SOLAR PANELS AND CHARGERS

[The other Sean]

Also, now that I think of it. Many vehicle's alternators put out little to no charge at idle. You need to have the engine spinning above an idle to charge. So, unless you plan to drive, the starting the engine to recharge thing may or may not work as simply as you think.

 

[Flipper]

When you buy your panel get a monocrystalline which is the most efficient, Morningstar make great controllers, they make different amperages for you needs, you might want to go up a size so it gives you the option to expand with more panels. Do not waste your time with small trickle charge panels unless you have weeks to charge your batteries. To figure out your amps divide the watts of the panel by the volts, so a 125 watt panel divided by 12 volts would be around a 10 amp charge. Now for the batteries, they are rated in amp hours usually in minutes which is rated at a 25 amp draw. So if you had a 1 amp hour battery it would run for 60 minutes drawing 25 amps, if it was drawing 12 1/2 amps it would run 2 hours.. 6 amps 3 hours. Now for charging it would be the inverse so if had a 6 amp panel it would take 3 hours to charge, 12 amps ..2 hours and so on. The controller will regulate the charge so these are ballpark numbers. Look at it as time .... taking time out and putting time in. Just remember the same time that you are charging your battery you are going to be drawing on the battery if you are going to be running your fridg and other accessories.

 

[Mike W]

Been researching this. I have a dual battery setup (Traxide) which supports reverse charging. So I will put a controller on my aux battery and let it charge the starting batt, while the aux does the hard work for the fridge and lights.

Currently looking at.
Victron BlueSolar 75/15 MPPT Charge Controller - 15 Amps / 75 Volts
Victron VE.Direct Bluetooth Dongle (so you can use the phone app to watch the charge rate/state/etc)
Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Panel

I would most likely make a mount that allows me to put it on the front part of my roof rack that can be easily removed for ground use. The front part of the rack will work great and be in front of my roof cases and act as a wind faring at the same time.

 

[Cros]

I have the renogy 100w briefcase. Could you get the same amount of charge at a better price? Yes.

More conveniently? No.


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[FreeRangeRedneck]

I have a 100w renogy panel on my trucks roof rack powering my aux battery which powers my fridge and accessorys.

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Nice love this battery setup

 

[ArkansasDon]

my 1st build (2 yrs ago) I went with all Renogy. 2 100watt portable suit case panels, 15ft 10 awg cable, 5 ft. 10awg cable branch connector to run both panel parallel which increases the amps but the voltage stays the same. 30amp Renogy Charge Controller w\ battery temperature sensor that supplies power to 125ah VMax Tank AGM battery. I have more than enough power to run all my 12v. gear & equipment w\ a full reserve for night time hours. What I like about my set up is I can run both panels or use one panel for less 12v. gear.
My current project offroad Runaway Range Runner 4th pic I'll be using the same exact set up, it's reliable.

 

[Jim SoG]

I went old fashion, I hooked up an old generator to a stationary bike, then I got some flowers and an empty box of candy hanging from a stick, if the wife tires out before my 7 batteries are charged I got a small cat o nine tails!

LOL Hope she don't ever read that or I am toast boys!

Seriously I got a fixed 100w panel (richsolar) for 90 bucks and love it...

Of not there is a guy on you tube who does a great job of explaining and comparing solar stuff, might want to check it out:

Jim

 

[grubworm]

I went old fashion, I hooked up an old generator to a stationary bike, then I got some flowers and an empty box of candy hanging from a stick, if the wife tires out before my 7 batteries are charged I got a small cat o nine tails!

The cat-of-nine-tails would have been my FIRST option... :)

I recently set up my overland trailer with (2) 100 watt Renogy panels and their MPPT controller. I bought a Harbor Freight tongue box and added marine grade vents to it and a HF 2000w inverter. I mounted the panels on top of the Rhino rack rails so they are about an inch off the roof and still under the Rhino rack bars so I can still use the rack system with no problems. The set up works great and I charge a lead acid battery with it but will upgrade to a 200 amp hour glass mat battery. I ran a 120 vac shop fan off the inverter and watched my charge controller...the 200 watts solar almost ran the fan without needing to draw from the battery. The inverter easily runs a blow dryer and power tools. Not too bad for a few hundred bucks.