How does this set-up look?

[Troutbum]

I have spent alot of time studying this stuff but it's a bit daunting and really expensive so looking for a second or third opinion before I order it all.
I need to run an Iceco 50L compressor fridge that Bob is touting seems to be a common size like the Dometics etc, occasionally a Maxair fan and on cold nights the small fan in the Propex furnace. That's about it really I don't use alot of other power.      If the set-up is marginal and a couple times a year I run out of juice with a string of cloudy days etc it's not the end of the world.

Looking at using one large 300w ???solar panel vs. 2 or 3 100w panels for a clean install with less holes in roof like this:
https://www.solar-electric.com/lg-lg335n1c-v5-monocrystalline-solar-panel.html

The actual panel size and brand is the biggest question I don't have a clue who makes a good panel or what size is best..

For battery I can get 2 75ma deep cycle boat batteries for under $200. total but big, heavy and only last a couple years. Also looking at the Renogy 100ah lithium. Pretty pricey but supposed to outlast them by a long shot. Is the 100Ma lithium big enough or would I need the 170ma size Renogy?

For simplicity of wiring I would like one of the new all-in-one dc to dc chargers that handle both the solar and the alternator duties (eliminates the solenoid etc) and like the Renogy unit for it's relative simplicity......

https://www.renogy.com/dcc50s-12v-50a-dc-dc-on-board-battery-charger-with-mppt/


But the Victron seems to be a fav of many also....

https://www.invertersupply.com/inde...MIl8G6qaPF5QIVDdbACh07ZQmEEAQYAiABEgL_BfD_BwE

Will probably have lots more questions but need to get the main parts ordered and take it one step at time.

Thanks any help appreciated.

 

[B and C]

For any real advice, you need to supply what each device draws and how long they will be drawing it so battery size can be determined.

I hope the batteries you are looking at are 75 (Ah) amp hour batteries and not 75 (Ma) milliamp hour batteries.

I have never heard anyone say they wish they had bought less solar panel capacity. The most you can fit on your roof. Your electrical needs will expand with time.

I have no experience with any of the devices you are looking at. I have 350 Ah AGM batteries, 400 watts of solar and use a midnight kid for solar, alternator charging is via a isolating diode array and a Progressive Dynamics shore power (and generator) charger. You can never have too many charging sources. I only draw my batteries down about 20% usually so they will last longer and give me at little over a day of reserve.

 

[Mrcap]

I’ve looked at this new charge controller from Renogy and it is super versatile.

As a rule you will need about 50-60% of what you would with lead acid battery compared to lithium. If you needed 400ah to run your rig with lead acid batteries you would get about the same usable power from 200ah lithium.

Investing in lead acid batteries is great if you need to get by budget-wise but a poor investment in the long run. I’m expecting 10,000 cycles out of my lithium battery setup. If you can swing the Renogy lithium or a Battleborn you can expect a lower cost over time. I believe the Renogy comes with a 7 year warranty and the Battleborn is 10 years.

As far as how much capacity you need, many people say that a minimum to run a fridge is 200 watts. Without knowing the specifics about your appliances I would guess you would do fine with the 300 watt panel and The 170ah battery and might be okay with smaller battery if you were always in the desert with great sun.

I hope this info is helpful on your quest for the right set up. If you want to get into any specifics and need more help feel free to pm me.

Best of luck with your build!






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[Qxxx]

Looking at using one large 300w ???solar panel vs. 2 or 3 100w panels for a clean install with less holes in roof like this:
https://www.solar-electric.com/lg-lg335n1c-v5-monocrystalline-solar-panel.html
...........
For simplicity of wiring I would like one of the new all-in-one dc to dc chargers that handle both the solar and the alternator duties (eliminates the solenoid etc) and like the Renogy unit for it's relative simplicity......

https://www.renogy.com/dcc50s-12v-50a-dc-dc-on-board-battery-charger-with-mppt/

Maybe I'm missing something here, but those 335W solar panels indicate "[font=Roboto,]Voc: 41.0 Volts" while that charge controller says "[size=small][font=Biryani, sans-serif]Max. Solar Input Voltage : 25V". ????[/font][/font][/size]

 

[Troutbum]

Wow that's a good catch on the voltage compatibility really appreciate the help from everybody. That would have been a big problem and loss of $.

As far as using the online calculators to size the components there is a ton of grey area and fudge factoring. Like the fridge uses between .75 to4 amps? 4a must be start load? Then it only runs part of the time but how many hours per day? And then van temps fluctuate wildly with ambient temps. And Bob says to crank down the fridge temps before dark and turn it off all night to conserve battery.

The other main item being the propane furnace uses 1.9amps when it's on so that may be a bigger factor than I thought even though I would only use it for night time.