Too much solar?

[MtB]

15 minutes ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

As a liveaboard, approaching 6 years, I'd recommend considering the opposite of this advice. Depending on your power usage, of course. I use around 30ah/day (my fridge is gas). I had 2 x 110ah batteries unless I saw the light and went for just a single 105ah one (Trojan). This effectively gives a day and a half of usage but my 375w of solar gives me 100% of my needs between mid February and mid October. During the winter months I'll run my generator for an hour one day, 3 hours the next, usually, but sometimes my wind turbine cuts this right down.

 

Why go to the cost, not to mention hassle of replacing a higher number of batteries than you really need?      

 

My experience rhymes with this. I use about 30ah per day with an ELECTRIC fridge! All at 24v though, which explains the difference. 

 

I have an utterly sulphated and knackered set of 4 Trojanoids (thank you SmartGauge) which happily keep the fridge going overnight in time for God turning the solar back on in the morning. When it's winter the Whispergen performs much the same function.  I even bought a 24v 200ah lithium battery bank and not bothered to wire it up yet, as I've realised there is no need. 

 

Not everyone needs huge battery capacity.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2019 by Mike the Boilerman

[Tony Brooks]

20 minutes ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

As a liveaboard, approaching 6 years, I'd recommend considering the opposite of this advice. Depending on your power usage, of course. I use around 30ah/day (my fridge is gas). I had 2 x 110ah batteries unless I saw the light and went for just a single 105ah one (Trojan). This effectively gives a day and a half of usage but my 375w of solar gives me 100% of my needs between mid February and mid October. During the winter months I'll run my generator for an hour one day, 3 hours the next, usually, but sometimes my wind turbine cuts this right down.

 

Why go to the cost, not to mention hassle of replacing a higher number of batteries than you really need?      

Because the greater the battery capacity for a given load the lower the degree of discharge, the lower the cyclic hours and thus, as long as you very regularly properly recharge then, the longer the battery life. I suspect that in the end you will find you end up with sub optimal battery life.

 

 

[peterboat]

5 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Because the greater the battery capacity for a given load the lower the degree of discharge, the lower the cyclic hours and thus, as long as you very regularly properly recharge then, the longer the battery life. I suspect that in the end you will find you end up with sub optimal battery life.

 

 

He is the perfik customer for a LifePo4 battery in reality.

14 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

My experience rhymes with this. I use about 30ah per day with an ELECTRIC fridge! All at 24v though, which explains the difference. 

 

I have an utterly sulphated and knackered set of 4 Trojanoids (thank you SmartGauge) which happily keep the fridge going overnight in time for God turning the solar back on in the morning. When it's winter the Whispergen performs much the same function.  I even bought a 24v 200ah lithium battery bank and not bothered to wire it up yet, as I've realised there is no need. 

 

Not everyone needs huge battery capacity.

 

 

I think you are scared Mike go on have a battery adventure ?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

23 minutes ago, peterboat said:

Doesnt it sail around the world constantly? its a very clever piece of work to be sure

I assumed it was your boat! Just been reading about it. Yes, a continuous cruiser, round the world. 31m long, 537m² of solar panels, 8.5 tons of Li-ion batteries and registered in the land locked country of Switzerland! A snip at 15 million Euros to build.

Edited April 10, 2019 by Jen-in-Wellies

[peterboat]

1 minute ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

I assumed it was your boat! Just been reading about it. Yes, a continuous cruiser, round the world. 31m long, 537m² of solar panels, 8.5 tons of Li-ion batteries and registered in the land locked country of Switzerland! A snip at €15 million to build.

I wish, I read about it a couple of years ago, before I embarked on my first electric boat

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, peterboat said:

He is the perfik customer for a LifePo4 battery in reality.

I think you are scared Mike go on have a battery adventure ?

 

For me, lithium are actually a solution looking for a problem, I've come to realise.

 

If and when the whispergen expires, then I'll be needing them!

 

 

[peterboat]

3 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

For me, lithium are actually a solution looking for a problem, I've come to realise.

 

If and when the whispergen expires, then I'll be needing them!

 

 

Mike now is the time to install them you have no idea how easy they are to live with, slightest sun amps piling in brilliant to say the least.

My new whispergen is working brilliantly, trouble is I hardly need it as the LifePo4s work so well

Edited April 10, 2019 by peterboat

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, peterboat said:

Mike now is the time to install them you have no idea how easy they are to live with, slightest sun amps piling in brilliant to say the least

 

Just like with my Trojanoids then!!

 

 

[The Welsh Cruiser]

4 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Because the greater the battery capacity for a given load the lower the degree of discharge, the lower the cyclic hours and thus, as long as you very regularly properly recharge then, the longer the battery life. I suspect that in the end you will find you end up with sub optimal battery life.

 

 

I take the point but it's rare mine go below 30% discharged. The Trojan is nearly 3 years old, it appears to still be as good as new.

[Loddon]

6 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I have an utterly sulphated and knackered set of 4 Trojanoids (thank you SmartGauge) which happily keep the fridge going overnight in time for God turning the solar back on in the morning.

I thought it was user error ! Checking SG when the sun was out rather than at night when the sun is not out  

 

[36national]

On 09/04/2019 at 10:39, bizzard said:

It'll be burning that bit of the sun out!!!    THE END IS NIGH!!!!!

the sun is recharging over winter dats why we dun get no solar till spring innit

[Rickent]

I have one panel of 170w but am waiting for 2 more to be delivered this week taking the total to 510w.

Shoyld be enough to keep the fridge running.

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, Rickent said:

I have one panel of 170w but am waiting for 2 more to be delivered this week taking the total to 510w.

Shoyld be enough to keep the fridge running.

 

Fridge on my hobby boat runs for all of summer on one 80W panel.

 

 

[Rickent]

Panels now fitted and have been off grid since friday , fridge is running 24/7 , tv, lights pumps and phone chargers plus fan during the day. At 8.30 this morning batteries charging nicely and 9 amps currently going in. Should be full by lunchtime.

Why anyone would choose not to have solar is beyond me.

[The Welsh Cruiser]

15 minutes ago, Rickent said:

Panels now fitted and have been off grid since friday , fridge is running 24/7 , tv, lights pumps and phone chargers plus fan during the day. At 8.30 this morning batteries charging nicely and 9 amps currently going in. Should be full by lunchtime.

Why anyone would choose not to have solar is beyond me.

It's a great feeling isn't it, no more noisy engines to run, no need to think about conserving energy for 8 months of the year. I fitted mine 5 years ago, best thing I ever did.

[Rickent]

Now we're talking.

[MtB]

57 minutes ago, Rickent said:

 

Why anyone would choose not to have solar is beyond me.

 

Someone with a shoreline on their home mooring and who cruises every day when out, has little or need for solar...

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

33 minutes ago, Rickent said:

Now we're talking.

 

 

I was quite happy to get this 18th  February :

 

 

[Rickent]

25 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Someone with a shoreline on their home mooring and who cruises every day when out, has little or need for solar...

 

 

I get this, but if out cruising and you find a nice spot and stay for a few days then even a small solar array is going to be invaluable. 

A home mooring with hookup is great as I have one, but a good few pennies can be saved by not running a battery charger all summer.

[peterboat]

28 minutes ago, Rickent said:

I get this, but if out cruising and you find a nice spot and stay for a few days then even a small solar array is going to be invaluable. 

A home mooring with hookup is great as I have one, but a good few pennies can be saved by not running a battery charger all summer.

I am at Sheffield just put the dishwasher on, we have had tea via an electric kettle the list goes on solar is a great thing and for me suits my low carbon lifestyle

[Murflynn]

Rickent:  don't get too excited - we are experiencing exceptional weather just now, in case you hadn't noticed.

[The Welsh Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

Rickent:  don't get too excited - we are experiencing exceptional weather just now, in case you hadn't noticed.

Indeed but even in bad weather panels give plenty for half of the year. I've run my engine once between mid March and mid September, in 5 years.

[matty40s]

33 minutes ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

Indeed but even in bad weather panels give plenty for half of the year. I've run my engine once between mid March and mid September, in 5 years.

You don't go out cruising much do you.?

On 10/04/2019 at 21:56, 36national said:

the sun is recharging over winter dats why we dun get no solar till spring innit

It has other damping methods too...

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

You don't go out cruising much do you.?

I wondered if he was horse drawn?

[Rickent]

2 hours ago, Murflynn said:

Rickent:  don't get too excited - we are experiencing exceptional weather just now, in case you hadn't noticed.

Whatever the 2m temps, the sun is still the same strength at this time of year and will continue to get stronger, even on a cloudy day I'm sure there will still be a decent amount going in.