Site Search
Print Page Setup Profile Login
You have 4 items in your shopping cart
Section Image

solar panels

Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 18:37

DJ DAVO

Greetings,

I have a 75 series Landcruiser with a piranah dual battery set up.
I use the dual battery set up to power a Waeco 80L Fridge and am looking at purchasing a solar panel to allow me to spend extended periods set up at camp - rather than having the drama of driving to recharge my deepcycle battery.

Any clues on panel size and brand etc that i should be looking for?

Cheers.
Advertisement
ThreadID: 38231 Replies: 7
Views: 724 FollowUps: 11
This Thread has been Archived
Thread Summary
Thread Watch Back To Forum Alert Moderator FAQ
AnswerID: 197653   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 18:40

Mike Harding replied:

If you try a search on past posts I think you'll find there are more answers than you can poke a generator at.

Mike Harding
Reply 1 of 7
AnswerID: 197659   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 19:04

Member - Steve Y (NSW) replied:

Try www.solaronline. www.solaronline.com.au/ From what I've read the BP brand seem best, just a reading opinion.

I've been looking as well. It seems that you'll pay about 650 for 65 watts or 5.41 amps (watts / 12 = amps) For us that would run the fridge but leave little to top us the tanks, so to speak. Two would be great and give you about 60 amps a day for additional stuff if you use 12v lights. A good Honda costs that so it seems a good option. I guess though the rain and cloud factor could throw all those cool numbers out the window. The you have to go for a drive which in the rain should be fun, right.

Steve
Reply 2 of 7
FollowupID: 456295   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 09:24

LastAussieWorker posted:

$599 for 85w solar panel

look here for amps from a solar panel
waeco website says 80l waeco takes 84 total amps in 24 hour period at 25C avg amps hr 3.5 amp
2 65w panel going to leave you plenty short of amps for the day
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 456411   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 20:12

Tony J posted:

Steve Y

(watts / 12 = amps) = wrong!. Sorry, but most panels will put out 16, 17 or more volts. Then this is (or should be) regulated down. Your equation should be more like 'watts / 17 = amps'.
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 197661   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 19:32

Grungle replied:

Hi DJ,

There are a lot of variables when considering solar but I have an 80L Waeco as well and worked out what I needed for my stays. I wrote everything down and listed it on my website. This might help with things (hopefully). The three most improtant things are length of time to be sufficient, current draw per day and battery capacity. By working these out you can determine the number of solar watts needed to achieve this (other variables such as peak sun hours are important as well but this is determined by weather and time of year).

Regards
David

Click Image to Enlarge
I have taken a vow of poverty...To annoy me send me money ;-)
Reply 3 of 7
AnswerID: 197663   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 19:34

Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators replied:

Our 100W Bi-fold is portable suitable for fridge and a fluoro at night.

I can send you a data sheet if you like.
ABR - SIDEWINDERABR - SIDEWINDER
Business Member: My Profile
Reply 4 of 7
FollowupID: 456188   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 19:36

Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators posted:

Bi-fold
ABR - SIDEWINDERABR - SIDEWINDER
Business Member: My Profile
FollowUp 1 of 6
FollowupID: 456348   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 15:37

SunWizard posted:

what a load of bull shirt you need a hell of a lot more than 100w
why you want to sell people stuff that is wrong
my son has 2 Kyocera 120w to keep the 80 L Waeco and fluoro light battery charged
YouwillfindmeinthesunBob
FollowUp 2 of 6
FollowupID: 456377   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 17:30

Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators posted:

Sounds like he has a dead battery.

or maybe he mounted them the wrong way round. LOL

Please ask him to call me. He can run 2 fridges off 240W of power.
ABR - SIDEWINDERABR - SIDEWINDER
Business Member: My Profile
FollowUp 3 of 6
FollowupID: 456413   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 20:18

SunWizard posted:

Derek so Waeco are saying 84 amps and you are saying you could run 2 80l fridges
ROFLOL from 2 120w panels ROFLOL what a joke HA HA HA HA
call you for wrong advice yeah man yeah
FollowUp 4 of 6
FollowupID: 456415   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 20:25

Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators posted:

???

What the....

Who are you ? My Waeco Cf80 runs for 48 hours on a 100 a/h battery ?

Are you the troller David has warned us about ?
ABR - SIDEWINDERABR - SIDEWINDER
Business Member: My Profile
FollowUp 5 of 6
FollowupID: 456433   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 21:28

Jimbo posted:

Derek,

It's Ozi. Been banned here and elsewhere many times.

I spotted him earlier and alerted David.

Jim.
FollowUp 6 of 6
Activities Index
Private Cooking Class for 6 Private Cooking Class for 6
Sydney - NSW
Our hands-on cooking classes are more than a cooking lesson.
Motorcycle Ride Day (Your Bike) - NSW Motorcycle Ride Day (Your Bike) - NSW
Sydney - NSW
Ever wanted to ride as fast as you want, with no risk of a speeding fine!
Rock Climbing - 2 Day Adventure Rock Climbing - 2 Day Adventure
Perth - WA
Ever wanted to learn to climb?
Blues Harmonica Fundamentals - QLD Blues Harmonica Fundamentals - QLD
Brisbane - QLD
Love the sound of blues harmonica music but don't know where to start?
Book Now - Things To Do
AnswerID: 197666   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 19:42

Steve replied:

There is no simple/ complete answer...Depends on : what is capacity of your second battery ? is it a Deep Cycle ..how much power does the 80 waeco draw..I had similar set up and had a 64watt Unisolar panel..IMHO..this unit was the ant's pants..produced around 5ah per hor ..30 each day and was used in shade areas and under trees..worked a treat...the only thing was that my (2nd) battery was too low in amp hours ( 75 I think) and so would only power my fridge for a couple of days ...MAX..before it died ...In reality I would say that you are pushing bleep up hill...get a few hundred amps in storage batteries and a couple of the above panels and you will be getting in the picture ...I now have 440 Ah Battery set up with 2 x 64watt UNISOLAR panels and they run my Engel 39litre freezer ...lights, TV and water pumps etc.... no dramas and keep the power up ...don't know how long as only stay about 3 days in one spot ...( I'm one of those Mad No Greys ..that travel the country ) Hope all this makes sense !!!
Reply 5 of 7
FollowupID: 456201   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 03, 2006 at 20:19

silkwood posted:

After a lot of research I purchased the Uni-Solar Panels. They cost more and take up A LOT more room. If these are important factors don't look at amorphous panels. I do know that when I spent four months travelling up north my panels worked in the high temperatures and in clouded conditions, whereas most poly- and uni-crystalline panels worked less well. For me the benefits outweighed the size and cost (I simply wanted the best working option, regardless).

I have heard, however, that the poly-crystalline panels have improved in the partial shade performance, so that might change the equation. Others more informed might comment here. I've been very happy with the Uni-Solars. And there are more factors than just the panels.

Cheers,

Mark
FollowUp 1 of 3
FollowupID: 456349   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 15:46

SunWizard posted:

Steve you telling fairy tales 64w max about 3.7 amp average hours 5.5 makes 20.35 amp day
all panels work in any temp and clouded days
in shade or under trees is no sun and means no power for any panel type
120 Kyocera is smaller than 64w Unisol
FollowUp 2 of 3
FollowupID: 456417   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 20:26

Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators posted:

???

What the....

Who are you ? My Waeco Cf80 runs for 48 hours on a 100 a/h battery ?

Are you the troller David has warned us about ?
ABR - SIDEWINDERABR - SIDEWINDER
Business Member: My Profile
FollowUp 3 of 3
AnswerID: 197747   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 08:23

Rosco - Qld replied:

Davo

I have a roof mounted 80W BP panel which works very well running a 50l Waeco.

Cheers

Reply 6 of 7
AnswerID: 197877   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006 at 22:21

Steve replied:

When you get replies to your post like that from SUNWIZARD...well why bother ..makes me think I should not bother helping people who "know it all"...they are not asking on this post ...they are so full of crap ...
Reply 7 of 7