Solar-Useless in Winter without an AGM

Cobber,

As I understand it, the answer is no. Polys produce nothing in partial shade or overcast conditions.

In overcast, cold conditions in Vic the amorphous is still knocking out about 12.6 volts through the regulator. Not a lot, but better than nothing.

In QLD you may do well with a poly, but keep in mind they they lose up to 20% efficiency over 25C. Having lived in Townsville for eight miserable years, and it never got below 27C, even in winter, I would suggest an amorphous panel would suit you better.

However amorphous panels are a lot bigger.

Good luck Old Son.

why post misinformation. Of course polycrystalline produce power in overcast conditions. You are totally incorrect about poly or mono crystalline losing 20% over 25c. Where do you dream up that type of stuff from? They lose around 5% which is not worth talking about as it is a time of the year in summer that you have more power than you know what to do with.
You may be interested to know amorphous are poor performers below 25c and lose a minimum of 15%. Amorphous panels overall are a poor purchase compared to crystalline panels. Besides the poor life span of amorphous panels and the high individual cell failure rate, amorphous panels are twice the surface area per watt compared to crystalline panels.

I'll take notice of Collyn Rivers over you anyday Ozi.

Sounds like you've got it pretty well sorted Glenn.

"Jumbo" ?????? Have you been peeking or was it a typo? LOL.

Cheers,

Jim

such adoration.....

So you've a peek as well Lyn? LOL

well I have been wondering how you were holding that towel up last xmas...

I heard thats why you needed a solar panel that will still work with shadows cast across it!.... ok a typo, and a bloody embarassing one at that, I proof read everything else!

he's not called the sun dial for nothing you know..... :)

Actually the boys at the footy club used to call me "Tripod" (I wish) LMAO

Or was that my youngest Son Stevo (he's part horse).

Absorbed Glass Mat battery

http://www.fridge-and-solar.net/agm.htm

Hi Muddy,
petrol enines may be quiter, but having experienced someone nearby running their 4L diesel at dusk to charge their batteries was not pleasant.
And I go to remote places for the peace and quiet, even during the day. A chorus of gennies during the day is reminiscent of living next to a freeway.
Just my thoughts...
Gerry

Go SOLAR, -> do it once and do it right!!!

You don't have to chase the sun with solar UNLESS you are down on battery power (get a AGM battery system) or under-sized with the solar panel/s...

With solar systems the battery/s are constantly being recharged during daylight, Yeah Ok, we all know that :-(

When the fridge is running during the day (using Engel numbers) @ ~2 a/h, an 80wt solar panel is replacing that at the rate of at least @ ~2 a/h MINIUM in Vic, (in WA ~4) then of a night the panel will not work, BUT the fridge will draw LESS power simply because everyone says so, how many times have I read those posts saying that ? and in the morning the panel again starts (as soon as the sun raises on to the face of the panel 8am) to replenish what was taken out during the night with 13+ volts and ~4 amps again, it is just something that happens automatically and you can't stop it - unless you put the panel out of the sunSHINE!

The numbers are only as a very accurate guide, as you can imagen in Victoria, which is on the other side of that desert, they get cool weather :-(
however a solar panel works on sunLIGHT not on heat produced by the sun!

With a generator you have to do all sorts of things to it to turn it on and off and the noise and fumes... carry fuel, and the friendly camper next door well he will leave cause you ****

"Near as I can work out, my engine (3.5 V6 petrol) uses about 1.5 litres per hour idling (knocking out 50 to 60 amps)"

I was going to say the same thing Jimbo. You may have a 60amp alternator but at idle you won't be getting anywhere near that much.

I still use this method though. As most times we go camping it is a 4wd trip so the vehicle gets used anyway. I don't have any other way of charging my batteries.

Utie,

My alternator is a 130 amp job. I believe it produces that at about 2000 rpm, so I'm guessing 50 or 60 at idle.

That is one big alternator! Is that standard on your Terracan? I think my Rodeo alternator is only about 55amps.
If it is aftermarket it should have ratings for various rpms on the box. I know my brothers did. His is on a V8 that idles quite low and it has virtually no charge at idle (lights dim etc) he has the wrong alternator for the application I guess.

Utie I just checked the hanbook, it's actually 120 amps standard.

I believe that is fairly common these days with all the electrics and electronics to run.

Nudenut ,how many trucks do you see sitting and just idleing while the driver is out of the cab for 1/2 hr+ ,, if it hurt none would do it., gives cool down time for turbo after loaded run and in reverse on cold start up warm up time for oil.

yeah.... true!
see I dont know everything....not like swmbo

I use a Solarex panel and find that in overcast conditions where the cloud is light in colour, eg; not dark grey rain clouds, (I mean this is WA)the power produced is actually higher, due in part to the lower panel temperature and the higher reflective light of the clouds.
Yes, I can actually sit and watch the amps raise or fall as the clouds pass over the solar panel via the regulator LCD screen :-)

I saw a wind gennie bolted to a roo bar at a camping spot last summer. Bit of a worry, tho; he had a short pole bolted to the roo bar with the gennie sitting not far above, with the spinning blades within reach. If a kid climbed up on the roo bar, there could have been a terrible accident. I note one seller of these gennies stating that the supporting pole must have an engineering certificate.
Re Solar, I use 120w of panels to run my Autofridge (4.5A), and this seems to cope with overcast days. The exception is in the tropics when the sky is overcast and the ambient temp in the mid-30's. I reckon that 150w would be my next choice.
Gerry

(QUOTE)I really must install Ammeters in the Alternator and battery leads. - So for a 100Amphour you should limit it to 25 Amps (end quote) so you can WATCH the neadle move from the green area into the red area, and then stop the car and have a coffee :-(

What if you have a 100 a/h alternator ??

remedy:
change it for a 25a/h alternator...

Nah, what other way would it werk?

100a/h alternater restricted to 25a/h?
...seeking answers - nothing else...
as I am going to (maybe) use AGM's when my Delkor DC's die :-(

remember HE said I'm one of the "uneducated" ones :-) :-) :-)

That should read "you shouldn't discharge a Deep Cycle below 50% remaining".