Would this work as a “battery” with a 20-watt solar panel with charge controller?

[SoulRaven]

Power consumption is just cell phone, netbook, .8 amp fan, and 12v electric blanket that uses 4amps (45 watts) for about 1.5 hours per night (for just maybe one night per week average).

http://www.wagan.com/index.php/products/power-supplies/power-domes/2354-power-dome-400w.html

 

[highdesertranger]

well the panel should charge the battery. but if you use everything everyday you will be on the edge all the time. you should only use 9 a/h out of that battery and that electric blanket will use more than half of that 9a/h. if it was me I would get a bigger battery and solar panel and forget that all in one thingy. highdesertranger

 

[Starlight]

I thought this was a great system. I haven't checked on the price. I read the instructions from the link on your page. It all looked good except for the charging times. To recharge by AC, maximum charge time is 35 hours. To recharge by DC by car or boat -- maximum 12 hours with car running.

 

[highdesertranger]

it's only a 18 a/h battery. you should only use 9a/h at a time if you want it to last. you could pull that from your starting battery if you drove everyday. highdesertranger

 

[SoulRaven]

Ok let’s kill the electric blanket.

I feel the little buddy on pilot light with a 1lb cylinder will be enough for winter in central Florida.

And most of the time I will be in the living room (truck cab) with netbook on top of glove box door using truck battery.

Solar panel is rated at 1.3a/hr.

 

[SternWake]

These packaged inverter/ battery all in one combos are not bad, but I believe none of the individual components is of high quality and will withstand constant use. The inverter is just a cheap MSW inverter. Not all devices like the choppy square wave. The lights, probably too difficult to get the light where needed. The compressor, has probably a 5 minute on 30 minute off duty cycle. Run it longer than 5 minutes, it overheats and never works properly again.
It becomes a noise maker that will allow your tire to lose pressure while making noise.

an 18 A/h battery is not very much. A 400 watt load will deplete it completely , if fully charged to begin with, in about 20 minutes, probably less.

400 watts / 12.4v = 32.26 amps

http://www.amazon.com/18AH-Sealed-Lead-Acid-Battery/dp/B005J511O0

You cannot expect 1.3 amps all day long from that panel. Perhaps an hour or 2 around noon, and likely not through the windshield.

Recharging laptops is better accomplished through a DC to DC car adapter. The laptop provided power brick takes 115Vac and turns it into ~19v DC, at about 85% efficiency. Using an inverter to power this power brick, another 15% is lost. If the netbook is charged through a USB plug, then the worst possible option is using an inverter to power a USB power supply.

http://www.amazon.com/Dual-USB-Char...d=1398663843&sr=1-14&keywords=usb+car+charger

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...8&qid=1398663890&sr=1-1&keywords=blue+sea+USB

Plug your laptop make and model into Amazon electronics, and add "car adapter". Mine was 22$. is 3 years old now. powering this laptop as I type. PWR+ brand. Only issue is the ciggy plugs wear out from overheating, passing 7 amps for hours on end.

I have many many fans. 120mm 12v Computer muffin fans. The three I use most, together, do not consume 0.8 amps and keep my Van at or below ambient temps when I have all sunlight blocked from entering. If your proposed fan is 0.8 amps on 120vac, when powered by the inverter this will be 8 amps + 15% more for inefficiency.

Honestly, for the money spent on that all in one power cube, you could buy a bigger capacity battery and the equipment to use less of its capacity.

Another strategy could be a dedicated jumpstarter and just cycle the vehicle's battery. With the tiny solar panel plugged into charging only the vehicle's battery. If you draw it too low, use the jumpstarter and then find a grid powered charger to top up the starting battery, and the jumper pack, as the alternator is not good at topping up cycled batteries. When your starter battery fails from cycling, as it will, replace it with a Marine/ Dual purpose battery that is more tolerant of deeper discharges.

Your Idea will work. It is just not the best way to spend that money to do what you want. You are paying for convenience, and less performance for that convenience.

 

[SoulRaven]

The fan I have is a 12v 10-watt .8a and my cell phone and netbook chargers are direct DC.

My solar project is just getting too complicated and expensive.

If I go with passive intake and exhaust ventilation I will just need a 12vdc fan, netbook (1.6a), AA/AAA battery charger 12v, 6a, and the ability to charge a cell phone and Bluetooth headphones and speakers in the living area (truck cap). I could just run one simple circuit from the trucks fuse block to a dual cig lighter outlet.

I am now leaning towards a simple weatherproof 5w panel that will feed power to the truck battery via trucks cig lighter. I have in stock a three-position folding solar panel mount to place the panel on the ground with a proper sun angle.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-5002...684&sr=1-4&keywords=solar+car+battery+charger

This panel with a ten-foot cord gives me some flexibility to park the truck facing south (using my large cap door for shade) in full shade or full sun depending on outside temperature.

I also have a reflective snow cover for the outside of my windshield to keep cab temp down.

I will be moving 20+ miles every 3-4 days minimum for he truck battery to recharge.

For interior lighting I was going to buy this lantern with built in night light that will run 50 hours on low with 3 aa batteries.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018KS37I...TF8&colid=1K3NKVBML1ZZ1&coliid=I26DAKSS7SS5WA

My present truck battery is very old and in need of replacement. Many thanks to all for taking the time to reply.

 

[Zil]

you asked for advice from those that did it. the advice is that device will not satisfy. it is simply too small.

 

[minimotos95]

I am now leaning towards a simple weatherproof 5w panel that will feed power to the truck battery via trucks cig lighter. I have in stock a three-position folding solar panel mount to place the panel on the ground with a proper sun angle.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-5002...684&sr=1-4&keywords=solar+car+battery+charger

i have one of those sitting on top of my van right now keeping the starting battery maintained(i am only using it for lighting and never running the motor), they do not have charge controllers and on a bright day will put out as much as 19 volts. i use the clamps rather than the cig lighter plug for a better connection, it uses SAE power plugs in between the panel and final connection like a battery tender but positive is exposed on the vehicle side.
quality seems alright but i definitely wouldn't pay $10 plus a watt for it, i bought mine used for $20 and i felt that was a little much.
at .35a just running that fan will be running down your battery faster than the panel can resupply. you can get a computer fan that draws .2a or less for cheap to save some power.

 

[SoulRaven]

I am up to up to 7-watt / 583mA per hour and down to $39 with this model.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-5010...89&sr=1-11&keywords=solar+car+battery+charger

Another model with a direct battery connection for $22 with blocking diode

http://www.amazon.com/Competition-A...89&sr=1-14&keywords=solar+car+battery+charger

---

i have one of those sitting on top of my van right now keeping the starting battery maintained(i am only using it for lighting and never running the motor), they do not have charge controllers and on a bright day will put out as much as 19 volts. i use the clamps rather than the cig lighter plug for a better connection, it uses SAE power plugs in between the panel and final connection like a battery tender but positive is exposed on the vehicle side.
quality seems alright but i definitely wouldn't pay $10 plus a watt for it, i bought mine used for $20 and i felt that was a little much.
at .35a just running that fan will be running down your battery faster than the panel can resupply. you can get a computer fan that draws .2a or less for cheap to save some power.

Good point this way I can use trucks cig lighter. Going to buy new combo marine starting/deep cycle.

With quick connect wiring ($5)and controller($19) total cost is $45 or $6.42/watt.

 

[akrvbob]

When you replace he battery, I'd put a marine battery in it. It will start the truck just fine and be much more forgiving of accidental discharges. Get the biggest one you could fit in it, preferably a group 29 or 31.
Bob

 

[GrayWhale]

Plug your laptop make and model into Amazon electronics, and add "car adapter". Mine was 22$. is 3 years old now. powering this laptop as I type. PWR+ brand. Only issue is the ciggy plugs wear out from overheating, passing 7 amps for hours on end.

Which DC-DC 12v laptop adapter are you using? They don't have one specifically for mine. But either of these should be good right?

http://www.amazon.com/Automobile-Un...622&sr=1-2&keywords=acer+notebook+car+adapter

http://www.amazon.com/Automobile-Un...622&sr=1-2&keywords=acer+notebook+car+adapter


Thanks, and great post btw, as usual.

 

[SternWake]

The universal dc to dc laptop chargers are generally limited to 60watts. The should be able to charge a laptop in standby or hibernate. But not both power the laptop and charge a depleted laptop battery simultaneousl. On your original power brick multiply output amps times volts for the max wattage. If under 60., it should work well

 

[SoulRaven]

My DC charger says:

DC Adapter 30w

Input DC 11-15v max 4a

Output 19v 1.58a continuous

 

[SternWake]

19 x 1.58 = 30.02.

Keep in mind 30 watts is what the device is capable of asking for and is the maximum of what the power supply is rated to supply. During non energy intensive tasks, the actual draw can be considerably less.

My 90 watt adapter is drawing 24 watts as I type this.

My inverter turned on and powering nothing would require about 7 watts, and would require 40 watts to power the original AC power supply.

Been a long time since I used my inverter. For me it is the last option, but a necessary option.

 

[Zil]

Power consumption is just cell phone, netbook, .8 amp fan, and 12v electric blanket that uses 4amps (45 watts) for about 1.5 hours per night (for just maybe one night per week average).

http://www.wagan.com/index.php/products/power-supplies/power-domes/2354-power-dome-400w.html

No.