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RE: Recommendations for solar charge/controller
this is all excellent advice -
One question though. Can I manually switch the controller from bank 1 to bank 2?
As I stated, I run my batteries through a marine switch - which feeds from bank 1 or bank 2 or both. I have them separated because of the age difference of the batteries and use. Bank 1 serves the RV House needs (water pump, fans, lights) and Bank 2 serves my Inverter. I currently have two separate chargers which I run off my generator to bounce them back to 80% or more.
If I have my solar setup, will I be able to focus all the amps on Bank1 until it reaches 80% and then switch it to bank 2?
If so, I can use a mechanical switch (as I have for the source of power in the trailer), but what impact will a mechanical switch have for designating the destination of the charging on the controller?
Will a sudden disconnect and reconnect from bank to bank cause a failure?
Do I need to disconnect the feed from the Panels first to the controller, then switch over, then reconnect the feed from the panels?
i know this would be a lot easier if I just had one battery bank of 420 amps. Hence, I'm asking the questions before I let the blue magic smoke out of charge controller prematurely! :)
Thanks so much!!
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jodeb720
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10/26/23 08:22am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Recommendations for solar charge/controller
My plane is to run 8 gauge wiring from the panels to tge controller and 2 or 4 gauge from tge controller to the battery. The biggest challenge is distance from the panels to the controller - I’m guessing 24’ conservatively.
We had one of the panel at a 75 degree to the sun (I’m currently in eastern San Diego county desert region. We were getting about 190 watts in the mid morning to noon sun, but tge controller was putting out about 15-18 amps to the battery bank.
It was impressive!
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jodeb720
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10/25/23 01:00am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Recommendations for solar charge/controller
since I have two battery banks (each bank is two 6v gc batts of 210 ah)
I isolate them from each other (one is my house battery bank, one feeds my inverter).
As noted above, one set of batteries is from 2014 - still going strong and the other is from last summer.
The 2014's are in good shape - but they aren't a matched set to the 2022 set.
Can I Switch between each battery bank once bank 1 is recharged to 80%?
What would I have to do in order to make that kind of switch? disconnect the PV panel feed, then switch from bank 1 to bank 2 - removing the load?
In a perfect world, I'd get 4 brand new 6v gc's and do a full charge with my 120volt 3 stage charger until full - and then put them into the trailer - but that seems like a huge waste of capital on the new set of batteries.
thoughts?
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jodeb720
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10/24/23 03:34pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Recommendations for solar charge/controller
I got the info - regarding the panels, because I've always been told design is based on reality, not vaporware (software design I should say)....
Brand: AstronEnergy
Model: CHSM6612p-305
Open Circuit Voltage (VOC): 45.29v
Short Circuit Current (ISC) 8.95A
Voltage at PMax (Vmp): 35.77v
Current at PMax (Imp): 8.95A
It's a poly cell
Since I'm going to mount them on the roof (obviously) and there is some shading possible depending on orientation due to vents and AC, do I want wire them in series upping the voltage or parallel?
Also, I remember reading a very lengthy discussion regarding some important stuff about wiring in parallel vs series - and whether the panels have diodes in them so the shaded panel doesn't detract from the panel in full sun?
I'm not planning on mounting the panels at an angle. I'm just hoping my friend Bernoulli doesn't decide to make a wing out of the panels (maybe the solution would be to put something in front of the panel to create vortices to disturb the airflow over the panels and prevent laminar flow - disrupting the lift from the natural cord shape.
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jodeb720
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10/24/23 11:23am |
Tech Issues
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Recommendations for solar charge/controller
It appears a buddy of mind is going to donate two used 300 watt panels.
They are rated at 30 volts with about 8 amps open voltage (he got them for a song - used I should say)
We’ve been out in the desert in socal and after wiring in a progressive dynamics charger, a 2000 watt psw inverter and a midnight 150 charge controller we are pretty happy with the results.
Since he bought 6 and needs only 4, they are going to be donated to me.
Questions:
1. How many amps should I size tge controller at?
2. PWM or MPPT?
3 Any brand you’d recommend.
Im running 420 amps (2-battery banks GC4 so two 210 banks)
I generally charge the separately (my house batteries are from July 2014 and they are still going strong!) , the other bank feeds my 1000 psw inverter for coffee.
Thanks in advance….
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jodeb720
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10/24/23 12:23am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Trailer hitch with sway bars
This is similar to the hitch my neighbors purchased when the received their trailer - LoadEqulizerAndAntiSway
I'm old school and we used to have a load equalizing hitch and an anti-sway device Anti-Sway-Device
I don't understand how the first link will induce friction to deter sway - but someone smarter than me will be able to! :)
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jodeb720
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08/15/23 11:27pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Trailer hitch with sway bars
My neighbors just bought a new Travel Trailer and the dealer told them the same thing.
They didn't get a anti-sway device - because the dealer is telling them it's part of the load equalizer hitch...
My BS meter is going off...
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jodeb720
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08/09/23 11:33pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: How do you remove Eternabond?
thanks for the prompt replies -
As directed, i googled and found you heat it, then you scrape it, and once it's completely scraped (until there's almost nothing left), you can rub acetone on it and it'll breakdown the last bit of the adhesive.
At least I was able to have a "clean slate" to start working on putting flashing around the nose and sealing the roof. Unfortunately, this is snowballing into a much bigger problem to solve. I thought I had it solved last summer, but the best laid plans...
Anyway, thanks so much for the help!
Take care,
Josh
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jodeb720
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07/02/23 10:31pm |
Tech Issues
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How do you remove Eternabond?
Last year, I had an issue with my roof. The roof was pulling away from the wood structure below.
With some great advice from Doug I put a fresh layer of 1/8" plywood and attached that to the existing wood roof, then put down new adhesive and my roof was whole again.
Unfortunately, working with my son, he put some eternabond over the nose of the 5er and it's doing something wonky. I need to remove it and do some work around the nose.
I tried to remove eternabond from the nose - and it's just not coming off easily or cleanly
I'm trying to figure out how to remove it completely so I can have a clean "canvass" when I start working on the the nose cap.
Any suggestions would be really helpful!
thanks!
Josh
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jodeb720
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07/01/23 11:28am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Better/brighter interior bulbs?
I purchased these back in 2021.
I had replaced my OEM incandescent bulbs that came with the 5er - in 2010 and it was a huge upgrade; However, they weren't very bright.
I did some research and ended up with the ones linked below. They are much brighter (Lumen output) don't put out much heat and have held up well for the last couple of years (no failures at all - running on Generator as well as battery).
Because my original replacement LED's were double sided taped into the fixture, I left the old ones in the fixtures and put the new ones in. Last month I was was cleaning out the gnats from the light fixtures and connected the one of the old bulbs and the new one and the output of the Lumens was staggering. I've forgotten just how much brighter the new ones are compared to the old ones.
Oh, one more thing. The ones I picked were more yellow than blue in color blue (warm white). When I clicked on the original link, I needed to select Warm White - or you'll get the 6000k ones.
Amazon-LED-Light
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jodeb720
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06/03/23 08:38am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: Dometic FRig operation
Just an FYI - I just finished a trip - a couple of weeks - and running my fridge on Propane only I used only 5 gallons - with using the stove almost nightly and water heater when needed.
Running the fridge on a generator - it's going to be much more expensive to run the generator than it is to use Propane.
If you're running the generator anyway, well, then it may not matter.
Be Well,
Josh
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jodeb720
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06/03/23 08:04am |
Tech Issues
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