Could someone please advise if 130 watt solar panel is adequate to keep second battery charged? Just intend to run lights and small items off it. Maybe 1000watt inverter. Thanks.
Just enough . Personally I like around 250watt . But it depends on size, weight etc . Solar doesnât have to be in one unit . Another fixed panel on roof etc ? Many options .
Could someone please advise if 130 watt solar panel is adequate to keep second battery charged? Just intend to run lights and small items off it. Maybe 1000watt inverter. Thanks.
Hi Trew
Hmmm some contradiction there. Lights might be say 5-10 watts each, phone charger say 50 watts other small items ?? watts. Then you say inverter 1000 watts. Now that might be in another class. All driven by a 130 Watt panel which might actually put out only 70-90 watts depending on how it is mounted ??
The answer is to probably look at what you are going to use and add it up.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 3rd of July 2018 08:52:02 PM
Trew, Welcome to the Forum!
Your energy collection will depend on where you stay. If you stay at home & out of the rain forest, you could get at least 8 hours of sun. Where I am at the moment (Warrnambool), it is too cold for the sun to shine!!
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Warren
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Trew, Welcome to the Forum! Your energy collection will depend on where you stay. If you stay at home & out of the rain forest, you could get at least 8 hours of sun. Where I am at the moment (Warrnambool), it is too cold for the sun to shine!!
Maybe 8hr peak output as portable panels moved every 15 mins, but flat mounted down south in winter don't expect more than 2.5hrs peak sun.
This means if the panel says max output is 5 amps then 5amps x 2.5hrs = 12.5Ah you can expect from the panel. If you don't use realistic figures when you do the energy balance calculations you are only fooling yourself, no one else .... hopefully
T1 Terry
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But if your talkin 120ah as most people would have To recharge this you get PSH peak sun hours of around 5.5 hrs spring autumn and summer . Tazzy and winter excluded .
5.5 hrs production 160watt panel produces approx. 38ah in 24 hrs 200watt panel produces approx. 48ah in 24 hrs
Losses from system include controller type cable loss and panel position = 20% [included already in answer ]
50% usable ah out of battery = 60ah
Mppt function not included to variable Not including sun out side of PEAK SUN HOURS --unreliable although can happen
In reality 160watt minimum panel would be fine for light use ,no invertor Depending what your running off the invertor this will drive the need up 200-250watts
-- Edited by swamp on Tuesday 10th of July 2018 12:40:39 PM
Mike Harding had good info links & spreadsheet calculator recently - solar panel output calculator
Well worth your while having a read & do some calculations on the area you are about to visit to gain an approx. of peak sun hours etc. expected for the month you intend to be there.
David
