Amps Generated by Solar Panels

Heli_av8tor said:

VERY informative post.

Is there a reason for not charging the Lithium batteries from the engine alternator?

Tom

Click to expand...

Dreamsend said:

..............  LED lights are another example, but they don't contribute much to the overall total so I'm not concerned about the range reported, but still. . . .  I have seen published info that a 12W LED bulb draws anywhere from 0.12 to 0.2 amps.  That's kinda a large INDIVIDUAL difference -- and can lead me to wonder about the published accuracy of other bigger ticket items -- like the furnace fan.  Due to these vagaries, differences, and my lack of trusting the numbers, I may be over-estimating, "just to be on the safe-side" as they say.

You are right on about LED's, about 0.2 amps.  Furnace fan does pull about 6-8 amps while running.  Plus it is noisy.  That is why we use a catalytic heater for 98% of our heating needs. Some times we run the furnace in early morning to take the chill off. 

...........But, for whatever reason, my barebones usage still comes to around 180 Ahrs per day.  No microwave cooking -- only heating water for my Melita pour-over coffee filter, reheating coffee and food, no hair dryers, no furnace fan, no satellite, no excessive computer or TV use, no slow cooker or instant pot use. 

Your estimate is good.  It is good to estimate on the higher side of usage.  Once you get the system installed and using it you will truly know what your usage is.  Please come back in a couple of months after you have used your system for a while and give us your "real world" experience.
 
..............AMS is currently using 100 and 180 W panels. Mine will all be 180 W.  And you are correct, I don't know if they will do a combination of series and parallel for the solar panels or not.  Can't really tell from the estimate they have provided.  This is an area I trust their expertise.  Same thing for the wiring, I trust their judgement.
About wire size from the combiner box to the controller. Consider asking them to size the wire for a 1% voltage drop and see if they will and/or see what the cost would be.  While I have not personally evaluated other peoples solar installs, what I have read from other people I consider experts is a frequent short coming of many installers is too small a wire size from the combiner box to the controller.  Not sure if AMS is one of them or not.  The cost of a little larger wire size is minimal compared the cost of the rest of the system.

.............With the input from the good folks here, and AM Solar's expertise, I think I'm getting excited again about how great this is gonna be.  Al, your solar system sounds awesome, and works exactly like I would like mine to operate.  I will be in RV parks now and then, -- laundry, longer showers, other amenities, change of pace, using those cooking appliances and freezing soups, chili, pot roast and stew meals (not all on the same day obviously), but I would like to NOT have to stay at one simply to charge batteries, although if such an occasion should arise, that's okay to and I'll deal with it.

From what I have read from others, AMS is a reliable, quality installer.

Thank you again,
Linda

Click to expand...

ChasA said:

Al, I had an '06 Sightseer 29R. It did charge the house batteries from the alternator.  The solenoid that does it is in the small compartment in front of the door, inside a black enclosure. Occasionally the solenoid failed to make contact.  I was usually able to get in working by repeatedly operating the Mom switch on the dash. The contacts get oxidized and exercising the solenoid "wipes" the contacts. I was going to replace the solenoid with one that has silver contacts but never got around to it because it is really hard to get to.

Click to expand...

Heli_av8tor said:

VERY informative post.

Is there a reason for not charging the Lithium batteries from the engine alternator?

Tom

Click to expand...

The idea Lipo charger has 3 cycles bulk, float, and standby/storage.

Click to expand...

The ideal FLA charger has 5 cycles  bulk, absorption,  float,  equalization on occasion, and  standby/storage.

Click to expand...

Frank B said:

ALLOY:




Interesting. I always understood that Lithium-ion batteries charged only in bulk stage, and they required no float.

[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/charging_lithium_ion_batteries[/font]

That is a new thought for me as well. What is the difference between float and standby / storage?

[/size]Frank.

Click to expand...

During extended periods of non-use, Battery Health Mode will initiate every 21 days ensuring fully conditioned batteries which will be ready to go.

Click to expand...

Dreamsend said:

ALLOY

One small item.  "LIpo" is shorthand for lithium ion polymer batteries, which are vastly different than Lithium Iron Phosphate --LiFePo, which are of course what we're using in RVs.  You'll totally fry a LiFePo if one treats it like a Lipo.

L

Click to expand...

ALLOY said:

Geeez   more details ...my mistake I've a bad habit of throwing all lithium under the same "Lipo" tag.  When you refer to "totally fry" are you referring to the lower cell voltage LiFePo4 has vs other lithium?

Click to expand...