Critique my solar setup!

[Scoutn79]

My system might not be the best possible but it has been in service for a few years and has never missed a beat.

I use an IBS 500A relay to control the charging of the house battery and the IBS relay is triggered by an oil pressure switch controlling the ground side of the IBS relay. I don't use solar on the truck.
You can then hook your solar panels to the solar controller and the the controller to your house batteries.

Essentially my system automatically connects both batteries once the engine is running and the oil pressure hits 10 psi and disconnects once the oil pressure drops below 10 psi once the engine is shut off.
There is also a small override momentary switch that controls the ground of the relay to manually connect the two batteries if the start battery drains for some reason or if it gets super cold and needs extra amps to start the truck.
Simple system, simple to troubleshoot and simple to override if needed.

Darrell

 

[V85562A]

Try this : http://evcomponents.com/lifepo4-cell/winston-lifepo4-12v-60ah-cell.html instead of that 105Ah
-It will last much longer
-It will store more usable energy
-You will save a lot of weight (at least 20Kg)
-It will use less space
-Can be charged very quick

one drawback - I think is more expensive but you are the only one who can put these in balance and then decide.

good luck!

Way out of my budget for similar Ah. (90ah is $600) and weight isn't a big concern. I think I'd need a new charge controller as well.

 

[dwh]

Way out of my budget for similar Ah. (90ah is $600) and weight isn't a big concern. I think I'd need a new charge controller as well.

Oh. you'd need a lot more than that. Liithiums need a different charge routine as well as circuitry for cell balancing. So, you'd also need some electronics between the battery and the alternator. A.k.a., a BMS (Battery Management System).

With those batteries in the link, you'd have to buy that separate and "roll your own" system. [EDIT: I'm guessing about that. Not much detail at that site, but for the price I doubt it has an internal BMS.]


With a ""drop-in" style replacement, the BMS is in the battery:

http://www.starkpower.com/spnews/energystoragebatt/



Here's what a 12v 60ah setup looks like with the BMS:

http://www.batteryspace.com/lifepo4prismaticbattery128v60ah768wh100aratewithbalancingpcm.aspx

 

[pexic]

Way out of my budget for similar Ah. - not quite true, as I said LifePo4 60Ah has more usable energy than Lead-Acid 100Ah (in fact has approx same usable energy with a Lead-Acid 120Ah) , meaning : in the same conditions (let's say same 11ov/220v fridge + same inverter) the Lead-Acid battery will be the first one to drop below 10,5V.
one 90Ah LiFePo4 has approx the same usable energy as 200Ah Pb-Acid.

Now about with or without BMS : the lifepo4 from my link consist in 4 x 3,2V lifepo4 cells "carefully" selected by the factory, when "carefully" = same electric specifications ( 4 identical cell ) => BMS is not needed for usual applications, I'm using 3 of these batteries for the past 3 years as my camping trailer battery and also as my car battery (for both card : suzuki jimny + wrangler JK) - no issues so far.