gothicsurf
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- Jul 3, 2020
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In the works is a simple 200W solar auxiliary battery system housed in a Toyota pickup with a camper shell.
To supplement power from the panels, I would like to have the alternator help top off the batteries whenever driving, and in that case I believe simple AGM/SLA are the only option without a DC-DC charger.
What I would like to know is what size battery I need to adequately handle the charge current from the alternator (60-70A). What I had planned for were 2 35Ah SLA batteries from Home Depot connected in parallel. Would 60-70A cause them to overheat? 60-70A is way more than the ideal 15A from a 200W MPPT solar array. Maybe a single 120 or 200 Ah would be better and stay cooler?
I plan on using a 200A circuit breaker (maybe 100A would work, but have read they pop at lower than spec), and would like to know the adequate gauge I can use with a 60-70A current; would 2 or even 4ga be fine? The circuit breaker being so large, would it adequately protect against a short?
To supplement power from the panels, I would like to have the alternator help top off the batteries whenever driving, and in that case I believe simple AGM/SLA are the only option without a DC-DC charger.
What I would like to know is what size battery I need to adequately handle the charge current from the alternator (60-70A). What I had planned for were 2 35Ah SLA batteries from Home Depot connected in parallel. Would 60-70A cause them to overheat? 60-70A is way more than the ideal 15A from a 200W MPPT solar array. Maybe a single 120 or 200 Ah would be better and stay cooler?
I plan on using a 200A circuit breaker (maybe 100A would work, but have read they pop at lower than spec), and would like to know the adequate gauge I can use with a 60-70A current; would 2 or even 4ga be fine? The circuit breaker being so large, would it adequately protect against a short?