I've got a small solar kit, how about the batteries?

[Dhalamar]

I got the small 100W solar kit from Harbor Freight (one of those stores literally JUST opened up near me, and it's the only time I've ever seen something other than the little solar charging stick lights and whatnot on the shelves) with the 10 amp charge controller... and I'm going to get the little 35ah battery from there as well so I can have something to toy around with to get acclimated to the whole idea.

What kind of battery setup would I need to do what I would consider the basics? Mostly if I just decide to hoof it and camp somewhere or something, but also if the power goes out for either me, my parents, or both.

A list of my basics:
Basically just keeping things charged and topped off.
The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S5, tablet is a 32GB Nexus 7, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, Sony Playstation Vita. One of those "As Seen on TV" Bell+Howell Light Bars.
WalMart brand "Blackweb" 10,000mah battery pack. Anker PowerCore 10050 battery pack... though I plan on also eventually getting one of the bigger 20,000mah Anker battery packs.

Other things that I plan on getting in the future are more USB powered gadgets like lamps, fans, etc etc. I've also got more solar stuff, like a foldable 5W panel setup with a USB port that charged my phone perfectly fine, one of those little solar "porch light" kinda things and a Luci Light in the glove box of the car.

On a side note, I've also got a little 12V 175W inverter that I've kept in the car for years, and a bigger EverStart 750W inverter.


Optionally power a cheapie 720p Element 32" TV. The DVD player is neither here nor there since I've got the laptop with HDMI. But the television hardly ever gets used and hasn't even been turned on in a few months now.

I work early in the morning, so I'm usually asleep through the day. But when I am awake, I use the laptop for everyting. Gaming, movies, music, etc etc and I like to never see my phone get below around 50% battery.

I'm just on a budget and I don't quite know enough about this stuff and those bloody batteries are expensive suckers.

Thanks!

 

[lenny flank]

As a VERY rough rule of thumb, the bare minimum ratio between panel and battery is 100w of panel for every 100ah of battery. That is for a sunny summer day.

In real life, with clouds and shorter winter days, most people want at least 200w for every 100ah of battery.

 

[Trebor English]

I got a group size 24 deep cycle battery at Sam's.  It was only $80 for a 75 amp hour.  It is the biggest size that would fit in my van in the original location.  Since it is a deep cycle battery it uses water and needs to be checked regularly.

 

[frater secessus]

100w is great for keeping devices charged, but you will probably have to be rather frugal with power.  I would be surprised if you can run all the bigger items off 100w and any battery that can be kept healthy with that level of charging.   Adding alternator charging to the mix would help keep stuff healthy and give you a better chance to run the larger items.  The reason for this isn't obvious but that last link discusses it.

A battery like the one Trebor has mentioned would be a great way to see what the system is capable of.  Since you seem to be early in your solar experimentation I'll mention a gentle introduction to solar I am working on.

 

[Dhalamar]

Well, judging from my initial post, the only thing I really need it to keep charged is other batteries.

My laptop doesn't have to be plugged in (though I am a gamer, and gaming sucks that battery dry. hehe), that Light Bar doesn't require to be plugged in... and those are really the only two things that even HAVE a regular power plug. Everything else is USB.

Pretty much everything else is USB, so the only thing I'd really need to keep charged are those battery packs in the little setup I'm thinking of.

 

[jacks18614]

The 32"TV and laptop via an inverter will consume up to 100 watts or around 10 amps per hour.

 

[John61CT]

The less wealthy you are the more important to figure out what you're doing before buying anything, otherwise you're throwing money away.

Spend a few days reading past threads, as you come across terms you don't understand google or ask here, keep learning. . .

$200 for 200+AH would be the baseline starting point for the kind of usage you're talking about.

Get set up doing everything you want off those, recharging overnight from mains. Use a Watts Up to see how many AH per day you need to collect from solar, work from there.