Revised 50-watt potable solar power pack.

[SoulRaven]

Revised 50-watt portable solar power pack.

Renogy Starter Solar Panel Kit 50W Poly: Solar Panel UL Listed Charge Controller 12V off grid Solar Kit Portable Panel is mounted to plywood; plywood is mounted to Harbor Frt adjustable mounting bracket, which is mounted to a 6-gallon milk crate.

Inside milk crate: group 24 marine sealed battery mounted in a battery tray, charge controller, dual fused cig lighter socket, 12 V 25' Extension Cord, 100 watt cig lighter inverter, USB 3.1A 15w High Output Car Charger with Heavy Duty Socket Connector

 

[janncoo]

Mr.LooRead, could that setup be combined with an existing unisolar flex panel mounted on van rooof? I have 2 unisolar 68 watt panels on my van roof but one panel is not producing any power and I need something to replace it. No more room on van roof. I have 2agm105 aH batteries so could even use a 100 watt portable panel. So frustrating! Jan

 

[SoulRaven]

My system is designed to meet my needs, which are to charge electronics, run some LED lights and fans. The panel is folded flat to save space when transported under my bed platform. It is in my truck camper during the night then placed out in the sun while my truck and myself are in the shade during the day, then stowed back under the bed platform just before sunset. As the sun moves in the sky every 3 hours or so I reposition it to get maximum effect.

It should do fine in light rain depending on where I mount the charge controller and dual outlet socket inside the milk crate.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

For a 1 volt drop on a 25' 12 volt extension cord, you will need AWG 12 wire. If you can only tolerate a 1% drop, you will need 50 feet of AWG 4 ($$$). Might be cheaper to mount the inverter to the milk crate and use a 120 volt extension cord (much cheaper, could use lamp cord for 8 amps and readily available). Best practice is to keep low voltages as close to the source a possible and to transport current longer distances with as high a voltage as you practically can.

http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/#

A simple cover over the milk crate will protect from a light rain in calm conditions, but you will have to see if you get enough output from the panel to justify the hassle of getting stuff wet.

-- Spiff

 

[SoulRaven]

The 25’ cord I was going to buy is 16 guage and it will be used only during daylight hours to power a net book with a DC adapter and possibly a usb mini fan The adapter is marked input 11-15v 4a max output 19v 1.58a continuous. During the hours of darkness devices will operate on a six food cord(s). I have an old 2 prong 25” 110v extension cord that I could mount cigar lighter ends.

For everything else I was going to charge my cell phone, bluetooth devices, and aa/aaa batteries right from the cigar socket in the milk crate.

The solar panel is bigger than the opening of the milk crate an even at an angle should shelter the electronics.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

You will be close to 11.5 volts at the end of 25' (16 gauge), depending on how efficient your connections are. It is probably easiest to do it and see if it works. Worst that can happen is you have to buy a bigger extension cord.

Oh, and get good ciggy lighter plugs. Some of the cheap ones have add more voltage drop.

-- Spiff

 

[akrvbob]

Loo, with your minimal needs I think you have a very good plan!

However, spaceman Spiff is right 12 gauge is the minimum wire you want to use. We are assuming you are leaving the battery in the van and are using the solar panel to charge the battery. Is that true?

If that's your plan, then use heavier wire or it will be a choke point and you won't get your battery charged.

An option to consider is a two-wheel hand-truck and mount the battery to it and wheel it out to the panel. But, you will have to lift the battery in and out every day. That will get old!

Another option is to use a 12 gauge outdoor 110 volt extension cord. Get a junk second cord and cut the ends off. Wire one end to your battery and one end to the charge controller being sure the same color wire is positive and negative on both ends. That is tough wire and makes it very easy to connect and disconnect.
Bob

 

[SoulRaven]

The battery is in the milk crate this way it's not limited to just using in one vehicle. It's truly portable.

I am 6'2" and 280 pounds so lifting 50-60 pounds is no big deal.

I am using 4 gauge 18 inch from controller to battery.

 

[TucsonAZ]

All sounds fine to me, the only thing I would adjust is never doing a 25' low voltage DC run with tiny wire and avoiding cigarette lighter connections. I like pigtails more, I have one hooked up to a power supply that has the feeling of a milking cow to it. I plug in fans, my class-t audio amp, lights, 4 port USB charging hub, everything and anything to it. I currently run that off a 120v to 12v wall wart as my battery bank is 24v but will be adding a 12v battery soon as I just bought a charger for the one I've been lugging around. Anyway, I would hardwire that inverter for sure and get a marine breaker on it.