Chris of Solar Wind Works finished the installation around 6 PM yesterday. Now I have to figure out how to use this system. I don’t think I have to do much right away because Chris set the system up with default settings. I do have to figure out what the LCD screens are telling me about how the system is functioning. Chris liked doing this job because it was unique and compact. Although he has done RV solar installations in the past, this is the most powerful RV system he has installed. He usually does wind turbine and large solar systems for homes up here in the Sierras.
I stayed over night in the rig last night and started the first test of the system which is still going on. I disconnected shore power last night around 8 PM. Then I watched DirecTV on my Vaio until about 11 PM. The refrigerator was running on 120 generated by the inverter charger all night. Around 7 AM I awakened and heard some clicks from the MX-60 as it started scanning the solar panels to figure out when it should enter the MPPT stage and start charging the batteries. Around 8:30 AM, the panels started getting enough sun so that the MX-60 started charging the batteries. The reading for the batteries right now as I write this at 8:50 AM is 12.2 volts.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Seems to have pulled your batteries a little low. I think I would try running the frig on "gas" when the sun goes down. Don't want to damage the battery pack until you can figure every thing out. It all looks great and I envy your setup.
Yes, I don't plan on running the refrigerator on 120 while dry camping. I was doing it only to test how the solar panels could charge the system the next day. I'll post more on the performance of the system on the blog main page.
Hi Gary - I've been reading your adventure since its inception and am enjoying it.
I am impressed by your solar system. Can you recommend some websites to learn more about the concept? Also, about how much did it all cost? I'm curious what a top notch system runs.
Thanks and have fun as the adventure moves on -- Kevin
I have not yet received an invoice for the installation. I have paid an invoice for the hardware which was $9011. but that did not include some of the cables. I'm hoping the total cost will be less than $15,000.
Here are some links but also use Google to find more information:
http://jmayer6.tripod.com/id26.html
http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/12volt/12volt.htm
http://www.enerwest.ca/faq/charger.htm
Hi Gary,
12.2 volts on those batteries is pretty much a total discharge - I would not let them get that low.
I found monitoring amps was the most accurate for me. I was using an E-Meter that would calculate amps in/out - I almost always wanted to get back in as much as went out and could monitor coltage as well to be sure I wasn't over drawing down the system.
You should be able to accurately estimate how many amps you can safely draw out of the system and then look for an equal of slightly higher to come back during the charging cycle.
For all the dough you have put out - you might get your installers to give you some numers as to how much current drawn will bring the system down to 30 % taken out.
Good Luck and thanks for all the information.
John
Post a Comment