overblown solar....

[stevebaz]

Jim I agree,
I said they can justify it, not that it was smart. Under a business ever notice this type of business people have the best of the best in equipment and regularly upgrade that equipment. They travel all over the place and enjoy that part of their life while they can. Its not done to make a measurable profit, its done to support a life style. Not right, not wrong but just a different way of stepping out of the box.

[Franswa]

"the only way it would adversely affect others, is if a uninformed person took that system as what is needed for a van solar install"
or something like that


that was my one and only intent from the start

since then I've seen at least one other 900W install on a Sprinter van....common installs seem to be in the 300W range

and here's a neat Euro van....with all the "trimmings" (bath/shower)....the guy says he's got 140W of panels, 230AH of storage.....and the GF says they NEVER run out of power!.....neat van (check out the trick "control panel"...sweet!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSslbLrP7tc

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by k corbin

However their needs are very different than yours so why compare your needs to their needs and then come to a conclusion based on your own personal needs that they are making a mistake?

Which would result in no posts on the forum? On any topic?

[Jon Vermilye]

How much solar is necessary depends on many variables. One that many don't consider is what happens to roof top panels in the dead of winter. The low angle sun & short days can end up providing less than 20% of the rated output. As you move north, it gets worse. And, of course, ending up in a shady campsite can be a problem.

The solutions are to add tilting to the rooftop panels and/or carry an portable panel that can be aimed at the sun.

During the month of December at Quartzsite, AZ, I found that even a pair of 160 watt flat panels didn't keep up with my usage (40 - 50 amp hours per day). Tilting the panels solved the problems did adding a portable 160 watt panel before I modified the panels to tilt. I use more amp hours than most, so this solution may not be necessary for everyone...

[John in Michigan]

Jon, what is your battery storage capacity in amp hours? Also curious as to the max amp output of your solar charge controller with all your solar panels "plugged in".

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by John in Michigan

Jon, what is your battery storage capacity in amp hours? Also curious as to the max amp output of your solar charge controller with all your solar panels "plugged in".

220 amp hours (a pair of 6V golf cart batteries)

Maximum output depends on time of year, temperature, and many variables. The best I've seen with tilted panels & the portable panel was 22 amps, but only during the bulk charging mode.

[John in Michigan]

Jon, so on a sunny day with panels aimed at the sun, they should be able to top off the batteries, correct? EDIT: E.g., bring the batteries up from 110 amp hours to 220 amp hours.

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by John in Michigan

Jon, so on a sunny day with panels aimed at the sun, they should be able to top off the batteries, correct? EDIT: E.g., bring the batteries up from 110 amp hours to 220 amp hours.

Again, it depends. It is more than likely that they will, but the last 20% of the charging cycle will be in the Absorption mode for your controller, and that limits the charging current to what the batteries will take. Even though the panels may be capable of providing 20 - 30 amps during the peak of the day, your controller may be limiting that to 4-5 amps as the batteries near full. If you have additional loads, the solar controller will provide for that - I try to do my flexible amp hour usage during the time the panels are producing more amps than the batteries can take, i.e. recharge cell phone, laptop & camera batteries, etc.

I've never had my batteries down to 110 amp hours, so I can't quote from experience, but with the amount of tilted solar panels I have on the roof (320 watts) aimed south, I've always been able to put back the 40 - 50 amp hours I've used (some overnight usage, and around 30 amp hours during the day when the panels are supplying part of the usage while they are putting back the overnight losses). I do limit my use if I'm expecting a string of cloudy/rainy days, but that doesn't happen too often in the Arizona desert.

The only time I now (since tilting) add the portable panel is when I'm too lazy to tilt (takes 7 ladder moves & about 20 minutes), have a stretch of cloudy days, or the trailer is parked in the shade.