Thought I'd update my thread with my solar setup. Since there is a huge amount of information out there it was difficult to make a choice on what panel, controller etc. to buy. So I did a simple (but hopefully reasonable) first principles calc to figure out what size of panel I needed.
Basically the calc uses NREL data for how much average solar energy per day is available at the places I tend to camp in (Northern Michigan) for the months of July-September, and then multiplies that with a (hopefully) conservative conversion efficiency estimate. Based on some fridge testing and other electrical draws, my final answer tells me I can go without starting the engine for up to 48 hours, which is plenty for my use case.
So I ordered the following:
50W semi-flexible panel - After looking at several panels, I think the semi-flexible makes the most sense due to its compact dimensions and weight (<3lbs). I can always double up on this if needed.
Charge Controller - After looking at several charge controllers I found this one to be super compact, simple, and reviews are not bad either. For a small system like this I hope PWM will be sufficient. The only downside is this will not scale to 100w+ if I need it in the future, but I'm crossing fingers and hoping I won't need to go any higher than 50w.
Cabling - After cutting this in half, I should have 25 feet of cable, decent enough to keep the panel in the sun and the vehicle in the shade.
Of course, this is all in theory
, will report back on how it actually works in the field.
