hi chris,
a low tech low budget solution might be to use a plug in timer with a battery charger and set it to top off your battery bank every night or every few days (weekly timer) for a few hours. you can watch how things run and adjust the timer accordingly.
all the best, dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks much...there it is: the obvious solution. Let's see if I got this right: With a decent 3-stage DC charger on a timer (set for nightime), the charger should sense the condition of the battery bank and switch itself(bulk/boost/float) as needed. That shouldn't require any additional intervening charge controller, because the charger also behaves as a controller (wouldn't ever float, though, because the bats have a 24/7 load). Very cool, thanks!
As for the panels, I see lots of posts that discourage DIY and I agree EXCEPT when you're just getting into the field with an obsession to learn and save money. I'm a hobbiest that builds furniture, audio tube amps, circuit boards, etc. None of this is a paying proposition except when you do it as a hobby in the sanctuary of the workshop in your own garage.
I'll be sure to share my experiences because there's not much on the web for people like me and the stuff I saw was not built for longevity. I'm thinking sheet aluminum, conformal coatings, optical silicone and glass.
Best,
Chris