Winter solar sucks lol

[Nesting Zombie]

Thanks for the explanation.

No seriously I’m actually amazed at the technology in tracking solar harvest, it’s great, it can optimise a good well Balanced System & make it easier to Understand it better as a result.
I’ve just got a cheap n cheerful Solar regulator that’s pretty much a Blocking Diode & a Voltage meter on mine

 

[trevskoda]

No seriously I’m actually amazed at the technology in tracking solar harvest, it’s great, it can optimise a good well Balanced System & make it easier to Understand it better as a result.
I’ve just got a cheap n cheerful Solar regulator that’s pretty much a Blocking Diode & a Voltage meter on mine

When you get some dosh buy a good one.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Oooo that looks nice,,,
Can anyone explain in layman terms the increase or benefits for having a £110 or more MPPT Against a £15 Crappy one like mine please ?

 

[trevskoda]

Oooo that looks nice,,,
Can anyone explain in layman terms the increase or benefits for having a £110 or more MPPT Against a £15 Crappy one like mine please ?

Yes, somple the cheap one if getting say 19v from the panel cuts of at 14v , where as the mppt uses all the voltage but compresses it down to 14v, so say on a fair day on cheap reg you may be getting 3 amps but the mppt will give you up to 30% more, maybe 4/5 amps, does that help.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Ahhh
yeah kinda get it
My cheap controller will have to work for say 4 or 5 hrs a day, The more expensive one will only need to work for say 3 hrs a day for the same harvest.

Handy With shorter or Dull days

 

[trevskoda]

Ahhh
yeah kinda get it
My cheap controller will have to work for say 4 or 5 hrs a day, The more expensive one will only need to work for say 3 hrs a day for the same harvest.

Handy With shorter or Dull days

Think of having two donuts, one you eat but only gat half a bit cause it wont go in your mouth, second donut you squeeze into a small ball and eat it all as it now fits your mouth, zombie explanation.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Think of having two donuts, one you eat but only gat half a bit cause it wont go in your mouth, second donut you squeeze into a small ball and eat it all as it now fits your mouth, zombie explanation.

Yep, Now I TOTALLY get it Trev

 

[REC]

Yep, Now I TOTALLY get it Trev

Me too! Have been trying to work that out for ages...donuts explanation ...sorted!

 

[Nesting Zombie]

You See ,
Life is SO SO SO much simpler with Donuts in it

 

[davef]

Its interesting what a bit of sunshine makes. i have 16 full size mains connected panels on the workshop roof rated at 3.84Kw. Yesterday on an overcast stormy day they produced 0.6KwHr - a week ago on a sunny day it was 11.0 KwHr. So a difference of about 18x.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Huge difference isn’t it !

 

[Nesting Zombie]

As I say I’ve only got a Cheap set up that doesn’t Track or even show Amps, But the voltage is fai, & it’s charging while I’m charging my phone on this REALLY Grey & Overcast day light Drizzle . So all I can say is, it’s ok.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

WOOO WHOOO
Battery Almost full at 08:00

 

[Veloman]

A bit confused here. My interpretation of the above is: The solar panels are working and producing a charge into the battery. They have raised the voltage at the battery to 13 volts. On my similar system that doesn't mean the battery is nearly fully charged. The only reliable way I know of would be to disconnect the solar panel and anything taking power from the battery and leave the battery to stand for at least an hour or more then measure the battery voltage. 12.8 volts = fully charged anything less battery not fully charged.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Hi ya
I did say ‘Almost’ Full, the lead you can see is Charging my Mobile Phone, The Battery indicator in the Screen is showing a healthy capacity & the current voltage is now -

So in my mind I feel its all going in the right direction with my Cheap n Cheerful basic set up
If I had the money I would probably get a more complicated & efficient installation. But this suits for now.

 

[Veloman]

Yes I would say you're certainly right its going in the right direction it was just the fact that you said it was nearly full at 0800 as your regulator showed 13 volts that I was not sure about. Personally I think most motorhome owners particularly male ones can very easily become obsessed by batteries and charging systems and I include myself as one of them! I don't have a TV in my camper, don't need one, I just watch the amps being produced by my solar panels, one fixed on the roof and one free standing outside. Then hopping in and out of the van moving the free standing one to maximise the number of amps going in. Much of the time it doesn't matter as everything is working fine its just that its very easy to get hooked on seeking the perfect solution.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Yeah, I can’t even see what Amps are being harvested , I just go on Voltage & if it’s up and maintaining somewhere between the 13 & 14.4 voltages during the day, then I kinda know that Come sun down the Battery is going to get me through the next night or two.

 

[trevskoda]

Mine shows 14.4 before dropping to float at 13.7, dull days 13.4, dull and winter days it never drops below 13.3v so i must be getting a we bit in which is keeping my batteries safe.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Ooo look -

I haven’t got a TV either

 

[trevskoda]

Just in from my van, 14.4 hab batt and 13.9 starter, almost there and two hrs of midday.