Solar The Solar Panel Thread
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A link to series verses parallel connection of solar panels
a link to EPEver Tracer A Series after Nine Months of Use review
Hi @G Daddy,
I watched some videos from this guy reviewing solar regulators. He certainly knows his stuff. Ended up buying a solar regulator that he reviewed highly and also one of those blue boxes in the picture that measure volts, amps, watts, and accumulated watthours and Ah.
cheers
Mike
Thanks @G Daddy , that is one of the videos I also have watched, and made me think about MPPT solar controllers. My testing will be with 180w and 200w panels in both parallel and series, using my recently purchased 30A MPPT controller from C Trade. I hope to confirm all that is said in this video. Do not know how/if I will be using the 80w panel which I connected in parallel with my 180w panel when I was using a PWM controller. Can't wait to try out this new system!! Will let this forum know How I go. Thanks again.
Hello there @Dobbie , to be away for 54 days and off grid for 42 says something about the balance and efficiency of your system.
It confirms that you have enough reserve power when sunlight is in short supply.
It confirms that your charging arrangement/system is efficient and suitable for your situation.
It also confirms that your usage is within the limitations of your charging system.
Running your compressor fridge constantly and not having any power problems says a lot about you and how you monitor the power you have available.
A real success story, and one to be proud of too.
When using your 120w flexible panel, were you using a separate controller (at the back of the panel) connected directly across the batteries, or bypassing the controller on folding panel and connecting the 120w flexible panel output through the same controller for your roof panels?? I guess they would be PWM type.
Hi @mikerezny , with your very meager power usage and only a small solar panel, I did not think you would take the leap of faith in buying an MPPT controller. No doubt when you watched the videos, you would have seen that for small systems, the higher cost of an MPPT solar controller might not be economic in the short term as against using a good (and cheaper) PWM type which consumes less power in operation. The MPPT controller I have purchased shows panel voltage, voltage of battery being charged, amps going in, amps going out (load) and keeps an accumulated total of what has gone in, so I did not need to get one of those blue recording/testing box.
Did you get an MPPT type and what was the main reason for lashing out with the dollars??? You are as bad as me!! But as I was using/charging lots of power for up to 6 days at a time with uncontrolled (no thermostats fitted for cooling fans in fridge), unswitched led lights in fridge as well as permanently running fans inside fridge, not to mention charging headlights, lights, Ipads and battery fans etc., I thought there was a need. Are you going to get larger panels??
Anyhow, with all that electrical monitoring equipment in addition to what you have already (seen on previous thread of your van), you will be the technical expert par excellence!! The "man to go to"!!
One thing I have noticed is that most of the MPPT controllers have settings for Gel, Sealed and Flooded batteries and their voltages are set at 14.2v, 14.4v and 14.6v respectively, and float voltage for all types is 13.8v. You can change the battery type but not the charge voltage. After talking to the technical people at the company that I bought it from, that an AGM battery really needs to be higher at 14.7 volts, we decided to set the battery type to Flooded to get closer to the ideal voltage. 14.6 is pretty close to 14.7 if you are not too pedantic. Interesting how different companies have different ideas on what the correct voltages should be!!!
I look forward to hearing of your results. Good luck.
Thanks again @G Daddy , I must admit I did not get around to reading them - to interested in watching other videos.
Hi @Boots in Action,
no, I didn't get an MPPT controller. I worked out that I should easily get by with a 100Ah GEL battery and a 40W portable solar panel. As you observed, it wouldn't make sense to buy an MPPT controller to get more efficiency out of such a small panel. Much more economical to buy a larger panel. The panel was $50, but only cost me $30 with an ebay discount voucher. In the research I came across the excellent videos on YouTube by the Soar Shed. In one video he tested a 6/12V 10A PWM controller and rated it highly. That was good enough for me. I bought it on eBay from China for $6.69. Add another $11.21 for the blue box, then some Anderson plugs, some MC4 connectors, 10m of cable, and an inline fuse and I had all that I needed for about $70. And for this minimal investment, I have already learnt enough to be better informed (with a lot of help from posts on this forum) if the time comes when I have to upgrade to a much more expensive system. That is only likely to happen if I upgrade from a 3-way fridge to a compressor fridge. But I am still really happy with the 3-way since most of the mods have been done, so that won't happen in the near future. We are getting between 20 - 27 days out of each 9kg gas bottle, so gas costs are negligible in comparison to the cost of any replacement. The only problem I foresee is if we cannot get through hot summer days and keep the fridge below 6C.
Our typical usage is about 2 Ah per day in summer and about 1-2Ah per day in winter. With my setup, I put the panel out once a week for a couple of hours when we are at home. Put the Setec and fridge on for 2 hours in the morning before we head off, then a couple of hours charging while driving means we arrive with a fully-charged battery. I then need about 1-2 hours each day to top it up. I usually do this in the morning to avoid having the panel out in the hot midday sun to run it cooler and extend its life. Then a couple of hours charging while driving home. The car charges at around 14.6V. Which means the Penguin battery gets about 13.9V after allowing for
the diode in series inside the Setec controller. Not enough to fully charge a GEL battery, but enough to float and every little bit helps.
The only load on the battery is the fridge fan, interior and exterior LED lights, and a 12V NiMh charger for all the rechargeable batteries.
Oh, and a small 12V fan we use on hot days.
Here is the controller I bought:
cheers
Mike
And so it should work...we spent enough time time and effort setting it up!
We know, on a daily basis, what the power draw is for everything we are likely to use.
We used a spreadsheet to calculate requirements, input ranges, capacity, etc and know we can get up to 10 days with only winter solar input, but three weeks plus in summer conditions.
I posted a fairly detailed report on what we did to test, conditions and results a couple if years ago but it's not rocket science.
Have fun with your testing and suggest you keep it simple and don't overthink all possibilities.
Flexible panel has its own controller, mppt and a removable voltmetre, all connected via Andersons to the van close to the battery. A completely separate system, as designed, from the roof top setup.
I viewed those clips awhile back and found them pretty interesting................You lot make me feel guilty that all I have to monitor my set up is a digital voltmeter inside van, the controller which lives in the boot is a MorningStar Pro Star 30 it displays battery volts, panel amps and has selector for the various batteries and I can't actually see any need to replace with MPPT unit, 100ah battery, 150w on roof with a 120w ground panel supplies enough juice to power lights, laptop, TV, STB, stereo, fans and phones usually leaving 12.4 on the dial in the early morning, have gone for 3 weeks before using a power station so far and then didn't need it but is was there for free so why not, overcast days can cause a bit of concern and thus the need for an extra battery but I find no need to constantly monitor what it's doing but regularly clean the roof panel, pollen and dust cut back on power a lot.
The ground panel has a TPS controller which may get the boot one day but it does show the info on a screen, Ute has a dinky thing with just lights to which I built a led voltmeter to display where the aux battery is at, it's definately getting the boot, one day in the fullness of time.
The ground panel has a TPS controller which may get the boot one day but it does show the info on a screen, Ute has a dinky thing with just lights to which I built a led voltmeter to display where the aux battery is at, it's definately getting the boot, one day in the fullness of time.
Yep. Agree.
We've only become anally retentive...once again....when we setup the new van as we were trying to avoid the need for the second battery. Hence the return of the spreadsheet! It's surprisingly accurate so can now be ignored as we're happy and confident the setup suits our usage.
In retrospect, the second battery is overkill but thought it easier (and cheaper) to set it up from the start.
As I said, we're very impressed with the flexible panel; we had to fit the regulator so I talked myself into fitting a good MPPT controller rather than reuse an old, dented model we had. (That's now keeping the shed charging going ....but that's another story)
What we've learned is to keep it as simple as possible, keep an eye on reliable gauges, keep the panels clean and just let it do its thing....otherwise it interferes with life too much!
Fishing, though, is another matter....abject failure despite trying....but still enthusiastic!
We've only become anally retentive...once again....when we setup the new van as we were trying to avoid the need for the second battery. Hence the return of the spreadsheet! It's surprisingly accurate so can now be ignored as we're happy and confident the setup suits our usage.
In retrospect, the second battery is overkill but thought it easier (and cheaper) to set it up from the start.
As I said, we're very impressed with the flexible panel; we had to fit the regulator so I talked myself into fitting a good MPPT controller rather than reuse an old, dented model we had. (That's now keeping the shed charging going ....but that's another story)
What we've learned is to keep it as simple as possible, keep an eye on reliable gauges, keep the panels clean and just let it do its thing....otherwise it interferes with life too much!
Fishing, though, is another matter....abject failure despite trying....but still enthusiastic!
I can show you how to catch Flathead but it may be my fish of the century, you know the one fish you catch.............I look in the boot of Big Mal at the new charging panel set up I made looks very cool and at the new harness for the double batteries all made up ,along with the new battery box for the second battery, all ready to go, just need to add the battery and hook it all up....one day. All the gear all made up and ready just in case I come across a not to be missed battery deal when on the road I don't have to wait, it's ready to go.......Battery, Heater, Boat oh so many toys so little money.........(actually none of the latter)
Hi @Dobbie , a good example of "why it is so"!! Do it right and you only do it once and you are able to enjoy the benefits to the full without a worry in the world.
Yep, that's the plan till something goes wrong!
Anyway, we're happy with the setup but then the previous setup was also efficient....the only real difference, in 12v usage, is the bigger fridge with the over designed electronic panel and the Waeco drawer fridge.
I'd have to recommend that Waeco as I can't believe how good it is and how much we use it....and we were considering taking it out. Draws 25amps per day so not an issue.
Enjoy your testing.
Anyway, we're happy with the setup but then the previous setup was also efficient....the only real difference, in 12v usage, is the bigger fridge with the over designed electronic panel and the Waeco drawer fridge.
I'd have to recommend that Waeco as I can't believe how good it is and how much we use it....and we were considering taking it out. Draws 25amps per day so not an issue.
Enjoy your testing.
Hi again @mikerezny ,Neat little PWM controller. As there is no display on controller, I can see why you need the blue box to monitor what is happening. Look forward to your reports, both good and bad. I think my daily usage averages about 27ah, which to date has not been a problem in recouping each day. Our 9 kg gas bottle lasts about 14 days with the 3 way fridge on constantly and gas for cooking etc. I do not use any 240 volt equipment and therefore do not have a need for an inverter. Even my TV and antenna amplifier are 12 volt!
If my 3 way fridge can handle the hot temps up here in sunny Queensland with all the mods, you also should not have a problem.
I have finally got around to fitting the thermostat for the fan cooling at the back of the fridge (as suggested by @Drover) , only I used small machine screws to hold thermo to bracket. Makes changing different value thermos easier, even in the field if necessary. Also, I have in line switches for all the mods to the fridge. Will send you a picture when I can.
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Hi @Drover , as you have said before, "if it aint broke , why fix it"!! You are sitting back looking pretty, while the rest (some) of us are running around try to upgrade or improve. Change for change sake is unnecessary and wasteful, but a lot of us are merely upgrading as technology improves. So sit back and watch for the mistakes others make before doing anything drastic. You will be better off , in the short time anyway!
Don't get me wrong I'd love to have a panel that shows all the details, I can even understand what it means in regards to amps, volts etc but a few hundred $$$ that could be spent on diesel, hmmmm, my voltmeter for the aux in ute cost $7 from Jaycar, just a led display that I mounted in a case.....Mind, if I find my controllers are not giving their best they will be out the door.............My big fridge will chew thru a gas bottle in 11 days so size does matter it seems, separate fridge, freezer must chew more but I think you will have heaps of power when you do your check runs, like mine your rig seems not to be a power hungry beast......................though my old Engel is 39 yrs old and can chew the daylights out of a battery, it has it's own 120amp and doesn't like to share thats why it stays in The Ute, with 80w panel to feed it.
Well @Drover , don't feel too bad about lack of monitoring bling. If the reading on volt meter is approaching the dreaded 12.0 volt mark, it is time to act. All the rest is peripheral stuff and not a necessity. Why do you not have the famed (or infamous?) Drifter pack that I have read stories about?? I do not know much about them, but I thought they were standard fare on any respectable Expanda!!
Now in saying that, let me show you my "poor man's " monitoring system. I have a 3 point panel at one end of van inside with LED voltmeter which I can see all the time without bending down to look at controller, with other points there for 12 v outlet and 2 USB ports. At the other end near fridge and Setec unit under bed, you will see the new MPPT controller, which just fits at 200mm high above the Setec unit. The Epever unit is 20mm higher and would be a jab in the back when in bed if I had bought that one! Alongside that are 3 inline switches which control fridge operations - interior LED lights, interior fans to circulate cool air inside fridge and the bottom one is for external fans at back of fridge for cooling. To the left of that attached to a cupboard above are the fridge temp indicator and battery charge voltage guide. Solar panel and battery charging and usage etc will be provided by new MPPT controller. I hope that will provide me with all the info I need when off the grid for extended times next week especially!. Photos of this attached.
