ABR GP-100 Watt solar panel kit.
Submitted: Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 20:35
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Member - evren1 (WA)
Derek and solar gurus can you give me some advice.
I would like 2 of the kits, one to charge vehicle which has dual battery system ( red arch isolator) this has a 60 L Engel running off the 100 AH aux battery and would need to connect via Anderson plug from rear of the vehicle.
The second kit will be required to charge my camper battery system via Anderson plug which consists of dual 100 AH wet cell batteries linked in parallel. A charger and inverter are connected to these batteries. Run off these are a 60L Engel and 12 volt lighting. Various equipment will be charged either from 12 v or 240 volt inverter i.e boys mini DVD player, laptop, I pod speaker system( recharge lithium battery) GPS and mobiles. # note: note everything needs charging every day.
QUESTION # Can the 2 solar kits be linked in parallel so they can both charge the camper batteries. This would be for extended stops and both fridges running off the camper battery system.
Are these kits suitable for my needs. i.e is 200watts enough. I have a geni with more than enough capacity for emergencies if the solar falls short.
Can anyone advise me on to a proven system they are using!
sorry for the novel length thread...
cheers
Reply By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 20:49
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 20:49
Member - evren1 (WA)
I have the GP-100 watt bi-fold solar panel, and I am very happy with it. Our fridge is a 70 Litre Trailblaza, brilliant fridge but quite hungry for
battery power! The GP-100 keeps up with the Trailblaza with no problems at all.
I can't comment on the rest of your questions, but I am sure someone will.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Brian
AnswerID:
318371
Follow Up By: Member - Brian H (QLD) - Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 07:58
Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 07:58
I'm a bit surprised your trailblazer is hungry for power, how much power is it using?
Brian
FollowupID:
584891
Follow Up By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Saturday, Aug 02, 2008 at 08:20
Saturday, Aug 02, 2008 at 08:20
Hi Brian,
I rang Norcoast last year when I was thinking about solar, they recommended I assume that my 70 Litre draws 5 amps/hour. I have no means of measuring the actual current draw to confirm that so I just worked on that principal. According to a mate who works for Waeco, that's reasonably hungry.
But the GP-100 holds up very
well, we have been stationary at times for a few days and the battery is kept topped up nicely.
FollowupID:
585084
Follow Up By: Mainey (wa) - Saturday, Aug 02, 2008 at 16:47
Saturday, Aug 02, 2008 at 16:47
Brian,
you should have asked your mate what the Waeco actually draws and you will be very surprised to find out they are similar.
Admittedly my 70 fridge/freezer is "power hungry" as it "draws" ~10 Amps, but it runs less than 30 % duty cycle so it's under 3 amp hour.
I think your fridge will be similar 'Amp Hour' numbers too?
Mainey . . .
FollowupID:
585153
Follow Up By: Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Saturday, Aug 02, 2008 at 18:12
Saturday, Aug 02, 2008 at 18:12
Mainey
I think you should get rid of a fridge that draws 10A you should know better.
FollowupID:
585180
Follow Up By: Mainey (wa) - Saturday, Aug 02, 2008 at 19:48
Saturday, Aug 02, 2008 at 19:48
Derek,
Naaahhh,
Fortunately I do know better, as I've stated above it only draws similar "Amp Hours" as a Waeco, Engal etc, simply because the much larger Mitsubishi rotary compressor will force the fridge cabinet temperature from +6° down to +1° much faster than *ANY* other 12v fridge like Engel's & Waeco's etc.
(I know any qualified fridgie will confirm that for you too, or should I print No 1)
Sure it draws 10 Amps, BUT only *when running* and because it runs for very, yes very, short periods of time it's equivalent to LESS THAN ~3 Amp Hours per day.
Mainey . . .
FollowupID:
585203
Follow Up By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Sunday, Aug 03, 2008 at 07:28
Sunday, Aug 03, 2008 at 07:28
Mainey,
Sorry mate, I don't agree, although I can't prove it 'cos I don't have a DC current meter. I just "know" that the Trailblaza likes the taste of dc voltage.... LOL...... just from past experiences when stationary for a few days. I don't get near as many stationary hours out of my battery as others do, hence the solar panel which has fixed that little dilemma. That's the only thing about the Trailblaza that I think is detrimental, apart from that it is a strong, robust fridge.
Cheers
Brian
FollowupID:
585253
Follow Up By: Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Sunday, Aug 03, 2008 at 10:15
Sunday, Aug 03, 2008 at 10:15
Mainey,
10amps sounds very, very high and 30% duty cycle is average for any fridge.
What make is this 70L fridge ?
FollowupID:
585263
Follow Up By: Mainey (wa) - Monday, Aug 04, 2008 at 14:14
Monday, Aug 04, 2008 at 14:14
Derek,
Ok, so I slightly exaggerated the Amperage just a tad :-((
This picture shows current draw through the Steca LCD screen @ 7.8 amps and the in-line Amp gauge is showing "positive" (½) O.5 Amp is still charging the 13.8 Volt AGM battery system, while at the same time as the
Solar power system, not the battery, is running the fridge simply because the fridge draws it's power via the Steca Solar regulator.
( 7.8 Amps is close enough to 10 amps, if I said it was only 6 amps that would be bull$het, it's a 70 Ltr Reefer Premier fridge/freezer and they do use a few more amps at start-up for just a few seconds )
Image Could Not Be Found
Brian,
Can I suggest you maybe you are using a wetcell battery and maybe it's not suitable for continuously running a fridge, maybe it's poorly charged or maybe sulphated or maybe a dozen other reasons, but I can prove I get by with just ~10 Amps (Ok, 7.8a) and no hassles.
There must be some logical reason you get poor battery performance and I think you will find 5 amps is not the reason.
Mainey . . .
FollowupID:
585461
Follow Up By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008 at 10:05
Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008 at 10:05
Mainey,
I have used different batteries over the years, but no matter what, I still have had the same problem. I don't have the metering devices to log what goes on with my battery either.
It's only when we are stationary for a few days, by the end of the second day, my fridge battery is flat. I try NOT to be stationary for days, but it does happen from time to time. Without doubt a better battery might work longer. A smaller fridge might make it last longer as
well, but I am more than happy with my "hungry" Trailblaza. Since buying the solar panel, I don't have this issue. The GP 100 is a good unit, and keeps charging even when the cloud cover is considerable. So when we pull up, I simply hook up the panel and it takes care of the rest!
Cheers
Brian
FollowupID:
585633
Follow Up By: Mainey (wa) - Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008 at 14:51
Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008 at 14:51
TRAILBLAZA Model: MT80F-C
Power Consumption:-> 4.5 Amps Max
WAECO Model: 80 Litre
Power Consumption:-> 2.9 Amp/Hour
Based on the numbers being correct, you could make the reasonable assumption the Trailblaza consumes less
battery power than the Waeco in a given day.
Mainey . . .
FollowupID:
585717
Reply By: Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 21:09
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 21:09
Hi Evren
You have the general idea and seems a good understanding so don't be swayed too much by others.
I would recommend to buy just the one panel to start with and give it a go.
How long do you stay in one place and also how much do you drive ?
I run 2 fridges and lights and my one GP-100W + a bit of driving keep my power up. (Also charge laptop and
camera etc off the inverter)
Regards
Derek.
AnswerID:
318385
Follow Up By: Member - evren1 (WA) - Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 21:19
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 21:19
thanks Derek,
sounds like a plan. I'll get one and see how it performs.
Want to be able to stay in one spot for up to 4 weeks as when we (the misus and the boy) head off on the big trip around OZ I will be working month on month off so the girl will be in one spot for this time. She will probably want to caravan
park it, but if we are self sufficent it will be a
dam sight cheaper!
thanks again,
Evan
FollowupID:
584840
Follow Up By: Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 21:45
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 21:45
4 weeks will require more
battery power and that 2nd panel. I would also modify the panels so they can be connected together if needed and to a LCD advanced regulator with override switching from the fixed regulators.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - evren1 (WA) - Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 21:58
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 at 21:58
thought this may be the case!
When Ren is by herself, she will consume far less power than when I'm there.i.e only need one fridge running. I'm a power pig!
how much more
battery power do you think I'll need. the camper is set up to take 2 more in the battery box.
Can you supply me with modification and cable to link the 2 panels together.
Am I correct in my understanding of the mentioned LCD adv regulator, in that it is used when the panels are linked and overides the regulators that come with the kit. When the panels are used individualy they need rely only on the kit supplied regulator.
FollowupID:
584853
Follow Up By: Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 07:50
Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 07:50
The best would be to fit the 2 extra batteries. 400 a/h sounds good.
The LCD reg would be fitted to the camper and would always be used when the panels are connected to the camper. The built in regs on the Bi-Folds would only be used when the panels are used on the car or another battery not on the camper.
Our new LCD regs are 40A so you could monitor all your normal loads and all
solar power generated.
FollowupID:
584890
Reply By: Paul Grabonski. Vic - Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 08:13
Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 08:13
bought 2 60w panels from eBay for $425 each and made a fold up kit for one of my travelling cronies. Made it so could add extra panel to make 3 and fold up if he needs more power
bought Prostar solar reg with great lcd meter for $210
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Mainey (wa) - Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 09:37
Friday, Aug 01, 2008 at 09:37
evren1 (wa)
have you looked at a Kyocera (suitcase) Solar system...?
Maximum Power Voltage: 17.4 Volt
Maximum Power Current: 6.2 Amp
Combine them with a 3 x Stage, 20 Amp, Solar Regulator with LCD screen ($1,215 total)
It's probably a more expensive system, but it's smaller and with a higher Amperage output, and that's what you need, small size and maximum efficiency.
Yes, they can all be wired in parallel and used to run the same battery system via the Solar regulator.
Did you consider 1 x larger panel, instead of 2 x smaller panels ?
I use a 200 watt Solar system with 2 x 100+ ah AGM batteries
(because they are much more efficient than wetcell batteries)
through a Steca 3 x stage Solar regulator with PWM to eliminate sulphation.
I've never seen my AGM's reading less than 12 Volts @ the Solar regulator, even first thing in the morning after the 70Lt fridge/freezer and lights have been on half the night.
Mainey . . .
AnswerID:
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