14' Series 120 Watt Solar System

[Carlos84]

Hi All,

So we have just purchased a 2016 14.44-4 Outback Expanda, pick it up in 3 weeks.
I'm interested to know how well the standard 120 Watt solar panel & standard 100amp battery go running the lights, a 12 volt pump at the sink and a 45L engel for the drinks which would be plugged into the exterior 12volt plug, as i am considering having a second battery installed if it needs it.
Cheers

 

[NoWorries]

Depending on the sun you will probably need to top up with a gennie after a couple of days
If you have plenty of sun you will be ok.

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Under perfect conditions your 120w panel can keep up, but you rarely get ideal conditions.

As @NoWorries says, you likley need to give your battery a charge after a few days.

Adding a 2nd battery will allow you to extend this time out a bit longer, but it still comes down to the basic equation of current coming in vs current going out.

If you are pulling more out than you are putting in, then the balance comes out of your batteries, and then when nothing is going in (night/cloud etc) it's all coming out of your batteries.

So the best way to work out of you have enough capacity is to add up all of the current drawing devices and ensure you have enough charge and storage to meet your needs.

 

[seanparky]

120w panel divide by nominal panel voltage 18v is 6.6amps/hr going back in to battery under good sun so average 7hrs a day is 46.amps/day.
check fridge it should tell you how many amps it draws/hr. Then work out roughly how long it stays on in a 24hr period. Add wattage of lights and how long they will be on in a 24hr period and other equipment.
Eg.. lights total 50w on for 4hrs a day= 50w divide by 12v=4.16amps/hr. Now times that by usage 4hrs is 16.66amps per day.
fridge engels new model max 2.6amps/hr (40l engel varies from 0.5 - 2.6amps/hr) say total cycle run time in 24hr period is 10hrs
10hrs x 2.6amps= 26amps/day
fridge + lights = 42.66amps/day not including, phone chargers and sink..
so input from sun is 46amp/day
output is 42.66amps/day so on its limit

hope this gives you an idea.

 

[Bellbirdweb]

120w panel divide by nominal panel voltage 18v is 6.6amps/hr going back in to battery under good sun so average 7hrs a day is 46.amps/day.
check fridge it should tell you how many amps it draws/hr. Then work out roughly how long it stays on in a 24hr period. Add wattage of lights and how long they will be on in a 24hr period and other equipment.
Eg.. lights total 50w on for 4hrs a day= 50w divide by 12v=4.16amps/hr. Now times that by usage 4hrs is 16.66amps per day.
fridge engels new model max 2.6amps/hr (40l engel varies from 0.5 - 2.6amps/hr) say total cycle run time in 24hr period is 10hrs
10hrs x 2.6amps= 26amps/day
fridge + lights = 42.66amps/day not including, phone chargers and sink..
so input from sun is 46amp/day
output is 42.66amps/day so on its limit

hope this gives you an idea.

Yep, what he said

 

[Crew family]

We've just put a deposit down also on a 14.44-4. We put the 150W solar as one of our upgrades, just for those bush camping days, to give us a bit extra.

 

[Wayne2410]

We were in the same boat and decided to get a solar blanket as per below. I've simply run a lead from the battery to outside Anderson plug and plug in if/when needed. A solar blanket is a lot lighter than a battery and also enables us to camp in part shade then run the panel out in the sun. With same setup as yourself, i.e. Lights/Engel/pump as well as 12v TV & chargers etc, we are yet to flatten the battery.