Battery

[DLTooley]

That has been mathematically proven to be the least efficient way of obtaining refrigeration.

Taking water down to freezing temps takes more energy than maintaining a safe refrigerator temperature.

Not sure what you are saying.  I am using my 12v as a freezer and the cooler as a refrigerator.  As I only run the freezer when the sun is shining I require little battery.  It is not ideal, but it works well, especially with smaller quantities of food.

 

[DLTooley]

Cycling more shallow, say only 20% DoD results in well over a thousand cycles, more deeply maybe only 300.

I, roughly, designed my system for a daily 20% discharge.  Going to 50% or maybe a tad lower during cloudy weather occasionally has minimal impact, on average.

 

[John61CT]

Great strategy, but

you're likely paying a little more per actual AH used over the years, and

you're carting around like double the weight needed, which depending on your vehicle, may have an impact on suspension brakes tires wear & tear, mpg etc

Not saying it isn't a worthwhile trade off, just putting it out there as useful information.

 

[DLTooley]

Great strategy,  but

you're likely paying a little more per actual AH used over the years, and

you're carting around like double the weight needed, which depending on your vehicle, may have an impact on suspension brakes tires wear & tear,  mpg etc

Not saying it isn't a worthwhile trade off,  just putting it out there as useful information.

I run my heaviest loads after the Absorption stage, so they see very little of the battery.  Hopefully!

 

[John61CT]

Is it possible to get a decent one for around $400.? It would be for one person, so does not have to be too big. Does it use much battery power running 24 hours a day?

Not sure if you saw this from the other thread

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N2XDCGU

Usage will be low, about 200W panel should be fine, less in bright conditions.

 

[akrvbob]

I think that battery is a very good choice for you. It's pretty likely you are going to kill your first battery so buying the cheapest one you can is a smart way to go. Learn on this one and then plan on doing better on your next one.

It would be cheaper to get a flooded battery, but be honest with yourself and if you won't keep it filled with water then get the AGM.

It's hard to get an accurate reading off of batteries of their true state of charge. Your best bet is to put a voltmeter on it first thing every morning before the sun hits the panel. That is a fairly accurate reading of the state of charge. Ideally, you never want it to go below 12.2 then, and higher is better. If it regularly goes below 12.2 then you are killing your battery and you need to use less electricity or expect to be buying a new battery soon or both.

A 100-watt panel is unlikely to be able to keep a 12-volt compressor fridge charged. Expect to replace the battery fairly soon.