Trip Report

[jplante4]

I thought I'd post the result of our first trip with the new battery/solar setup. If you missed the first thread on this, this spring I added 4 new 6v Interstate 225 AH batteries (along with 2 new AGM starter batteries - Geez), another 100 watts of solar for a total of 200 watts, and a cheap PWM controller.

The trip was to Assateague NP and a new KOA in Chincoteague. We also did 2 nights at Harvest Hosts locations, so it was 5 nights dry camping and 5 nights with full hookups.

With full sun at Assateague, the solar kept up with the loads during the day and we ran the generator for an hour at the end of the day to top off the batteries. At this point the voltage was down to 12.7. Any big morning loads (microwave, hair dryer) required the generator, which is what I suspected. Our last night of dry camping was cloudy, so I ran the genny a little longer in the evening. Chincoteague was the only place where we needed the air conditioning and we were hooked up there. Assateague was great with a nice breeze. I imagine July and August are not like that.

In general, I'm happy with the setup, but I can see how doubling the solar would help. I'm still getting a funny voltage problem when there's no load on the batteries which I need to figure out. But my fear of toasting the control board on the fridge was unfounded. Full sun, no load the battery voltage as reported by the solar controller (which appears to be reading a half volt high) if 15.9. I haven't had the chance to measure the actual battery voltage in this condition yet. More to come on that.

I kept a very close eye on the water levels in the batteries and it looks like I used just over a quart in the 10 days.

The purpose of spending $1000 on batteries and solar was to be able to dry camp without running the generator several times a day. I feel I've done this now and the length of a dry camp stay will be limited by tank size rather than power.

[jplante4]

lawrosa wrote:

I kept a very close eye on the water levels in the batteries and it looks like I used just over a quart in the 10 days.

Seems excessive no?

Yes, absolutely. The el cheapo controller I had was over charging. I think the installer hooked up the batteries last and the controller thought it was 24 V.

I bought a 40 amp Grape Solar controller and haven't seen a charge voltage above 14.5 VDC. Normal water routine now with the unit in storage. I check the water once a month and it's a 1/4 inch down. I top off all the cells. The Grape controller has a Bluetooth connection and an app to download historical data.

[lawrosa]

I kept a very close eye on the water levels in the batteries and it looks like I used just over a quart in the 10 days.

Seems excessive no?

[jplante4]

MrWizard wrote:
just download the BT app to your phone or tablet

i've got a link someplace 'if i can find it'

Got it. Grape support is great.

[MrWizard]

just download the BT app to your phone or tablet

i've got a link someplace 'if i can find it'

[jplante4]

Ok. Got a Grape 40a controller and hooked it up today. It was somewhat cloudy, but the voltages looked ok. I need to have a look on a full sun day with the batteries topped off to make sure all is well, but it looks promising. Lots of good features on the Grape. I need to figure out how to bluetooth into it.

Thanx to all who helped straighten me out on this.

[pianotuna]

jplante4,

Have you measured the voltage at each panel?

Dump the Electra and purchase a Grape with a temperature sensor.

[jplante4]

Controller

I have a 2000w Xantrex.

I'm still troubleshooting the whole voltage thing. Based on the comments from the last thread, I'm not the only one baffled on this.

I hate to throw more money at this until I'm sure what the problem is. If this is a problem with the old panel, a new controller won't help. I plan to cover the old panel and see if that fixes the issue, but for now it's usable and gives me enough flexibility that I don't need to stay at a FHU campsite every night).

[pianotuna]

Thanks for the report. What charge controller do you have?

Take BFL13's advice!

I added remote start to my generator so I stop and start as needed.

For example--heat up a cup of coffee or make coffee--use the inverter and battery bank.

Making toast, coffee, bacon and eggs and water heating, run the generator. I don't like the generator--so when I use it I load it up as much as possible.

[BFL13]

Based on last thread and now this, the first thing to do is toss that controller. 🙂 Perhaps a good replacement would be that Grape 40 that has neat features at low cost, like Mr Wizard got.

Everyone has his own way to RV.

Not clear from OP, have to "be there" and see I guess, but it sounds like things could be improved (less gen time) just by getting a 2000w inverter. That will run from the four batteries ok. Use that to run the microwave etc, instead of the generator. Then get more solar to bring the batts up before dark. We do all that with 300w of solar, only use the gen if no sun for a couple days.

Shouldn't need to goose the batts in the evening to get by till morning. That seems strange to me. Depends on what draws there are at night of course.

[RJsfishin]

Quote:
I kept a very close eye on the water levels in the batteries and it looks like I used just over a quart in the 10 days.
---------------------------------------------------------
If you really did use anywhere near a quart, your charging voltages are too high ! You are headed for ruining your new batteries.
No matter how hard the batteries were used, there should have been no noticeable consumption of water in 10 days.

[2oldman]

jplante4 wrote:

2oldman wrote:
12.7 is a full charge.

That's 12.7 on the controller, 12.3 at the batteries. The consensus from the last thread was that the charge wires to the batteries are undersized and that accounts for the difference.

A 0.4 volt difference in a simple voltage reading? No, that's not because of wire size. I have a digital vm hooked up with telephone wire and it's right on.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're saying. You mean the controller is charging at 12.7? Perhaps you need a better quality controller. That doesn't sound right at all.

[jplante4]

2oldman wrote:
12.7 is a full charge.

That's 12.7 on the controller, 12.3 at the batteries. The consensus from the last thread was that the charge wires to the batteries are undersized and that accounts for the difference. I'm going to remedy that, as well as installing a shutoff from the panels to the controller. There's no "off" mode on the controller. Seems silly to me.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Thank you.


I only wish more folks would take a bit of time and construct a report about their system. This is positively the most realistic feedback for folks considering panels (or anything else for that matter).

[2oldman]

jplante4 wrote:
another 100 watts of solar for a total of 200 watts, and a cheap PWM controller.

...t the voltage was down to 12.7. Any big morning loads (microwave, hair dryer) required the generator, which is what I suspected.

In general, I'm happy with the setup, but I can see how doubling the solar would help.

Full sun, no load the battery voltage as reported by the solar controller (which appears to be reading a half volt high) if 15.9. I haven't had the chance to measure the actual battery voltage in this condition yet..

More solar would be good.

12.7 is a full charge. Generator? Bummer! Get 2 more 6v and you won't need to do that. But you will need more solar.

I'd check that 15.9 carefully. Sounds like the controller is going into equalize. I wouldn't want that.

Good job!