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John Harper
Super Nomad
Posts: 2289
Registered: 3-9-2017
Location: SoCal
Member Is Offline
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Denali Mint Moose Tracks. Heavenly ice cream.
John
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RFClark
Super Nomad
Posts: 2462
Registered: 8-27-2015
Member Is Offline
Mood: Delighted with 2024 and looking forward to 2025
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The wife and I just stopped in Pescadero at the ice cream store. They have lime pie ice cream for 40 Pesos that tastes like the key lime ice cream pie
the expensive places charge $10 US for! The wife had really great peanut butter chocolate ice cream. Ice cream is probably the 3rd or 4th best thing
in life.
We’re celebrating installing the line and plug for our 220VAC (yes, Susan I know it’s all a scam) level 2 charger that also will run the wire
welder and plasma cutter. Just 30A at 220 though.
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2729
Registered: 5-10-2011
Member Is Offline
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Quote: Originally posted by lewmt  |
My needs are very basic & my RV is a '97 Diesel Allegro that I'm totally remodeling & upgrading. TV, coffee maker(turns off after pot is
brewed), a few lights at night, stereo, and a laptop is about it. I have a 6500KW generator for backup(propane)
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Alternator can be wired to help charging Li battery while on the move, will need DC-DC charger for that. Go to RV.net forum. Post in "Technical
issues", this is where everything solar is posted. It usually doesn't get diluted with ice-cream there  .
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BajaRat
Super Nomad
Posts: 1303
Registered: 3-2-2010
Location: SW Four Corners / Bahia Asuncion BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Ready for some salt water with my Tecate
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| Quote: Originally posted by monoloco | | Quote: Originally posted by lewmt | Wow - this topic has meandered like a Baja dirt road. Educational & entertaining.
I only have the 2 roof A/C's which use 220V. Everything else is 12V/110V. So far I only have 1 200 amp hour LiPO battery and 550 watts of incoming
solar. I know its probably inadequate but I'm typically not a heavy electrical user.
Outside all day fishing, kiting, surfing, snowboarding....whatever. I mostly prefer the Pac side so don't need a lot of A/C in the evenings there or
in most places here in Montana.
I'm curious what-all additional solar I should consider? Plenty of space on the roof for more panels. I'm liking the Renogy flexible 175 W panels I
added to my original system.
I also really like my little local bank & on-line banking....and ice cream |
Flexible panels have
terrible durability. The only way I would consider them, is if the RV sat in a covered garage most of the time. If it sits outside with the panels
constantly exposed to the sun, they will deteriorate rapidly. Especially in Baja or the Southwest U.S.. |
I’ve been using that 175w Renology flexible panel on the curved roof of our small off road camper for a couple years now. Low profile was a
necessity.
Like many things in life we sacrifice longevity for practicality and living on the edge.
Lionel 
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6035
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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This sounds like a good idea!
Where to put solar panels? How about where they will help save water!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/california-to-install-sola...
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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lewmt
Junior Nomad
Posts: 79
Registered: 4-12-2017
Member Is Offline
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Interesting idea. I wonder how much loss from evaporation actually occurs? I'd be totally guessing but if it's stated in gallons/month or some such
data it would look large but if stated in a percentage of flow might not look as big....but I know in Cali every drop counts.
Just an update on my original post...
I did finally hear back from the company. Over 3 weeks from my original question. Like most tech inquiries the responses lead to more questions or a
need for clarification. After installing and upgrading the "system" I ended up not even using several of their components as they were inadequate -
especially once I added panels. Their concept of a mounting system on the roof was totally inadequate as well as the charge controller for even a
small upgrade in solar input. Inverter is useless. Battery does seem solid though. System is fully functional with upgrades and used on a camping
trip with wife over Labor Day.
I will never buy any components or products from this company again - so my original statement remains - buyer beware. As RF Clark has mentioned
there are better products for less money out there - my mistake - just thought it's worthy to warn others
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RFClark
Super Nomad
Posts: 2462
Registered: 8-27-2015
Member Is Offline
Mood: Delighted with 2024 and looking forward to 2025
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Solar panel mount 6 X 540W
I’ll take a better picture and post it on the container Home Topic
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Keithcapt
Banned
Posts: 13
Registered: 9-4-2022
Member Is Offline
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U,,all have it Wrong !! Get a Good boat electrical guy for your project. I sea SOO many bad install's from guys claiming to be be Solar experts, that
I throw up. I've been doing Solar on the east cape since 83
And I do electrical for a living and its a sham that there is is no Standards... Almost all electrical stuff today is DCV except motors and
microwaves. YOU DONT need a inverter to charge a phone,, laptop, TV, Fridge. DC to ac back to DC.. Get a grip !! If U must have a microwave you need
a pure Sine wave unit. I'd stay away from folks that say they are electritions. Why, because they are my biggest source of custermer.. S
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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I would love to add a portable (foldable or suitcase) solar panel to my existing panel mounted on my truck camper. Probably around 100 watts. I just
read so many bad reviews about inexpensive panels coming out of China that only put out half, or less, of their "rated" wattage.
I have an existing (mounted) 140 watt Kyocera panel that is about 10 years old, that's being fed into an older Morningstar Sun Saver Duo. I regularly
see between 6-7a even at 14+ volts. But there are times when my desired camping spot is sun-challenged. It would be nice to run a panel out from the
rig and into the sun.
Yeah, the Morningstar is a PWM unit but it does charge two separate battery banks, independently (house and truck), which I like. I can assign various
percentages of charging to each battery and can set bulk, absorption and float (or not) rates independently, as well. It can also accept up to 25 amps
of input.
I recently bought my first LiFePO4 as a new house battery. Getting used to a battery that reads above 13v even when it is 50% discharged has taken
some getting used to.
But I have one complication: the battery separator in the camper doesn't send a charge to the truck battery unless the house battery is over 13.3v.
This wasn't much of an issue when I had lead acid batteries that hung around 12.6-7 volts when not being charged or discharged. But now, the house
lithium battery is always above 13.3v (usually even higher) and the separator is always passing current between house and truck batteries.
I guess this could be advantageous if I put a large load on my house battery (assuming current passes both directions AND the 10 gauge wire in between
could really pass much). But, in truth, I am never running anything drawing more than 2.1a @ 12v (a 40qt. Norcold fridge/freezer). The only other
significant draw is that noisy, forced air propane heater that virtually all RVs have. I never run that.
I am worried that the constant summing of these two distinct battery banks will lead to degradation of the new lithium house battery as the overall
system tries to reach equilibrium. Is this a valid concern? Should I interrupt the current flow from the house to the truck battery? I could put a
simple switch between the positive lead from the charge controller to the truck battery. Then, engage it during charging periods.
I don't worry about discharging the whole enchilada to the point where I couldn't start the truck because the separator would interrupt the connection
below that 13.3v threshold.
I really like having the charge controller feeding 10% of it's output to the truck battery; well, batteries as it is a Ford diesel with TWO starting
batteries (FLA batts). But not at the cost of compromising this new, expensive house battery.
Opinions on a panel to buy or the separator issue?
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Keithcapt
Banned
Posts: 13
Registered: 9-4-2022
Member Is Offline
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Hi, if your Norcold (nocold) runs on propane,, I'd recommend that option.. Check out "Blue sea system" ACR. Just might be your answer. I would have to
know a bit more about your system and habit's. A energy audit is always helpful..
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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No, the Norcold is a sawafuji compressor type. 12v or 120 with an auto-sensing circuit/inverter that is internal. Priority to 120v. I bring this along
on long trips and just keep cold beverages in it, or I freeze fish with it. I still run the absorption (propane) Dometic as well, and it works just
fine. It does have a 12v circuit but it is a ridiculous draw on the house battery. Neither the alternator, nor the solar panel, can keep up with it's
draw.
I dont have the battery capacity, nor an inverter that could handle the mounted microwave in the camper that draws 1400w @ 120v. For that I use the
on-board generator. Three to five minute use powers the microwave or the toaster. I love toast!
I just remembered that there is one other significant draw; my e-bike battery chargers. 120w @ 120v EACH (I sometimes charge two at once). These
would be nice to charge with an inverter. These are 51v @ 2a chargers that can take 4-6 hours to fully charge the 48v lithium battery from a fairly
thorough discharge. I am NOT going to run a generator for 4-6 hours for ANY reason, other than an emergency charging of the house or truck batteries.
Anyway, I am leaning towards either a Newpowr or BougeRV panel. Probably the best overall reviews on Amazon. Anyone ever bought one and have opinions?
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