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Post Info TOPIC: 'Vehicle' Mounted Vs Un-Mounted - For Full Time RVing - Pros & Cons
swamp


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'Vehicle' Mounted Vs Un-Mounted - For Full Time RVing - Pros & Cons
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hi
Passing thru
600watt roof top fixed rigid panels ----only needs a 40 /45 amp MPPT controller
160--250 watt portable run this thru separate controller
If u want 1 controller 60amp==$$$
wired 12/24 /36 volt prefer 12v
3 x 12 volt AGM 360AH
240v 40amp battery charger
dc to dc charger 40amp

None of these items will be the cheapest cost as it is a med--high performance system by van standards

Remember around 2watt solar per 1Ah gives performance

U need to find out if the truk is 24v and allow for this

 

Remember to panel in 120--160w  sizes  most common and wont flex as much as a larger panel . These sizes will be best suited also  due to the mounting realestate available any way . 

 



-- Edited by swamp on Saturday 9th of December 2017 04:02:41 PM

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T1 Terry


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daffyfrancis wrote:

Hi TI Terry,

Excellent idea & advice.

I had a quick Ebay search & notice an Au site - easyget-au has 2x100w 36 cell flexible panels for $320 delivered ( I have no association or recommendations)- so I presume a more detailed search will bring up other alternatives at reasonable cost.

When I look at my quarterly home power bills here in Tassie your lithium  or other well designed expensive set ups suitable for long term travellers seems cheap by comparison over the potential system lifespans. 

David

 

Vic Offroad and a few other E Bay names all belong to the Sun Yee group and they buy up end of production run lots and often have good prices for the semi flexible panels, you just have no idea which ones you will get. There are a heap of different types, the 6 eyelet gloss finished, the 6 eyelet matt finished with very narrow edging and the 8 eyelet with large edging. Always worth the effort to pop the lid off the junction box and make sure the connections are well sealed, easy enough to add some neutral cure sealant before the moisture gets in and wrecks the little circuit board and connections.

 

T1 Terry 



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T1 Terry


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Here is an add you just have to wonder about. These people are good sellers on Evil Bay and I've dealt with them before with no problems so I'm not having a go at the seller as such, just the listing. The price at slightly under $1 per watt is not bad.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/200W-12V-Folding-Solar-Panel-Adjustable-Portable-Caravan-Boat-Camping-Battery-AU/391787327325

First off the size of the panel folded up is listed as 60cm, yet marked on the photo as 30cm, there is no weight mentioned, the nonsense about mono crystalline having superior heat tolerance compared to polycrystalline, it's actually the other way around, the claim that the MPPT controller will harvest more than the PWM controller and the PWM controller will clip the extra available current and be lost.
Look at the MPPT controller magnified in the entry pictures, it says max charge current 10 amps, the specs say the max power current 10.92 amps ...... so which controller would be doing the clipping with 10.92 amps available raw without the magic increase an MPPT controller claims it can produce (97% I believe was the claim) yet will only allow 10 amps output? To me it clearly shows a 15 amp PWM controller mounted close to the battery would outperform this MPPT controller.
You really do need to understand what (watt) you are reading so you sort the spin and straight out bull from reality

T1 Terry

__________________

You can lead a head to knowledge but you can't make it think. One day I'll know it all, but till then, I'll keep learning.

Any links to any sites or products is not an endorsement by me or do I gain any financial reward for such links 
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