Solar advice

[Vinsil]

Now I've been reading threads on here and other places for a few months now. I need some confirmation on the setup I plan to use and any tips or advice is appreciated. I know there is a LOT of knowledge on this topic here so please allow me to pick your brains!

I have two 6 volts, 232 amp hour batteries. So am I safe to assume I'm working with 464 amp hours or am I misunderstanding? All our lights are LED and we run our fridge on propane. We charge a few iphones daily, use the 12 volt fantastic fan and will be adding a 22"LED tv that will be used 1-2 hours a day at most.

I think this kit will be the start, the 200 watt Renergy kit.

Here


Now we live in Oregon so I do understand the limits of the system...what I'm after is a proper battery monitor! I hated going this weekend and not knowing my true charge of my batteries. The factory is lame to include the monitor for all systems.....


Is this enough for our uses? I do plan to have a 2000 watt gen set but we want quiet and peace so the less I can run one, the better.


Thanks, I know I've started a bunch of threads but gotta get moving on things to have this thing ready for the rest of the year!

[hbski]

google handy bob solar

[zb39]

Tom_M wrote:

zb39 wrote:
So what does this battery moniter tell you. I looked at the add but couldn't tell. Seems like a decent price though.

The meter I bought on eBay displays battery voltage and charge or discharge current (+/-). It comes with a shunt that is mounted close to the negative post of the battery. I believe that the cheaper models will not display discharge current so check closely before purchasing. There are also models that will display amp-hours.

Here's a link:Volt/Amp meter on eBay

Thank you!

[Reddog1]

Vinsil wrote:
Thanks for all the advice, Nolan I really like that monitor! It is expensive but seems nice and full of features. I'll take your advice on the third panel, I know you guys do camping like we do.

Wayne, understood and sorry it did not have more TC specific content.


Here is some....can I fit three panels on my roof and should I put holes in it or stick to 3M adhesive?

Apology not needed. On solar itself, I think you would get more input on the Tech Forum. On mounting panels on a TC roof, especially the location, the TC forum is probably best.

I will not move the thread.

Wayne
Moderator

[kohldad]

The person who said they could get 20 amps out of one panel is unlikely

Clarification. Should have said 20 A/Hr per day from the one panel.

In winter I typically only use 20-25 A/hr per day so have plenty to extend my stay a couple of days before I move at which time the truck will recharge the battery during a couple hour move.

[Crabbypatty]

I have been dry camping for over 11 years and used a VOM plugged into the cigarette lighter plug to let me know the voltage. Using the voltage chart from Trojan that let me know battery state. I just put 448watts of solar up with a Morningstar TS 45 PWM controller and to monitor it I installed the Trimetric 2030rv meter. Its less expensive than the Xantrax but tells me a whole lot more. First I found out how frugal we have been all these years, second it showed me how long it took to recharge. The person who said they could get 20 amps out of one panel is unlikely, but size up your rig and use cardboard to figure out placement and place as many panels as you can. If space is limited buy the highest wattage panels you can. In Oregon you are sun challenged so you will not get the rated output due to sun angle so you need as many watts as you can put up there. In Alaska the sun angle will only produce 40% of wattage. In San Diego its 180% of wattage. Also don't forget the tv and iphone charge is nothing compared to the water pump or turning a fan on overnight. The water pump is a battery killer, but you might just go to the bathhouses and avoid that.

[Vinsil]

Buzzcut1 wrote:
Adhesives fail with age and weather, screws sealed with dicor tend to hold up well in highway winds and storms. Will 3 fit? make a panel sized cardboard cut out and go up on the roof to see what your options are

Good point, thanks. I like the cardboard cutout idea.

[deltabravo]

anutami wrote:
I installed one of these



Xantrex Linklite battery monitor

I love the Link meters. I have the predecessor, the Link 10. I love them because they are much more compact than the Tri-metric meters.

[Buzzcut1]

Adhesives fail with age and weather, screws sealed with dicor tend to hold up well in highway winds and storms. Will 3 fit? make a panel sized cardboard cut out and go up on the roof to see what your options are

[Vinsil]

Thanks for all the advice, Nolan I really like that monitor! It is expensive but seems nice and full of features. I'll take your advice on the third panel, I know you guys do camping like we do.

Wayne, understood and sorry it did not have more TC specific content.


Here is some....can I fit three panels on my roof and should I put holes in it or stick to 3M adhesive?

[anutami]

I installed one of these



Xantrex Linklite battery monitor, pretty pricey, but is small and compact for a truck camper and tells you everything you need to know. Instead of telling you volts it actually tells you what specific percent your batteries are at and tells you how many amp hours you are using and charging at the same time. If you plan on winter camping I would reccommend 1 more 100watt solar panel. Our 200 watt panel and batteries do not keep up in the winter and so we bring the generator along.

[time2roll]

If the controller will be in plain sight I would opt for the display option.
I think you will find knowing the simple battery voltage is enough without spending $200 on a full monitor.

200 watts solar will provide good power with 232 amp hour battery and your conservation efforts.
(assuming you get some sunshine)

[Reddog1]

Vinsil - I think you would get more info if this thread was on the Tech Issues Forum. If there are questions unique to TCs, then this is the correct Forum. I will leave it here for a while, then move it unless you have specific questions for the TC crowd.

Wayne
Moderator

[Tom_M1]

zb39 wrote:
So what does this battery moniter tell you. I looked at the add but couldn't tell. Seems like a decent price though.

The meter I bought on eBay displays battery voltage and charge or discharge current (+/-). It comes with a shunt that is mounted close to the negative post of the battery. I believe that the cheaper models will not display discharge current so check closely before purchasing. There are also models that will display amp-hours.

Here's a link:Volt/Amp meter on eBay

[kohldad]

I run a Trimetric Monitor from BestCoverter.com. Once you set the battery capacity, it will show you volts, charge/discharge rate (A), and % full. Simple 4 wire hookup and a shunt in the ground wire just before the battery. More than you, I was worried about battery usage until I installed the monitor. Then I realized just how frugal I was and started having a blast.

I didn't go with the kit, but did go with the Renogy 100W panel with a PWM control similar. Max I have seen is just over 4A, but the battery was mostly recharged before the sun was high over head. The one panel will easily give me 20A recharge on my single battery which is all I need.