Lithium Batteries and Factory Charge Controller

[Jumbo Mug]

https://www.solar-electric.com/rec-s...tt-module.html

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Jumbo Mug

https://www.solar-electric.com/rec-s...tt-module.html

Thanks much! Makes sense now. The panels are getting stronger and for the $9.60 difference, I'll order those.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Jumbo Mug

Four 330w panels = 1320w

Who makes those?

[Jumbo Mug]

REC Solar. https://www.solar-electric.com/rec-s...tt-module.html

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Thanks!

Define what you'd like to do on solar and we might be in a better position to be more focused. The number of batteries you expect to charge and how you'll use them can make a big difference in the setup you'll need. If this is the recent mod you made for your wife, that would be good to know.

[Jumbo Mug]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

Thanks much! Makes sense now. The panels are getting stronger and for the $9.60 difference, I'll order those.

I like mine. The 3 that come about 1 inch to the AC units hang off the side about an inch but I just turned the z brackets around and worked fine. I ordered extra z brackets to mount using the holes on the ends which required drilling out a tad, then screws fit. Those panels have 7 z brackets each just to add extra strength.

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Jumbo Mug

I like mine. The 3 that come about 1 inch to the AC units hang off the side about an inch but I just turned the z brackets around and worked fine. I ordered extra z brackets to mount using the holes on the ends which required drilling out a tad, then screws fit. Those panels have 7 z brackets each just to add extra strength.

That's good to know. Noted and thanks.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

Define what you'd like to do on solar and we might be in a better position to be more focused. The number of batteries you expect to charge and how you'll use them can make a big difference in the setup you'll need. If this is the recent mod you made for your wife, that would be good to know.

Ah... It'll be a pair of AGM 31s under the steps, and it'll need to power a peritoneal dialysis fluid cycling unit for 9 hours overnight, and about four hours of it just idling after it has been set up for the evening...

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Ah... It'll be a pair of AGM 31s under the steps, and it'll need to power a peritoneal dialysis fluid cycling unit for 9 hours overnight, and about four hours of it just idling after it has been set up for the evening...

So...AGMs are simply lead acid that don't need to be watered I have 4 lead acid under the steps and they hardly last overnight. If you've tested the set up, keep pushing it. Eventually they will drop out. Here is the data on my 4-100ah lead acid, G26DC batteries.

The End State of Charge (ESOC) is after running the generator and an hour rest. The Beginning State of Charge BSOC is the battery percent of charge the following morning; whenever I got my butt out of bed and wanted to run the coffee maker.

The X axis is the time between measurements. The Y axis is the volts within that tine period. Note the downward trend line. If you'd like to see the raw data, let me know.

I would seriously recommend something more stout for your application. Send some pics of your under-step storage compartment and it's measurements. We ma be able to bake up something like the attached.

[Bob Denman]

That's a lot to digest...
I currently have a pair of FLA 27s; but 31s will just fit.
Our 'Fridge can do it's dance with propane, and we don't use a lot of power for lights or A/C...

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

That's a lot to digest...
I currently have a pair of FLA 27s; but 31s will just fit.
Our 'Fridge can do it's dance with propane, and we don't use a lot of power for lights or A/C...

That's not where I was going with that. I was wondering if you had enough juice to last the night for your application. The fridge runs on propane in my data so the only draw at most is lights, maybe charge the laptop and phone once in a while and with enough left over for the coffee maker in the morn. If not, I fire up the gen. You may find that too.

[DavidEM]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Ah... It'll be a pair of AGM 31s under the steps, and it'll need to power a peritoneal dialysis fluid cycling unit for 9 hours overnight, and about four hours of it just idling after it has been set up for the evening...

You need to tell us what that machine's power draw is. Look on the nameplate or power supply or instructions and see what the power draw is in watts (or amps) and is it 12V DC or AC?

David

[Bob Denman]

I'll start gathering the information.
It is powered by AC.

[Jumbo Mug]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

That's good to know. Noted and thanks.

Hi Bob,

Remember if changing your build to use these panels make sure your charge controller and wiring can handle the setup. The folks at Northern AZ Wind and Sun do a nice job of spec'ing systems out IMO...

Mike

[Bob Denman]

Thanks for the reminder.
If my "Math-Bone" is working this morning: you divide the total number of watts by your voltage, and that'll give you the number of amps to worry about?
Assuming a 12 volt setup: 110 amps.
I was initially looking at a pair of 175 watt flexible panels (for ease of mounting); with the plan to add a 3rd panel later...
I was figuring on pushing the limits with a 40 amp MPPT controller.
(No system yields 100% efficiency... )

[Jumbo Mug]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Thanks for the reminder.
If my "Math-Bone" is working this morning: you divide the total number of watts by your voltage, and that'll give you the number of amps to worry about?
Assuming a 12 volt setup: 110 amps.
I was initially looking at a pair of 175 watt flexible panels (for ease of mounting); with the plan to add a 3rd panel later...
I was figuring on pushing the limits with a 40 amp MPPT controller.
(No system yields 100% efficiency... )

I think there is more to it than that...I'd check in with someone who's an expert just to make sure.

[Bob Denman]

I know just enough about this to get into trouble...,

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Jumbo Mug

Hi Bob,

Remember if changing your build to use these panels make sure your charge controller and wiring can handle the setup. The folks at Northern AZ Wind and Sun do a nice job of spec'ing systems out IMO...

Mike

This is very true. Met a woman who had 760W of solar on the roof. I was more impressed with panel supports but the system preformed really well. We boon docked at Hungry Horse Reservoir for two weeks and she only needed to get out in the sun two of those days, I needed to run the gen every night for 3hrs. Hence, going to solar.

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

That's a lot to digest...
I currently have a pair of FLA 27s; but 31s will just fit.
Our 'Fridge can do it's dance with propane, and we don't use a lot of power for lights or A/C...

Get some measurements: height (clearance), width (back to front) and length (left to right).

You can find lithium that might fit that space and you and the wife would be better off for it - particularly your better half. Not sure what that means to your gen if/and you need to upgrade your charge controller if sun is lacking. If that's outside your budget, that's ok. Just don't post the measurements. The message is received and topic dropped.

[The_Breeze]

Landed in winter base camp and getting ready to install some lithium batteries and my question is directed at installing the lithium BIM as the first part of the project. If I don't get the BIM right, the lithium batteries sitting in the shed are a waste of money or a train wreck waiting to happen.

Thor Chateau 31L:
1) Do I already have a battery isolation manager for the house batteries in the current setup?
2) If so, can just replace that manager with the lithium one and where would it be located?

The coach has the emergency chassis battery jump switch so it would seem logical there's a isolation manager in the system somewhere. Seems one would be needed so the alternator doesn't overcharge the house batteries and boil them off.

I spotted what looks like one under the hood on the driver's side behind the overflow tank, though that may be the emergency jump switch. What I'm really hoping is I can leverage the existing wires and their runs.

Thanks in advance for any knowledge and/or experience you share. If you need more info, please don't hesitate. I'll find it somehow.