Hank the Tanks Dodgy battery and solar system

[Fisherman]

Just read Barry’s thread title and I am a bit confused.
What has Barry’s dodgy battery set up, got to do with our solar system.
Barry’s battery system seems way more complicated than our solar system.
NASA have spent less time trying to gain information about the Jovian Moons, than we have trying to sort out his battery set up.

 

[mistericeman]

Just read Barry’s thread title and I am a bit confused.
What has Barry’s dodgy battery set up, got to do with our solar system.
Barry’s battery system seems way more complicated than our solar system.
NASA have spent less time trying to gain information about the Jovian Moons, than we have trying to sort out his battery set up.

I think 'We ' sorted it out a hand full of posts in

Several thousand pages more than war and peace later ...
We are going round in more circles than a taxi driver in Milton Keynes with a foreign tourist on the meter .

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I just cannot wait for the next thrilling instalments to see what he actually does.

 

[mistericeman]

I just cannot wait for the next thrilling instalments to see what he actually does.

Or doesn't do ....

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Ah, yes, well, now then.

 

[barryd]

Who was it that bought a new van, sold his old one in 24 hours, got Gaslow and a top of the range scooter rack fitted and all kitted out in the space of about two weeks and then buggered off for four months to test it? As I said at the start the only thing I was concerned about that I hadn't fettled was the battery and solar system.

Anyway looking at a closer inspection of my roof today I'm not sure Off grid solutions could fit 2 x 140w Victron panels on the spare space up there. I think there is room for one or two thin but long panels either side of the rear skylight but for a big van space is limited. I still think that panel is much bigger than the old one.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Replace the one you have with a 250=300w new one.

 

[Canalsman]

All that Cava

Perhaps we should suggest he puts a cork in it!

At least we know he won't struggle to find one...

 

[Canalsman]

OFFS

Quite.

 

[Robmac]

Who was it that bought a new van, sold his old one in 24 hours, got Gaslow and a top of the range scooter rack fitted and all kitted out in the space of about two weeks and then buggered off for four months to test it? As I said at the start the only thing I was concerned about that I hadn't fettled was the battery and solar system.

Anyway looking at a closer inspection of my roof today I'm not sure Off grid solutions could fit 2 x 140w Victron panels on the spare space up there. I think there is room for one or two thin but long panels either side of the rear skylight but for a big van space is limited. I still think that panel is much bigger than the old one.

View attachment 137427

You might have to be careful where you put them though Barry, shadows from your other fittings on top might come into play.

 

[Canalsman]

It reminds me of the magic roundabout, but once on this roundabout there is no way off.

 

[barryd]

Replace the one you have with a 250=300w new one.

What beggars belief is why they never filled that one big space with a larger panel in the first place! Its not like they are expensive. I gather though that removing them is way too tricky to bother with and that roof cable entry gland is now in the way of putting anything bigger in.

 

[Robmac]

What beggars belief is why they never filled that one big space with a larger panel in the first place! Its not like they are expensive. I gather though that removing them is way too tricky to bother with and that roof cable entry gland is now in the way of putting anything bigger in.

My flexible panel was a mare to remove Barry, but that one shouldn't be too much trouble.

You can always move the roof gland, I presume the cables go into an overhead locker? If that is the case you can always move the gland further along, feed the cables through and connect to the old cables inside the locker.

 

[barryd]

My flexible panel was a mare to remove Barry, but that one shouldn't be too much trouble.

You can always move the roof gland, I presume the cables go into an overhead locker? If that is the case you can always move the gland further along, feed the cables through and connect to the old cables inside the locker.

That bracket looks well stuck on though and it would presumably need a bigger bracket for a bigger panel. I might be able to squeeze a 120 down the side behind the Satellite dish and TV aerial. The TV aerial is redundant really. Its just in the way. Or maybe a tiny 80 or something on the other side. Dunno. Will have to measure it properly.

If I am sticking another panel on a single 120 would be enough to match the extra 120 battery.

 

[Robmac]

That bracket looks well stuck on though and it would presumably need a bigger bracket for a bigger panel. I might be able to squeeze a 120 down the side behind the Satellite dish and TV aerial. The TV aerial is redundant really. Its just in the way. Or maybe a tiny 80 or something on the other side. Dunno. Will have to measure it properly.

If I am sticking another panel on a single 120 would be enough to match the extra 120 battery.

I tried a makeshift cheese wire to cut through the old sealant but was getting nowhere with it. In the end I used an old (well it's old now! ) carving knife laid flat on the roof and that was much easier.

 

[barryd]

I tried a makeshift cheese wire to cut through the old sealant but was getting nowhere with it. In the end I used an old (well it's old now! ) carving knife laid flat on the roof and that was much easier.

Maybe you could just stack em on top of each other! Genius!!!

 

[Nabsim]

I would rather go shopping with my wife, then have my molars extracted without anaesthetic than read through this thread Barry. It reminds me of the magic roundabout, but once on this roundabout there is no way off.

Reminds me of Groundhog Day lol

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Cycling Degradation VS Calendar Aging w/ LiFePO4 Batteries Used for Solar Application

Have spent the last night reading everything I can about this topic. I have been saying for a few years that calendar aging will degrade our lifepo4 batteries before degradation caused by cycling ever would. I have also found some issues with how manufacturers do their cycle life testing. Would...

diysolarforum.com

 

[barryd]

Cycling Degradation VS Calendar Aging w/ LiFePO4 Batteries Used for Solar Application

Have spent the last night reading everything I can about this topic. I have been saying for a few years that calendar aging will degrade our lifepo4 batteries before degradation caused by cycling ever would. I have also found some issues with how manufacturers do their cycle life testing. Would...

diysolarforum.com

Our lead Acid batteries and the one AGM we had seem to last yonks. I am surprised at that as over the years we have been motorhoming (coming up 17) we have spent a lot of time away in the van. Sometimes up to nine months in a year and most of that off grid. Typically six to seven years they seem to have lasted. When they cost the same as a full tank of diesel for me they are consumables, throw away items, especially as we have only ever had one. Hank had three batteries in sixteen years of ownership and the last one an AGM 120 was still going strong after just a couple of years of use.

 

[Nabsim]

Cycling Degradation VS Calendar Aging w/ LiFePO4 Batteries Used for Solar Application

Have spent the last night reading everything I can about this topic. I have been saying for a few years that calendar aging will degrade our lifepo4 batteries before degradation caused by cycling ever would. I have also found some issues with how manufacturers do their cycle life testing. Would...

diysolarforum.com

Will has said about this in videos before now. I came to the conclusion a few years ago that the only way my Lifepo4 would need replacing was if I wanted more. People with huge chargers may get to see degradation but I think the majority won't keep or use their vans enough to cause problems. This comment is meant in context to ALL vans with Lifepo4, not just this forum.