DX grunt... in the flesh

[threedogs]

No rush on info, your panels should support all you do for weeks on end, you'd only need to start the car if EG its been raining for weeks, or opening the fridge too many times,lol Can't see it myself. just make sure 1 battery is start only, thats your saftey factor so to speak, or plan B. that leaves 200ah of battery maybe more, don't know what batteries you have, thats a lot of usable power that gets topped up at 12 ah. IMO you only need one panel, but hey

[DX grunt]

No rush on info, your panels should support all you do for weeks on end, you'd only need to start the car if EG its been raining for weeks, or opening the fridge too many times,lol Can't see it myself. just make sure 1 battery is start only, thats your saftey factor so to speak, or plan B. that leaves 200ah of battery maybe more, don't know what batteries you have, thats a lot of usable power that gets topped up at 12 ah. IMO you only need one panel, but hey

Thanks. I'm a newbee at 12v, so I'm guessing over compensating is better than under compensating. I'll have a 'dry run' with everything cranked up in the driveway and do a test or two or three, before I hit the track and get stuck. lol. Thanks for all your help.

I got 2 panels because I was initially told that my 95lt Evakool fridge/freezer would need one panel to run. I got the 2nd panel for all my toys. lol.

Thanks again.

Take care out there.

Rossco

[threedogs]

You could always bolt one panel to the roof of your pod hard wired, it acts like a tropical roof and keeps pod cool needs 1" of clearance breeze goes underneath. Use your other one to chase the sun at camp via the anderson plug.

[Lunny]

You could always bolt one panel to the roof of your pod hard wired, it acts like a tropical roof and keeps pod cool needs 1" of clearance breeze goes underneath. Use your other one to chase the sun at camp via the anderson plug.

Iwas just about to suggest the same thing, have that hooked to your 2nd 3rd with isolators between all three so you can charge them all while at a camp and easily charge the 2&3 battery while driving without worrying about the charge of your alternator. . What size regulator are you running for the panels??

[DX grunt]

Iwas just about to suggest the same thing, have that hooked to your 2nd 3rd with isolators between all three so you can charge them all while at a camp and easily charge the 2&3 battery while driving without worrying about the charge of your alternator. . What size regulator are you running for the panels??

It's a Steca PR2020. I really should have got a MPPT PR3030, but I'm still learning, and it's been good so far. I've been camping for 3 weeks and 2 weeks continuously and it's been really good.

I did a little test the other day. Solar panels brought up the battery charge to 100% and I left everything on overnight (HF Codan radio on scan, CB, 95lt fridge/freezer, and 8lt Handiwash hot/cold water system).

Next day I checked out the Steca and battery power had only dropped down to 80%.

The 2 x 125w solar panels may seem a bit excessive, but boy, it does charge the batteries up quickly.

I really don't think there's any necessity for a 3rd battery or changing alternators. I'll be turning everything off overnight, except the fridge.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Rossco

[threedogs]

System sounds ok, taking into account a few rainy days on end, you have your alternator as back up, power requirements will vary day to day
2 x panels
2 x batteries
Away you go.
If it doesn't stop raining, come home

[DX grunt]

If it doesn't stop raining, come home

Trust me. I do! hahahaha. I hate wet sand and it takes weeks to clean my truck out properly. hahaha - not. pml

I'm looking at getting one of those magnetic wind turbines to charge up the batteries too. Apparently they're pretty good.

On the south coast of WA, there's lots of wind farms appearing. Some people laugh at me for using corner guy ropes on every tent pole for my annex, but seriously, you need it down here, or you'll get blown away. The last thing I want to do is to get up in the middle of the night sorting out my annex!

This is the wind farm about 15k's from where I own my house. It's got 111 turbine powered 'windmills'

http://www.collgarwindfarm.com.au/


Rossco

[threedogs]

I've looked at the portable wind jobs, but they become too big for the output required. might be looking at a 2mtr blade. Solar is the go at the moment.
forgotten their name but some panels produce awesome amounts of amps. there was a product called a "sun ball" on the New Inventers but not sure jf it took off'
Was the size of a volley ball, concerntrated the sun as well as followed the sun during the day for 100% efficiency. probably pricey.

[TheFlyingBadger]

I've looked at the portable wind jobs, but they become too big for the output required. might be looking at a 2mtr blade. Solar is the go at the moment.
forgotten their name but some panels produce awesome amounts of amps. there was a product called a "sun ball" on the New Inventers but not sure jf it took off'
Was the size of a volley ball, concerntrated the sun as well as followed the sun during the day for 100% efficiency. probably pricey.

i think it ended up being from the same category of products as the firepower fella produced...

[threedogs]

Was a great invention might have to google it to find out what happened.
perfect for a van.


Price for SUNBALL was $1600