.5 so it does Equalization. Sort of a bonus. 🙂

[Bend]

Muddy-

I read the controller's manual and saw only the parameters for the float charge. Are you finding any for bulk/absorb? If so, what are they?

[brn2romethewest]

Have a great trip and be sure to post how the panels performed.

[JiminDenver]

Looking good MD. I have to tell you though, the same thing happened when I first got my solar going, Cloudy cloudy cloudy.

[Muddydogs]

I decided to go with the wire in the kit as I couldn't find anything around here for close to the price for the stuff RJsfishing posted in his link above. I will have to order some of the ebay red and black when I get back from hunting. I ended up using about 10 foot of the 4 ga jumper cable to make the run from the controller to battery.

Here is a pick of the volt meter I installed with a momentary switch just cause.

[Muddydogs]

RJsfishing got me thinking about a plug for the solar panels so off to my box of stuff I went where I found a trolling motor plug. I am still not sure what I want to do here so for right now its just hanging under the trailer and I will have to zip tie it up before travel.



All hooked up but no sun yet this morning to start things cooking.