Solor test
Submitted: Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 21:46
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Member - Brian (WA)
Hi All. Just got back from
easter camping trip. As a
test I took 1x75 watt panel.
40lt engel useing it between 1.5 and 2 setting and a fluro for lighting and
charging the detector batteries. Temp over the 3days was 38-39. overcast
so I was only getting about 2amp charge except for brief periods when I got a
4amp charge. Anyway I ran out of powerabout 7.00 this morning. I thought
that I would have been ok. Maybe if I had perfect conditions I would have been.
I could get not any extra charge to replace what I was useing overnight. I have got
3x75 watt panels and now realise you do need the extra output.Hope this helps
sombody. cheers brian
Reply By: Richard & Leonie - Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 22:01
Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 22:01
Thanks for taking the trouble to provide this info. Didn't quite understand how long you ran the system before it went flat. What size battery were you using? What condition was the battery in and was it fully charged before you started? What is a "detector" Battery?
AnswerID:
104062
Follow Up By: Member - Brian (WA) - Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 22:22
Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 22:22
Hi Richard. Started useing solor 10.30 fri morning when we arrived at site.Battery was Trogen 130amp hr deep cycle first time used . I have 20amp arrid 3 stage charger so battery was
well charged. Metel detector
batterys.
FollowupID:
361566
Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 22:23
Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 22:23
Was the extra charge Sunday nights lightning? Good show back here in
Perth and plenty of that strange wet stuff, i think from memory it's called rain.
AnswerID:
104071
Reply By: Mainey (WA) - Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 22:35
Monday, Mar 28, 2005 at 22:35
Brian,
What brand of Solar panel were you using ?
What type and size of battery were you charging ?
Was the Solar panel connected direct to the battery or through a regulator ?
Yes, I also believe 3 x 75 watt panels are a bit over the top, in both power and more importantly somewhere reasonable to put them safely and also efficiently!
AnswerID:
104074
Follow Up By: Member - Brian (WA) - Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 at 18:37
Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 at 18:37
hi Mainey.Have 2x80watt photowatt panels in a frame which go on top
of the wagon, plus 1x75 shell panel which is in a ground frame so I can
keep moving it around to get the sun.I have morningstar sunsaver
regulator. Going into aTrojan 130amp hr battery.The exercise was
to see if I could get through the weekend which I just scraped in.
If you go away for longer got to take more panels.
FollowupID:
361658
Follow Up By: Mainey (WA) - Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 at 20:11
Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 at 20:11
Brian,
I use an 80 Watt panel, without a regulator connected....
powering into 2 x 80 A/H calcium DC batteries.
Question -> Would your system work better without the regulator ? ?
as you are using _ALL_ the power you are putting into the battery!
Could the regulator be inhibiting the supply of power in some way at the high wattage end of the scale ? ?
FollowupID:
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