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RE: Trojan T1275 battery
I have 4 of the T1275 batteries in my FW. 2 1/2 years old now and working like brand new. I keep them charged with solar.
The cap arrangement is just a cosmetic thing. At 82# each gravity does a fine job of keeping them in place.
Gale
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N8GS
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03/02/13 04:41pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: What can you do with solar?
I find the difference in systems quite interesting and varied.
I also find it interesting that anyone can say their solar system has made their genny obsolete. They must be fair weather campers only, or real power conservers.
I wonder what they do in situations like 8 days of overcast and rain like we had in Quartzite this year, when even the largest arrays were only able to manage 6 to 8 amps max, and then only at mid day.
Everyone in our area was having to supplement with their genny. Temps in the low 40s at night and mid 50s for the high.
Things were a bit strange in Q this year. I was only there for weeks (Jan 14-28th) The first morning it was 27 deg. F. in the Roadrunner area. The 2 1/2 days of clouds and rain didn't allow much charging but with my 600Ah batery bank it wasn't a problem. On the days when it was cloudy for only part of the day I was able to get to at last 95% full.
My typical usage is about 92Ah and I can reduce that by 1/2 if necessary.
With good sun in Q I can harvest 200Ah from my ground mounted tilted panels. I Point them a bit East of South to take advantage of the morning sun. That way when the sun is not at a very good angle in the afternoon I don't care because the batteries are in absorption mode and the panels are still putting out more power than the bateries can accept.
Hacen't used the generator since I got the solar except when camping in the woods.
Gale
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N8GS
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02/16/13 12:18pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar Not Working in the Desert
mena
The T1275's ar working just fine.
BFL13
Last year I spent 7 week in the desert 100% dependent on solar so I had to have a cushion for those cloudy or rainy days. Right now I am near Midland, TX on my way back to Michigan after putting on a Solar seminar in Quartzsite, AZ.
For the person that asked about a set of guidelines. Please go to www.quartzfest.org enter the site then then click on the Ham and RV resources tab. Download my excel solar and battery sizing spreadsheet. PM me with your comments.
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N8GS
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01/28/13 05:15pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Wfco 100 Amp 13.6 converter
Sorry no sun today in Q
I have/had a wfco 68100 and it is a handful for a Honda EU2000i. I never put it in the FW but it works great for recharging the neighbors Freightliner. Still anything less than 4 BIG batteries and it won't stay in bulk for more than a few minutes.
Gale
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N8GS
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01/26/13 09:30pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Where can I buy this 12 VDC plug?
IIRC the 12v outlet only puts out 8 amps with the eco mode OFF. And.. the unregulated output is quite capable of destroying any number of electronic items.
Me thinks that the only thing that 12v outlet is good for is salesman BS.
Gale
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N8GS
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01/26/13 09:17pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar Not Working in the Desert
Good evening All:
I too am in Quartzsite (the Roadrunner 14 day area)
According to a Davis weather station in Q we got 0.7 inches of liquid sunshine between yesterday and today. My solar has been putting out 2 to 5 amps. i am currently down about 85Ah so I won't have any problem while I wait for the sun to return.
Solar is great IF you have a properly sized battery bank that will last a few days. In this area it means that you need to have 2 1/2 days of capacity available to get thru a rain storm. Then you need enough solar to get the batteries fully recharged in 4 to 6 days.
I will be here for another week then its back to Michigan and the cold.
Gale
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N8GS
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01/26/13 09:08pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Best solar charge controller for this panel?
OK I had in my mind "slightly more" would be an extra $50.
Larger controllers are less per watt but $500 you need at least 3 panels to be worthwhile IMO. That is the same zone as my Morningstar MPPT 60 and in hindsight I think the 45 would have been fine for my 3 panels even if over the official spec a bit..
When I said a little bit more I was speaking of going from a 15 amp controller to a 25 or 30 amp unit.
I went big because I am a belt and suspenders type of person. My 470 watt system works really well and when in AZ I was dropping out of bulk charge by noon and going to float mode by mid afternoon. With the FM-60 I can tell it to go to float mode when absorption mode gets down to less than a specific amperage. In my case I set that at 5 amps. This way the system decides how long to stay in absorption and I don't have to change it for varying conditions.
Gale
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N8GS
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12/08/12 07:48pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Best solar charge controller for this panel?
OK Glad to here that it won't burn up but I wonder about the wisdom of installing a system that is maxed out, resulting in a system with no expansion possible.
My system has produced 34 amps but my controller is rated for 60 amps. Lots of room for expansion with only a slightly more expensive controller.
But having said that, everybody has different needs/wants.
Gale
60 amp MPPT controller for how much? This is a 24v panel.
It will do any battery bank up to 60 volts with input up to 145 volts. EVERYTHING imaginable is adjustable but it is not cheap. I think I paid right at $500 for it late last year. Check with "Wholesale Solar". It is an Outback FM-60. The users manual is available online.
Gale
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N8GS
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12/08/12 07:17pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Best solar charge controller for this panel?
OK Glad to here that it won't burn up but I wonder about the wisdom of installing a system that is maxed out, resulting in a system with no expansion possible.
My system has produced 34 amps but my controller is rated for 60 amps. Lots of room for expansion with only a slightly more expensive controller.
But having said that, everybody has different needs/wants.
Gale
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N8GS
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12/08/12 06:01pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Best solar charge controller for this panel?
I was just looking at the Morningstar controller and I see a problem. The spec sheet says 200 watts max input and 15 amps max output. A 235 watt panel will but you out of spec on both counts.
Sorry
Gale
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N8GS
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12/08/12 05:07pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: a nice series on batteries
hi Don
Nice info. Now if I could just afford a boat to put that big battery bank on.
Gale
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N8GS
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11/03/12 12:12pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Boondocking In Quartzite, AZ
For those that don't know.
Q is in the desert between 2 mountain ranges. The desert has a solid gravel surface that is easy to drive on.
For access to water and a dump station I paid the BLM fee. That is $40 for 2 weeks or $180 for the season (7 months). The water and dump station is at the la Posa south unit on Hwy 95 about 3 miles south of town.
Most campers park 100 to 150 yards apart except for groups that often try to park in a large circle which helps to block the wind.
If you are thinking of a campfire bring your own wood, where is no wood available in the area except for scrounging old pallets from business in the region. With a million or so campers in the area good luck finding any wood that hasn't been spoken for.
I have 470 watts of solar on my 5th wheel and it provided all the power I needed. I never started my Honda genny.
I plan to spend next January in Q and maybe Feburary too.
I also like the Senator Wash LTVA area about 20 miles North of yuma.
Gale
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N8GS
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10/26/12 01:37pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Modified vs. Pure sine wave. Real world experiences?
I have a Toshiba Laptop computer that has problems with MSW inverters. When on MSW power the Touch Pad is unusable, the cursor jumps all over the screen.
Other than that I have only noticed that the MW in the semi is a lot slower than when it was at home, but it still works.
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N8GS
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09/15/12 01:24pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Glue for polycarbonite
PVC glue will not work well, but the primer that is used to clean PVC befor gluing is often MEK and will do a nice job. BUT get the clear stuff not the purple. Wet both edges and then press them together for a few minutes. Be careful not to use to much it melts the plastic.
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N8GS
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09/08/12 10:31am |
Tech Issues
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RE: planning an upgrade to my solar "farm"
Hi Don
Sounds like a fun project that you have in mind. When I was testing my 470 watt system I found that with the batteries down more than 25% I was getting 430 watts to the batteries. That works out to about 91% efficency in 20 deg C weather.
FWIW I have posted an updated version of my Solar/Battery system design spreadsheet to the Quartsfest.org website. To find it look under the prior years tab and then the 2012 tab. I just sent out an update today so it may take a few days for the site to be updated.
Gale
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N8GS
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09/08/12 10:18am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Getting ready to go full time!!! Where to winter?
So if you like solitude and are willing to run a generator part time or get solar panels the BLM LTVA north of Yuma, AZ is really nice and only 20 miles from a nice size city. Pick a spot, set up camp, pay $180 for the winter. You can move your camp any time you want and can go to another LTVA at no additional cost. The $180 gives you access to the dump station and fresh water. The desert is a hard gravel surface.
I spent most of Jan and Feb there this year. I have solar, never ran the genny. Lots of places to explore and the ocean is only 4 hours away. Lots of groups in the area with various hobbies. Ask around and find a group you like then move your camp to be near them if you want. If nude sunbathing is your thing there is even an area SE of Quartzsite that is set aside for that. The camp host or BLM employees know where most of the established groups hang out (thats not a pun about the nude area).
Nightime temps were in low 40's, daytime 65 to 75 with a couple exceptions. My biggest expense was for propane, 30# lasted 7 to 10 days in my 30' FW.
The suggestion to use a screen room is very good. You would not even need that except for the wind.
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N8GS
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05/26/12 02:06pm |
Full-time RVing
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