Solar regulator.

Hi David Au, You have been promoting solar power products on this site recently & how good these products are. I for one would like to know where in this country are the retailers of this product (since the web site doesn't give this) & have you personally got one in use & can give details on what system you are using it on? Cheers.

Many professional solar outlets carry these in stock.
They are a popular regulator due to their superior PWM formula.
We carry them in stock as well. You can e-mail me at landline_equipment at the hotmail company if you are interested and will e-mail you back on my work account. In our case we do not sell anything we do not use ourselves.

hl,
Thanks for that. A bit more info to digest.
Cheers,
Bros.

If you chase the sun like crazy in absolute mid-summer in some parts of Australia and you run the fridge at 5°C you can just make it. You do still get the benefit of the PWM while the fridge is off. That is why I always tell people to go to the extra wattage 110w fold up panels in preference to the 80w.
I will be taking these solar tables down from this website at the weekend and putting them up with a full explanation on my main website. In the meantime you can see exactly what wattage a solar panel puts out in a battery charging environment from 2w to 80w right across Australia.
Landline Website

0zi,
to advise anyone to set a fridge to run at 5°C is wrong, bacteria can live at that temperature, I believe it is very dangerous to suggest to anyone that a fridge could be run at such high temperatures as food packaging contains the warning that food should be kept as close to 2°C as possible to keep it bacteria free and safe for human consumption.

The fact is, I have been using a 80 watt Solarex panel without a regulator to charge my battery system and run a fridge and recharge lights etc, as a stand alone system, for 8 years now, it does work because it was set up by qualified person who had actual experience with solar systems and ...solar powered race cars... did I mention "qualified" and "experience"

Mainey,
Half the fridges in the country would be 5 degrees (or even more.)
Sure, most foods will keep longer at 2 degrees, longer still at 0.1!
Bacteria will grow below zero! It's all a question of time.
Try putting an accurate thermometer in most household fridges in mid summer, with kids regularly opening the door. You might get a very rude shock!

David was not ADVISING anyone to run their fridge at 5 degrees, rather simply stating you can do much better on battery consumption by raising the temp a little. It's all a trade-off. Run it cooler and virtually all food will last longer, but at the expense of much more power used.
Don't attack the messenger!
David's advice on solar panels/ regulators etc is very honest and realistic- far more so than some.....
Some wild and outlandish claims are made by some of those who sell panels!
Cheers

Mainey,

Just how many years experience and training does it take to connect 2 wires and point a panel at the sun?

Cheers

David n,
0zi sells solar panels, I don't, I have no barrow to push here, just facts.

I run my fridge to keep my food safe, no other reason, I don't have any death wish to get any food bugs out in the bush, and I don't have a problem with lack of battery power as the fridge has, like most fridge's a limiting cut off point, and is also powered by a quality solar system and DC battery setup.

Quote, "If you chase the sun like crazy in absolute mid-summer in some parts of Australia and you run the fridge at 5°C you can just make it". end quote, the preceeding reads like a statement of fact to me and that is why I posted to qualify the statement and point out the medical facts.

shaggy
they are refering to wet batteries
Quote, "you risk boiling the electrolyte and dissociating hydrogen gas, and quite likely shortening the life of battery severely, only solar trickle chargers of output say 500 mA or less on a common 4wd battery is safe to use." end quote.
You have to remember the fridge should be connected and run from a Deep Cycle battery system and not a "common 4wd battery" as the solar panel manufacturer site states, as it will damage a "common battery" as they are designed for a quick surge of power to start a vehicle and are rated as CCA, not as a constant power supply capable to run a fridge, which is rated as Amp/Hours.
They look the same on the outside however they are built different on the inside and the charge and discharge limits are also different.

David N,
Will you please nominate who the "experts" are you are referring to, and what technical qualifications you believe they in fact have ...?

I have been continuously using a solar system and Deep Cycle battery system to power the fridge and lights etc since April 1996, (yes 9 years) not on weekend trips away to the local caravan park, but months at a time camped in the same spot on the same beach.

I have lived in a conventional 'home' with 240v electricity for about 14 or maybe 15 months of those nine years, and if you think I learnt nothing in those 9 years you are badly mistaken, you learn from mistakes, yes, both your own and others, even those who have bought the latest 'you beaut gismo' system or gennie, who camp in the same general area.

My first battery, a USA made DC lasted 4 years, the present batteries (2x 80a/h DC27's wired in parallel) are about 4 & 1/2 years old and are still holding their charge. They have not exploded or given problems to date and when you read most 4x4 forums many guys are replacing their batteries, due to failure, at 2 to 3 years.

Would it be rude of me to ask you, how old your batteries and solar panel/s are, and can you explain to me why my system is working so well for me, or are you not one of the "experts" you have mentioned ? ?
('technical' advice sought, no offence is intended & no answer expected)

Maybe I don't know the correct spelling of the big 'technical' words, but I know the maths and the principals of solar systems and DC batteries...

Let anyone who has used a solar powered, 12v DC, battery system, continuously, and for as long, tell me I’m not knowledgeable in their use and I will accept their judgement!

Mainey,
David N. is absolutely correct in everything he has said, ( I believe he's an engineer as I am) and David Au's advice is also spot on.
But then quite a bit of what you have said is too- it's just the fine details.
Sure, it's possible to use Solar without a regulator, but it's NOT A GOOD IDEA in most cases.
Batteries can and do blow up- I spent a few days last year out bush helping a guy in an off road van who's expensive sealed battery had exploded and made a hell of a mess.-thank goodness no body was hurt!
If you have a panel sized such that it's not going to ever get the battery fully charged, then you can safely use no regulator.
But for a decent sized panel and variable weather conditions- I would consider a PWM regulator virtually essential if you want to do the job correctly and SAFELY.
Cheers

Flash, any thoughts about why the battery exploded.