smkettner wrote: Sometimes it is best to go right to the top and be done instead of continued upgrading of a low cost system.
It's hard to tell where is the "top" for any given person. If microwave won't be used often or at all, and same for regular vented furnace, and hair drier, coffee maker etc, and trips are short, and/or they are not absolutely against having a generator - then one 200W panel with $80 controller and $30 inverter will do fine. Add more consumption, and - ops... you need more panels AND $$$ controller AND better inverter AND thicker cables AND more batteries.
In the OP case, having got 300W total panels (at least that much), with voltage 40, he's past the turning point already and gotta have MPPT for sure.
* This post was
edited 05/06/12 01:42am by Almot *
I'll swing by and purchase your panels for $150.00 ok? *grin* NO????? Well I HATE to see a man who is unhappy. LOL
Don
You are too kind but it would be unfair of me to saddle you with the cost of a new controller. lol
I considered selling one of the panels to pay for the smaller Morningstar controller but losing half my watts for $100 just doesn't seem a geed decision for me.
Maybe I could buy two of the smaller controllers and use one on my rig and rent the other panel/controller out. What do you think a week of no generator with a 220 watt solar set up is worth?
2011 GulfStream Amerilite 25BH
2007/2003 Ford Expedition
Nights camped in 2011 21
Nights camped in 2012 16
Just think of the Rogue in terms of gasoline. $350.00 for me is two fill ups for my Class C. Running a Boliy (if you can get the darn thing to start) cost me $15.00 for just one night. Since you are in Yankee land, drop that down to $12.00. It seems to me the Rogue will pay for itself rather quickly in saved energy costs.
Oh I understand that part Don. The savings are even more so since we have the Champ instead of a inverter model running at idle for charging. I figure one season savings will pay for the solar and silence of course is priceless.
Jim, think of the Rogue's sticker shock in this perspective - other comparable MPPT controllers are more expensive yet.
Blue Sky 30 is the closest, and apples to apples, with same options, it costs slightly more.
Morning Star 45 costs more than BS 30, and gives room for future expanding of the system - which you might not need with 450W power already. It also allows series connection - which is not terribly important because you would only save on a thinner cable before the controller, not after.
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