HAVE SOLAR GENERATOR AND PANELS BUT NEED ADVICE

[XFILE36]

Most panels have a sticker on back that lists the volts and amps.  The attachment is for a 50 watt Renogy panel, and it shows that that panel should be putting out a little less than 3 amps.  So if your 50 watt panels are similar, the two of them should be putting somewhere between 5.5 and 6 amps into your controller.  The specs on your controller says it can handle 15 amps, so you could probably add 3 more identical 50 watt panels, or one more bigger - 100 watt ~ 150 watt panel - ok .

Optimistic Paranoid,  Very cool, thank you for not being condescending.   :heart:

 

[John61CT]

haven't seen a hot water bottle in about 40 something years, so yes really...

Not that the question is "dumb", no such thing, just poor form to ask us questions easily googled.

And never thought anything was about for a house?

 

[John61CT]

Aha, yes google "House battery" vs "Starter" and read a while, you'll learn heaps. Also add "combine" and then "isolate".

Time well invested

 

[XFILE36]

Single burner propane stoves can be bought new for under $20 and will free up power from your battery to do things that can't be done with propane. I find them regularly at yard sales/flea markets for $5.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Single-Burner-Propane-Camp-Stove/34954742

"House battery" is referring to a second battery for a vehicle, separate from the battery that comes with the vehicle that is used for starting the engine and running all the auxiliary equipment.

Guy

gsfish,  thanks~  I learn something new every day here.

 

[XFILE36]

OK, watts is volts X amps so amps is watts/volts.  48watts / 12 volts is 4 amps.  So the blanket will use 4 amp hours every hour you run it.  So if you run it for 8 hours, you'll need 48 amp hours, and your battery pack only holds 50 amp hours.

OP, I followed you until the 4 amp hours being used for 8 hours.  Wouldn't it be 4 x 8=32?

 

[XFILE36]

https://www.thesodacanstove.com/alcohol-stove/how-to-build.html

bardo,  thanks!  I've seen these on youtube.  I didn't know you had to use denatured alcohol though. TY

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

OP, I followed you until the 4 amp hours being used for 8 hours.  Wouldn't it be 4 x 8=32?

You're right.  I long ago forgot everything I learned in calculus class, and now I'm losing my ability to do simple multiplication . . .

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

BTW, the one good thing about this - to my mind - overpriced "generator" is that it has lithium batteries.  With regular flooded lead acid or AGM batteries, you're not supposed to deplete them more than 50%, which means that a 50 amp hour battery only has about 25 USABLE amp hours available.  With Lithium batteries you can safely take them much lower, so you should have at least 40 to 45 usable amp hours here.

 

[XFILE36]

Single burner propane stoves can be bought new for under $20 and will free up power from your battery to do things that can't be done with propane. I find them regularly at yard sales/flea markets for $5.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Single-Burner-Propane-Camp-Stove/34954742

"House battery" is referring to a second battery for a vehicle, separate from the battery that comes with the vehicle that is used for starting the engine and running all the auxiliary equipment.

Guy

gsfish,
LOL, RE: house battery.  $20 is affordable.  Thanks!

 

[XFILE36]

BTW, the one good thing about this - to my mind - overpriced "generator" is that it has lithium batteries.  With regular flooded lead acid or AGM batteries, you're not supposed to deplete them more than 50%, which means that a 50 amp hour battery only has about 25 USABLE amp hours available.  With Lithium batteries you can safely take them much lower, so you should have at least 40 to 45 usable amp hours here.

OptimisticP,
I am discovering here that I way over paid and that you're right, it's not a generator Oh well.  That's good to know about the difference in batteries and depletion.  That is again something new I've learned here.  I was planning on buying gel batteries later.  What is the depletion percentage factor with them?

 

[XFILE36]

You're right.  I long ago forgot everything I learned in calculus class, and now I'm losing my ability to do simple multiplication . . .

LOL  

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

OptimisticP,
I am discovering here that I way over paid and that you're right, it's not a generator Oh well.  That's good to know about the difference in batteries and depletion.  That is again something new I've learned here.  I was planning on buying gel batteries later.  What is the depletion percentage factor with them?

I don't know much about Gel batteries.  I think they were invented before AGMs, and now AGMs are rapidly replacing them for most applications.  Gel batteries are VERY sensitive to being recharged correctly and can be permanently damaged if it's not done right.  See:

https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/articles/battery-articles/gel-vs-agm.html

 

[John61CT]

All lead-based banks other than Odyssey AGM and Firefly Oasis should go below 50% discharge as little as possible for longevity.

But for all but Firefly, getting back to full 100% asap and often is just as critical.

Another huge advantage of lithium is it's happy to not be full, as long as you never flatten it all the way down

 

[XFILE36]

All lead-based banks other than Odyssey AGM and Firefly Oasis should go below 50% discharge as little as possible for longevity.

But for all but Firefly, getting back to full 100% asap and often is just as critical.

Another huge advantage of lithium is it's happy to not be full, as long as you never flatten it all the way down

John, why would one want lead-based then when they need maintenance and you only get 50% of their power (AGM too?) ?  Do you know anything about Gel and depletion?  I looked last night but didn't find info.  I am here for shortcuts from experienced people.

 

[XFILE36]

So 150 watts / 12 volts = 12.5 amps.  Run it for an hour and you've used 12.5 amp hours.  Run it for 4 hours and you've used up all 50 amp hours of your battery packs capacity.

Except the specs on your so called generator - it's not a generator, it's a battery pack - say the 12 volt port max capacity is 10 amps.  So you'll blow the fuse.  You could probably get by for a while by putting a 15 amp fuse in place of the 10 amp one, but I would expect the socket to run hot and eventually melt. 

If you positively, absolutely have to use this pan, I would cut the ciggy plug off of it, put a couple of battery clamps on instead, pop the hood and connect it to the car battery direct and have the car running while you are cooking.  That way you are powering it with the car's alternator.

OP, Are you talking about full sized copper clamps from a jumper cable?  The wire on the pan is thin gauge, so would that still work with what you suggest?

 

[XFILE36]

So 150 watts / 12 volts = 12.5 amps.  Run it for an hour and you've used 12.5 amp hours.  Run it for 4 hours and you've used up all 50 amp hours of your battery packs capacity.

Except the specs on your so called generator - it's not a generator, it's a battery pack - say the 12 volt port max capacity is 10 amps.  So you'll blow the fuse.  You could probably get by for a while by putting a 15 amp fuse in place of the 10 amp one, but I would expect the socket to run hot and eventually melt. 

If you positively, absolutely have to use this pan, I would cut the ciggy plug off of it, put a couple of battery clamps on instead, pop the hood and connect it to the car battery direct and have the car running while you are cooking.  That way you are powering it with the car's alternator.

OP, Would a 10 Amp fuse be better to use in the pan then?

 

[John61CT]

John, why would one want lead-based then when they need maintenance and you only get 50% of their power (AGM too?) ?  Do you know anything about Gel and depletion?  I looked last night but didn't find info.  I am here for shortcuts from experienced people.

Lead acid includes AGM and Gel as well as FLA, read my post again with that in mind.

LiFePO4 overcomes those limitations better than Firefly, but $$$$ and less familiar, riskier.

FLA is the way to go for value, esp Sam's Club GC2s.

Ability to closely monitor with a cheap hydrometer is fantastic, adding water NBD, can automate.

Sealed (AGM better than Gel) only worth the extra costs if you need to mount sideways.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

John, why would one want lead-based then when they need maintenance and you only get 50% of their power (AGM too?) ?  Do you know anything about Gel and depletion?  I looked last night but didn't find info.  I am here for shortcuts from experienced people.

It turns out that Trojan - who makes VERY good, although not inexpensive batteries - makes Gel cell batteries as well as AGM and FLA (Flooded Lead Acid).

You can compare cycle life charts from Trojan on these two pages.  Looks to me like AGM and Gel are pretty similar.  In other words, Gel offers no particular advantage over AGM.

http://www.trojanbattery.com/products/deep-cycle-gel-2/


http://www.trojanbattery.com/reliantagm/

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

OP, Are you talking about full sized copper clamps from a jumper cable?  The wire on the pan is thin gauge, so would that still work with what you suggest?

No, I was thinking of smaller clips like these:

https://www.amazon.com/Forney-54727...id=1492966574&sr=8-16&keywords=battery+clamps

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

OP, Would a 10 Amp fuse be better to use in the pan then?

Turned up to max, the pan will try to draw more than 10 amps.  That's just the way it's designed.

Is there any kind of Low - Med - Hi setting ?  Or maybe a dial with numbers on it?

If so, you might be OK with a 10 amp fuse if you limit yourself to the lower settings.  You'd have to try it and see if the 10 amp fuse blows or not . . .