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27 minutes ago, Robbo said:

So the question is running the engine for approx an half hour extra a day worth it for Milk and Butter?   Best to get solar !

Currently got 100W through a PWM, which doesn't keep up with my useage.

Been considering investing in a couple of 250W panels and an MPPT and, as ever, will no doubt press the button just before the nights start closing in :)

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29 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

Currently got 100W through a PWM, which doesn't keep up with my useage.

Been considering investing in a couple of 250W panels and an MPPT and, as ever, will no doubt press the button just before the nights start closing in :)

Decent solar does make sense, even before getting the other panels just swapping out the PWM to a MPPT will improve it.

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Interesting article in PBO this month.

Tests / review of Panels and PWM and MPT controllers.

 

Summary / Conclusions - MPPT controllers produce 30% more than PWM controllers

 

For the same 100w panel with a battery at 12.5v the battery input with a :

MPPT = 13.1v, 7.1a, 93w

PWM = 12.9v, 5.4a, 70w

 

So increase your solar production by 30% just by changing your controller

Full article PBO September 2017 Pages 45-49 inclusive.

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30 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Interesting article in PBO this month.

Tests / review of Panels and PWM and MPT controllers.

 

Summary / Conclusions - MPPT controllers produce 30% more than PWM controllers

 

For the same 100w panel with a battery at 12.5v the battery input with a :

MPPT = 13.1v, 7.1a, 93w

PWM = 12.9v, 5.4a, 70w

 

So increase your solar production by 30% just by changing your controller

Full article PBO September 2017 Pages 45-49 inclusive.

That's interesting, I always thought it wasn't worth investing in a MPPT box unless you had a lot of solar.  For those of us who don't have a handy newsagent, what sort of money are we talking about to get that 30% extra?

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Just now, Neil2 said:

That's interesting, I always thought it wasn't worth investing in a MPPT box unless you had a lot of solar.  For those of us who don't have a handy newsagent, what sort of money are we talking about to get that 30% extra?

I would get a decent one if you're planning on 500watts of solar eventually.

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25 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

That's interesting, I always thought it wasn't worth investing in a MPPT box unless you had a lot of solar.  For those of us who don't have a handy newsagent, what sort of money are we talking about to get that 30% extra?

I think the (10a "Photonic Universe Tracer" -works with batteries to 24v and panels to 100v) one they tested was £60, so probably £30 above the cost of the PWM

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3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

How do you cool down the cool box

 

I find that buying chilled milk keeps it cool.  The odd bit of frozen food brings the temperature down too.  I used to freeze milk at work and bring it back to the boat but it used to take so long to defrost, I don't bother now.  Its never 'fridge cold' in there but cool enough to keep the milk fresh, the butter solid and the cheese from getting stinky. 

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6 hours ago, OldPeculier said:

It depends very much on your lifestyle.  I am at work every day so picking up fresh food on the way home is not a problem.  I have a cool box and putting cold milk in there keeps it fresh for 2 or 3 days.  I always keep a carton of UHT for emergencies.  If I am going off for a few days, I get my gf to freeze a couple of pints of milk at her house and bring them over.  That keeps the cool box cold for much longer.

And some folk like the peace and quiet without engines/generators running for hours every day!  As you say, each to their own!

Is that because you don't have a fridge?

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