Need input completing my Solar

[Matlock]

I live in Ohio. It will be my home base and for the first year or so the place I'll spend most of my time. We have deciduous trees and the leaves stick to anything flat. Getting up on-top of my Van to clean solar panels isn't going to happen. It's 9' tall.
To my thinking the key word to DIY mobile electric is expandable. Start small, allow for growth in your design/build and buy with that in mind.  Understand why you did what. I'm gonna try an get this right the second time.

Whatever else I buy, if at all possible, it should be compatible with the items (below) I purchased last year before I found this site and realized I have options.  

*PD 9245C (45 Amp) converter/charger w/ charge wizard.
*Trimetric 2025RV battery monitor
*Blue Sea 4 position battery switch
*Blue Sea 5025 ST blade fuse block, 12 circuits w/negative bus bar
*I'll use shore power or a Honda 2000 for most 120V AC.

Initially I'd want a 200 watt panel that I can use as a portable. Two 100 watt ones would work but more wiring to connect and manhandle for portability. Roof mount is not an option for the first go-around. Also, I do not see a future where I'll need more than 400 Watts total on this Van.

I want AGM 6V 220AH deep cycle pair. I understand the value of 6V -225AH GC batteries but I like the AGM even at a higher cost.  I need to keep them inside and just can't get my head around off gassing during charge (even though I know many folks do that). I believe I have a source for a couple used AGM's for starters and if I can get a few months of use out of them I'm good with that.
If I must have an inverter I want it to be as small as I can get away with. 250W - 400W. (Laptop/Monitor unless I can locate a 12V DC power adapter for both items).

Fantastic fan, 2.59A 4 Hr/Day
Floor fan, .85A    8 hr
Whynter, 4.5A    24 hr/ freezer/frig Unknown cycles-hrs
LED lights, 45 Watt 8 hr
12V TV, 3.0A  3 hrs
Monitor, 25 Watt 6 hrs
Laptop, 1 .5 A     6 hrs
Phone, .2 A
MiFi, .2 A

What am I missing?

 

[GotSmart]

Get a short ladder and one of these.  

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unger-14...ueegee-Scrubber-961870/100532482?N=5yc1vZcb4p

You can find inexpensive inverters at places such as Flying J.

http://www.pilotflyingj.com/assets/files/Pilot_July_August_Circular_LR.pdf

 

[jimindenver]

Are you any where near North Lawrence? You might call this person, they have 230w polys and 245w mono's. I have made portables out of both those wattage's. I preferred the 230w poly for it's cloudy abilities. 

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/fod/4990296309.html

To know is panel like that are all roughly 40"x64" and weigh 40-50 lbs. They require a MPPT controller, this is the least expensive one i know of that really functions. I've used them for 3 years. http://www.eco-worthy.com/catalog/worthy-mppt-solar-charge-controller-12v24v-p-182.html

I got a 100 ft MC4 10 AWG solar cable from ebay for $50 and cut it in half to go between the panel and the controller. What you run between the controller and battery depends on distance but I had no issues using clamps for ease of set up. I used a set of pine slates and C-clamps as legs to keep it simple.

On a long summer day that set up is good for around 200 Ah's a day.

 

[Matlock]

Jim,
That panel guy is about 90 min. away from me. I called and he works with an importer and has 100's to sell. It's an option.
The downside for me is manhandling that much weight (53lbs) for "portable" set-up. I could get one and eventually two on my roof but that still takes me back to keeping the darn things cleaned off while I'm stuck here in the north with all these trees.

 

[Bela's Mom]

100 watt panels only weigh about 16 lbs.  I think Jim was saying that the 230 and 245 panels weigh 50 or more lbs.

Yes, trying to manhandle larger panels in a portable set-up would get old for me!  Two 100 watt panels sound like they might work for you.

 

[akrvbob]

It wouldn't be cost efficient, but for a portable setup the ultimate in easy is the flexible panels at 4 pounds each for 100 watts and then they's be super easy to store in the van. Wire them in series for a higher voltage and then you could use a smaller wire to run them far away from the van.

They come with grommets so you could even hang them off the side of the van.
Bob

 

[Matlock]

"But it's going to be so simple you will probably ignore it and focus on all the confusing ones.

Go buy: 200 watts, two golf carts , 30 amp mppt controller, 400 watt inverter. That will meet all your needs. If you want your battery to last a little longer but have less overnight storage, just get a single 110 ah 12 volt battery. It's a trade-off you have to decide on based on your priorities.

As for quality, you have to decide if you want to buy:

1) The cheapest, no-name Chinese stuff and save a few dollars and throw it away when it breaks.
2) Renogy which to my mind is the sweet spot of quality versus price.
3) Highest quality brand-name components which will be better, have more features and maybe last a little longer. If you chose this one, I'd get Kyocera panels, Blue Sky controller and Trojan batteries.", Quote from Bob from another thread..........

OK, I get it. Finally, before I over-think this whole process again.......I'm mounting 2 panels on the roof and buying an extendable ladder to keep them clean. And two golf carts.... Batteries that is......Thank you all.

 

[Seraphim]

Good choice, I think.

That, at a quick mental guess, is about 183 amp hours a day. One thing I've learned recently, is it matters when you are using the most power. If during the day, when the panels cn chrge and power devices simultaneously, the battery will lose less charge.

If most of your power consumption is going to be at night, you're going to drain your batteries unless you have a large capacity - say twice the capacity as you use on a daily basis.

For an example: if your panels stop charging at 8 pm, and start again at 8 am, your fridge is going to use an estimated 54 amps of power. If you only have one 105 AH battery, you've already drained it below the 50% level. In Ohio, where I live, it might take a 200 watt system all day to charge that back to 100%. On Some days, it won't do even that, if it's cloudy or rainy. On a bright sunny day, I'd guess you might get 10 amps an hour during the brightest part of the day - probably about 5 hours worth. If it's a rainy day, you haven't a chance.

My first suggestion would be to reconsider your power usage.

 

[Seraphim]

Just for comparison purposes: we have a 400 watt system, 200AH storage, and use about 25-30 amps a day. Our base draw is .8 amps an hour: that handles all the sensors and running the propane fridge. Overnight, the batteries drop to about 93%. They're recharged, on an average Ohio day, in less than 3 hours - by about 10am this time of year. The batteries ask for about 4 to 5 amps an hour. At its BEST, my system should be capable of delivering 20, realistically. I've never seen it need to provide more than 11.

During the day, I can recharge cameras, phones, iPads from the 12v power points I installed. At most, they pull an additional 2 AH and don't interfere with charging. This is on an average lit day: slightly overcast.

Last week we were down to 94% one morning, and there was a light rain. The panels provided a bit of amperage, but that was used by me recharging. That night, the batteries were still at 94%, and next morning the batteries were down to 89%. It was a sunny day, so the batteries were up at %100 in a couple of hours. But if we'd had 3 more days of rain, our batteries may have dropped near the 50% mark.

Sorry to be wordy, but hopefully this gives you an idea of how much usage you can get from your system.

 

[Seraphim]

It should also make you wary of rainy days, especially several in a row. If you're going to use 183 amps a day, I think you'd need about 400ah storage, and that's not enough to handle the rainy days, I'd think.

Just my opinions...

 

[Matlock]

Good choice, I think.  

That, at a quick mental guess, is about 183 amp hours a day. One thing I've learned recently, is it matters when you are using the most power.  If during the day, when the panels cn chrge and power devices simultaneously, the battery will lose less charge.

If most of your power consumption is going to be at night, you're going to drain your batteries unless you have a large capacity - say twice the capacity as you use on a daily basis.

For an example:  if your panels stop charging at 8 pm, and start again at 8 am, your fridge is going to use an estimated 54 amps of power. If you only have one 105 AH battery,  you've already drained it below the 50% level. In Ohio, where I live, it might take a 200 watt system all day to charge that back to 100%. On Some days, it won't do even that, if it's cloudy or rainy. On a bright sunny day, I'd guess you might get 10 amps an hour during the brightest part of the day - probably about 5 hours worth. If it's a rainy day, you haven't a chance.

My first suggestion would be to reconsider your power usage.

Good info, your last sentence makes all the difference. When I use what and for how long is indeed the key to a limited system.
The Whynter Frig is the only item that I can't unplug to save AH's.

 

[akrvbob]

I run my Whytner fridge off 200 watts and never have a problem. In the winter it doesn't run more than 3 hours a day and often much less. In the summer I force it to come on first thing in the morning, then again in late afternoon/evening while there is still decent sun. That way it rarely comes on at night and if it does it's not long. I have a pair of golf carts and it is plenty for it.
Bob

 

[Matlock]

I run my Whytner fridge off 200 watts and never have a problem.  In the winter it doesn't run more than 3 hours a day and often much less. In the summer I force it to come on first thing in the morning, then again in late afternoon/evening while there is still decent sun. That way it rarely comes on at night and if it does it's not long. I have a pair of golf carts and it is plenty for it.
Bob

Bob I thought I read that your Refrig is in an insulated box you made. I haven't designed/built where I'll keep mine so I'm interested in duplicating what you have. Any suggestions?

 

[akrvbob]

It's not in a box, I just added extra insulation around it. I used 1 inch Polyiso on the walls (Held on by a uingee cord) and under it and I put blankets and pillows on top. Be very careful to not interfere with airflow from the compressor--that will kill it. MAKE SURE IT HAS PLENTY OF VENTILATION--MORE THAN YOU THINK IT NEEDS!!
Bob

 

[mariasman]

In the summer I force it to come on first thing in the morning, then again in late afternoon/evening while there is still decent sun. That way it rarely comes on at night and if it does it's not long.

Good example of opportunity loading.

I've seen many examples of opportunity loading involving fridges. It works well since a fridge/freezer really is a battery itself (of the thermal kind), so there's really no need to rely on the battery to power it (except during inclement weather and for voltage regulation). A well insulated freezer with a good thermal mass inside can be operated on a timer so it runs only when the solar array is likely to be generating (a good idea is to put thermostat on lowest setting).