concerned if I will have enough solar

[Crazynigel]

I recently purchased at 200 watt solar kit and a 400 watt inverter from amazon and plan on using two deep cycle golf cart batteries. I was told that this would be enough to power: 

 [font=Arial, sans-serif]Dometic CFX-28US Portable Electric Cooler Refrigerator/Freezer - 26 Liters[/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif][size=large][font=Arial, sans-serif]Maxxair 0007000K MaxxFan Deluxe Fan[/font][/font][/size]

[font=Arial, sans-serif][size=large][font=Arial, sans-serif]As well some LED lights and charge my phone and laptop.[/font][/font][/size]

[font=Arial, sans-serif][font=Arial, sans-serif]I am now under the impression that the person who I received this advice from may not have really know what they were talking about. I've been reading through these forums a lot lately and have found the advice given on many different topics very useful and was hoping someone could help me out?[/font][/font]

 

[TMG51]

First I'd just point out that you don't need an inverter to run any of those things. The inverter would just be an efficiency loss when you can instead use DC power.

But, I think your setup can work with that amount - 300 watt may be more comfortable

 

[highdesertranger]

you should be fine. I will leave it to others to point out the details but just a quick guesstiment looks good. I have a question though, with what you posted as needs why do you need an inverter? highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I have 200 W solar feeding 208 AH batteries (2 X GC2 in series).  I run an old Norcold  DE-251D upright refrigerator, MaxxFan 5100K, LED lights, WeBoost 4G-M, portable 12V fan and charge an iPhone 5S, MacBook Pro, and an InReach SE.  My refrigerator draws about 4.5 amps when running (~30% of the time in 70º - 80º inside temps).  I run the MaxxFan on 1 (low) or 2 for ~ 4 hours/day. I have a small cigarette plug, 60W inverter to charge the MacBook.  The rest charge off USB or 12V.

I have been out for about 5 months this year with only solar to charge the batteries to run this stuff.  I am seldom below 85% in the AM and this year I did not get back to 100% by the end of the day only once (dark overcast, rainy and under trees).

From my experience: if you hook your system up correctly you should be OK.

 -- Spiff

 

[GotSmart]

All you need is to set up a distribution center, and you will be good to go.

Post # 40 is where the D~Box starts  Click on the pictures to make them bigger.

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Rebuild-91-Dodge-short-van?page=4

 

[akrvbob]

You did really good, that will serve you well!

 

[SternWake]

How much do you plan on using the laptop, Hours per day?


What environment/location are you expecting that 200 watts of solar to harvest energy from?

Huge difference in Seattle as compared to desert SW.

Generally 200 watts and 230Ah of golf cart battery capacity will serve one well, but there of course can be a charging deficit, With not enough sun or time for it to return what is used and also overcome what it being used when the sun is shining.

My 200 watts is more than enough in summer, not nearly enough in winter, and I am in a sunny environment with a larger fridge and a laptop capable of consuming 90 watts, but averages about 35.

Consider the other 2 possible charging sources.  the alternator, and grid power/generator powering a converter or smartcharger.

A well wired alternator can feed high amps to depleted batteries and get them to 80% relatively quickly.  If driven for an hour in the morning the solar should easily be able to return the batteries to 100% by the end of the day if the solar controller holds 14.5v for long enough.

If one is somewhere where they can plug in, and use a battery charger , this can be very helpful to a set of batteries that has gone many many cycles without a full recharge.

The occassional full recharge is  directly related to battery life.  A lead acid battery is like a balloon that requires it be inflated to its maximum regularly.  Without it the skin gets less elastic, and crusty, and full of small pinholes, and also  harder to stretch out to the maximum when the pressure is finally there for long enough to fill it.

YOu were not steered wrong with 200 watts and 2 6v golf cart batteries, but lack of sun and heavy laptop use can easily have your batteries drawn very low, where it would take more than 2 days, without using the batteries overnight or during the day to power loads, for the solar to bring them back to 99%+ full.  You do not want to keep the batteries in the 50 to 80% charged range for weeks on end.  

So the alternator and other charging sources in such instances can help keep battery from getting overdepleted and the grid can not only give the battery a break from cycling, but allow it to reach full and restretch that balloon to nearly its original size.

If treated well one can expect 1200 deep cycles from a pair of golf cart batteries.  If treated poorly one would be lucky to get 350, and that last 100 would be noticeable something was very wrong.

350 cycles might be tolerable for some.  I feel it is important to know at least HOW to reach 1200 cycles, even if one does not want to expend the effort or time required, and to have the proper equipment and perhaps occasional access to grid power, to achieve that number.

Basically each day, get the GC batteries to 14.8v, and be able to hold them there for a few hours, will yield that 1200 deep cycles, and a higher number( perhaps significantly higher)  of shallower cycles.

Anything less, is just that, and a matter of degree

 

[Crazynigel]

Thanks everyone for all the advice, should be installing and hooking up all the solar soon, I'll let you know how it goes