Thread: My solar power set up

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

the noclamenture for the regulator should specify how its rated and include a graph showing its powerhandling characteristics.

my guess from that info is that its rated to 10A at 14.X V for the output side and is doing that by pulse width modulation.... it should be right but you're potentially missing 5-7 amps worth of charge rate.


when you make up the canvas bags, have them lined with a very soft clean material and zips to keep the dust out. the effect of a canvas bag scuffing the surface will quickly cost you panel amps.

aN OLD or cheap sleeping bag is ideal
Harv

On our little camper we carry a free standing 75w solar panel that operates through a suitable regulator to a free standing battery that we carry with us. When we are travelling the battery is hooked up via a grey Anderson plug to the generator in Daisy (or the alternator in the Fraud), and the solar panel is left unplugged.
When we are stationary the battery is unplugged from the car and plugged to the solar panel.
This generates enough power for us to run the Waeco fridge, lights, and sometimes through an inverter we run the computer or even a television set and charge various other smaller batteries such as phones and battery operated chain saws etc.
We also have another 75W panel that we can (and rarely do) carry but it is not fitted with a regulator. Should the need arise to use the second panel we can join it in parallel with the first one using a red Anderson plug, which is much the same animal as the grey one but not compatible with it, thus eliminating any chance of hooking up the wrong panel (with no regulator) by accident or in a senior's moment.
The system works pretty well so far although we haven't really extended it over more than a week long span.
Regards
Glen