Battery Charging & Power Management

It has an in-built MPPT solar panel regulator....

Ceers......

OK, that makes more sense, thanks for the update. If only the BMS wasn't so expensive ! Then again, I suppose it's doing three charging control functions in one unit - alternator, solar panel, and 240VAC.

Not sure what landi you have but take a look at www.traxide.com.au as they do a system specially for Land Rovers

Cheers

LeighW

Thanks Leigh, I had a look, ours is a Defender and these look more for use in a Rangie, or Disco.

Cheers, The Landy

Thanks Rod, yes it will be going in the vehicle as won't always have the TVAN in tow.

Cheers, The Landy

Thanks Mick

Appreciate your thoughts on this. It is a little expensive, but it will give me the result I am looking for.

I will be putting a 140 watt solar panel on top of 'The Landy'......

Cheers, The Landy

Hi Mike

Thanks for taking the time to respond with your experience.

Our recent trip to the Gulf Savannah highlighted the need to review and upgrade battery/power management for ‘The Landy’. Perhaps I am getting old and a bit soft, but I would like the choice not to drive ‘The Landy’ on any given day just to provide a battery charge. In reality we probably drive most days, but whether that is sufficient to adequately charge the batteries is questionable...

We run a 60 Litre Engel as a fridge, some lights in the evening and possibly a lap-top to process photos and write of our experiences. And it is surprising just how much power you require for these items alone.

Mind you ‘The Landy’ has only had an auxiliary battery of low amperage, and that has been part of the issue, but it seemed pointless changing something without a full review of the requirements going forward.

And I hear precisely what you are saying, and both ‘Mrs Landy’ and I discussed at length the use of a generator as a power source. In the end we elected to go solar as it will meet our requirements, for the most part, and we were reminded by young ‘Master Landy’ – a 10 year old with a view on most things, that we should practise treading lightly when travelling in the bush and the outback (he did catch us both off-guard with that one!).

And whilst acknowledging that Honda’s range of four-stroke generator’s are very quiet and provide an alternative power supply source that is probably still consistent with a 'treading lightly' approach, we elected to embrace greener technology in recognition of the viewpoint 'Master Landy' presented.

But our set-up will give us the flexibility to add a generator to the ‘power kit’ sometime in the future, and being a risk management advocate it will most likely be prudent to do so if undertaking a trip in more remote areas....

To close, I erred when I said it was two 80 watt panels I was installing, in fact I have ordered one 140 watt panel.

Cheers, The Landy

Footnote: Mrs Landy has suggested that with so much excess power available she will now be able to put the ‘hair-dryer’ in her tool kit (geez – you solve one problem only to create another; 'Master Landy' surely that isn't treading lightly?)