Lets See Your Solar Setups

[ArkansasDon]

I run all Renogy Solar for my trailer: (2) 100watt monocrystralline foldable suit case solar panels w\o charge controllers, 30amp Renogy Wanderer Charge Controller w\ Battery Temperature Sensor (mounted in the tongue box), 5ft 10 awg pig tail cable w\ branch connector, 20ft 10 awg cable, VMax AGM 125ah Battery(mounted in the tongue box). I can run both 100 watt panels together "parallel" or just one single 100 watt panel depending on how much 12v gear I want to use.
I power Engel MR 40 Eclipse 40qt 12v. portable fridg\freez, Heat Source H2000 tent furnace, Endless Breeze 12v. Fan, Zodi Hot Shower System that I converted to 12v., (2) 12v. filter green LED tent rack lights & the tent LED light strip inside the tent. We also charge a cell phone.

The photo we are only running one 100watt panel, late winter early spring disperse camping in our home state of Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains.

 

[deweycj7]

I rigged up a new house bank. Group 27 90Ah marine battery, 10A controller. I wired it with a 6-pole trailer plug to the factory trailer battery charge circuit on the factory tow package (ignition controlled relay) for charging en-route, and there are 15 feet of MC4 cables for the solar panels. All load connections are fused cigarette lighter plugs, everything (except for the panels) tucks inside the battery box when not needed. Nothing fancy, this new setup was mostly built out of my existing backup charge controller and harness (which I have had to use once already when the primary charge controller failed). I want to save my current Lithium battery pack for a backup, since it is more expensive and more portable. This harness will also plug into the "power port" cigarette lighter plug on my truck to charge the starting batteries from the solar array, and is modular and separable from the battery / box.

 

[rayra]

That's a real clean setup, ArkansasDon. Very nice. Makes me want to re-do my 'power module'.

Got my roof deck frame figured out, need to find some affordable 2" angle iron to start fabrication. But still considering aluminum instead, for many reasons. Not least of all that 20' of 2" angle iron with 1/8" thickness weighs 35-lbs.

 

[ArkansasDon]

thanks rayra, it's a very basic electrical system. I'm all about simplicity & the system produces enough power for everything the wife & I use on our trips. The NOCO Genius Smart Charger on-board charging system is a single bank charger 10amps will charge deep-cycle batteries up to 230Ah fast & maintain them while in storage. It's 100% completely sealed & waterproof, shock & vibration resistant which make it perfect for my adventure trailer.

 

[Motorradmark]

2x 100w renogy eclipse panels framed in aluminum
under rack slide out using 80/20 glide track
grab handle, deadbolt latch
Anderson power pole solar panel input junction box
custom electrical panel w/ Morningstar sunsaver mppt controller and remote monitor


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really like your mounting, looks like what I am trying. Have no experience with 80/20 but looks great. On the L bracket with glide insert, is that a single piece, or is it several glide inserts attached to standard L bracket


8020 appears to the be the solution to my challenge.

cheers

 

[john61ct]

Yes my comments were in response to that particular statement I quoted,

NOCO Genius Smart Charger on-board charging system is a single bank charger 10amps will charge deep-cycle batteries up to 230Ah fast

nothing to do with the context of maintaining a **stored** bank at 100% Full.

As to "magic numbers", all such specs should come from the manufacturer of your batts.

If you can't easily get such detailed specs from expert human tech support staff, do not buy that company's product for deep cycling purposes.

 

[ArkansasDon]

Ah, no. Do the math.

40A would be my minimum for a 230AH bank, maybe 30A if money were an issue, but only if FLA.

For quality AGM mfg spec is 50A minimum, for Lifeline 90-100A.

My impression is that's a charger targeted to the automotive market. May be perfectly fine though, but do they make bigger amp rates?

Good thread here http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f14/do-you-really-need-a-400-charger-208103.html#post2730903

Here's the spec's https://no.co/gen1

 

[LivinDaDream]

Ah, no. Do the math.

40A would be my minimum for a 230AH bank, maybe 30A if money were an issue, but only if FLA.

For quality AGM mfg spec is 50A minimum, for Lifeline 90-100A.

My impression is that's a charger targeted to the automotive market. May be perfectly fine though, but do they make bigger amp rates?

Good thread here http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f14/do-you-really-need-a-400-charger-208103.html#post2730903

Not sure where you're getting these charge rates as being somehow magical rates. I have no doubt the unit would adequately charge and maintain a 230Ah battery for storage, but it would certainly take a while to bring it back to 100% from a low charge state. A matter of time, not capability.

From my understanding of what AD wrote, the NOCO charger is only being used when the unit is in storage, so no need to charge the battery and supply DC power for his needs while out camping. Now, if he were looking for a charger/converter to use while camping and connected to shore power, instead of using solar, yeah, I'd agree he would need something larger...maybe 20A or 30A...as most small camper/rv units tend to be.

Cheers!

 

[ArkansasDon]

the problem is he didn't read the post entirely for its reason why I installed the NOCO charger. Yes Livin Da Dream, your correct on your statement for the NOCO charger.

My solar system is what keeps my battery charged fully during camping. Having 2 Renogy 100 watt portable panels connected together, 30 amp Renogy Charge Controller, & a 125amp VMax AGM Battery, I have enough power to supply charge & run the gear I used as well as a reserve during the evening hours. When I was building my trailer a off grid charging system is all I wanted. I explained this to Renogy by phone call with all the data they needed, power consumption rate, geographical areas of camping, times (seasons) of the year & what gear we (the wife & I) would be using different times of the year. They came up with a solar system that would supply us with plenty of power & charging capability. I did not cut any corners on this system.

 

[john61ct]

the problem is he didn't read the post entirely for its reason why I installed the NOCO charger.

No, I was just responding to the false statement I quoted, and stand by it.

As for "magic numbers", just get the specs from your batt mfg tech support if they aren't published in their support materials.

 

[ArkansasDon]

No, I was just responding to the false statement I quoted, and stand by it.

As for "magic numbers", just get the specs from your batt mfg tech support if they aren't published in their support materials.

I know the battery spec to the VMax 125ah battery I have in my trailer, Renogy recommended their battery & size & I followed up with call to VMax too & the battery recommendation was correct for the solar system I have.
What ever your issue is, you made it towards me & for what ever reasons you have who knows & I really don't care.

 

[rayra]

Almost done with my roof mounting frame for a folding ground panel kit. Went with aluminum, mostly for ease of assembly and rust-resistance.
Already moved the PWM charge controller off the panel kit and relocated it into the power module section of cargo area platform / drawers. Hope to finish the frame construction and installation in the next few days, but the permanent roof wiring install will wait on a couple other projects which also require dismantling the cargo area, want to do that once for all three projects.

the mounting frame has a C-channel at the leading edge and a hinged channel at the rear, with flush-mounted hood locks to latch it shut, clamping on the trailing edge of the panel. Idea being to make the panel readily dismounted for use on the ground in direct sun when I can park this big black bus in the shade. Details are in my build topic in my sig

 

[john61ct]

I know the battery spec to the VMax 125ah battery I have in my trailer, Renogy recommended their battery & size & I followed up with call to VMax too & the battery recommendation was correct for the solar system I have.
What ever your issue is, you made it towards me & for what ever reasons you have who knows & I really don't care.

The relationship between charger's amps current rating, bank's AH capacity and time required to get to proper charge

have nothing to do with brand, just basic math and physics of the different chemistries.

Plenty of consumer-oriented companies give out bad advice / information in order to maximize their profits.

And nothing I say is personal, your setup may well work perfectly for your needs, your rig your choices.

I just don't want to leave misinformation standing in a public forum, for the sake of others reading later.

 

[reaper229]

PM me where you bought this 100w panel please.

Controller is in the truck, its a Victron MPPT 20A.

And a very thin folding panel, no review on it yet. But its rated at 100W

Envoyé de mon Pixel 2 en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[java]

PM me where you bought this 100w panel please.

Envoyé de mon Pixel 2 en utilisant Tapatalk

Amazon, Mohoo is the brand

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