The other Michael B's posts

TOMB...  Took me a couple seconds to figure that out. 

Don't know where I came up with the 9.7V  Musta had my head where the sun don't shine.

I took the BM off 4 hours ago and it still shows 12.75V.

I will try running without the truck hooked up, one day off and one day on the next trip to see what Mr. Bogart says.

Just fired up the 5er to see what it draws overnight with the fridge, propane and CO2 sensors running.  It shows -.42 right now.  I just found out that the propane water heater draws ~.60A when fired up.  I only use it just before a shower, and don't know what it draws after the water is hot.  This is not a good test as I use the inverter and TV for several hours during the day and evening/night.

If the panels put out ~4A during the day, the batteries should be charged when the sun goes down and should also keep the truck batteries charged.  There have been times when the trailer battery test panel showed a full charge with the array and truck connected.

Here's a trick I recently learned.  If you have some old glasses with fine scratches, Pledge them.  I tried it on some I use in the shop and the scratches all but disappeared.  Wouldn't this also improve the insolation on a PV panel?  Try it on some old glasses and try to tell me it doesn't help.

TOMB

Last week, I desulfated x 5, charged and equalized my Trojan T-105s.  Friday, I bought a hydrometer and it took several times filling and draining the hydrometer in each cell to get a good, consistent reading. I couldn't believe it, they all came out 1.275. I equalized it over a week ago.  Does stratification happen that soon?

Trojan says 1.277 +/- .007 @80° and to add .004 for every 10° above 80°. Electrolyte temperature was around 89°.
So, 1.277 + .004 = 1.281 +/- .007 = 1.274 to 1.288. At 1.275, I'm borderline full charge.

A week ago Friday, I took the BatteryMinder off.  The voltage after I took it off was:
3:00 PM 13.31V
3:30 PM 12.86V
7:30 PM 12.70V
9:30 AM 12.66V

This Saturday, it still read 12.66, so I put the BM back on.

I realize that these readings don't show the true load capacity, but at least all the cells appear to be charged the same. There may be hope for these batteries yet.

What is the "glass" top coat made of on a M75, 48W Siemens?

How about de-natured alcohol, acetone or M.E.K?

I was thinking the Pledge would help repel dust..  That's what they promote on their newest version.

I bought a new 10A HQRP PWM CC on Ebay for $30 that said it had a digital LCD display.  The same seller had some that didn't have the display for the same price and when I questioned him, he said they didn't send him the ones with the digital display, so I got out of buying it.

I was hoping someone here here might have a spare one laying around, but will check out Solar Converters Inc.

I'll probably get some Sam's Clubs cart batteries for $73 each when the dune season starts.  I'd get some hydro readings, but they are in a 13x15x12 enclosure and I would have to disconnect them and remove them.  My back would not like that at all.

I gonna asked if it is a good idea to use Lemon Pledge on them.  We camp at the Imperial Sand Dunes just west of Yuma, AZ and at times, it can get quite dusty.

I am working on installing my Trimetric 2020, but got slowed down with back problems.  I'm gonna see what that shows before I invest a lot more money into this project.  Like I said earlier, these 2 - 48W panels were given to me.

I think my 2/7/05 T-105s are shot.  I charged, equalized and de-sulfated them and after 2 days off the charger and no load, they were down to 9.6V.

Anybody out there have a used MTTP CC for sale?  I only need one that can handle 6 amps.

Being someone who likes to know what is
happening all the time, I ordered the Trimetric
for my two 48W panels that are wired in parallel.
I do not have any plans to expand my setup.
Just trying to run the trailer genny as little as possible.

I did some testing yesterday and came up with:

1:00 PM, 19V and 6.06A with a clear sky and cold panels.

I then fired up the trailer off grid and got these readings.

CO2 + Propane = .18A                       
+ Fridge   ====  .51A
+ 1 Lite  ====  1.46A
+ Inv/w TV === 6.06A
+ Heater   === 11.00A
Got inverter alarm. 11 amps doesn't like going through meter leads.
The inverter is 300W and is enough to run my 15" LCD TV and digital
converter.  I rarely have the heater and light on during the day.

Will my panels keep up if I charge the batteries with the genny in the morning?
I should be pulling < 5A with just the TV and inverter on.  During the day, I am
away from the trailer for an hour or two at a time, so it gets the full charge minus
the fridge, CO2 and propane sensors.

Should I disconnect my truck batteries when I get to camp and run on
the Trojans alone?

I was wondering if you were going to show up. 

Yes, that was 18V open ckt with the panels pointing almost directly at the sun at 3pm.

I uses my toy hauler about 12 - 4 day weekends between Oct an May.

I just fired up my trailer and these are my ~amp draws with different appliances turned on.

Fridge + two air sensors  =  .5A
+ Inverter                      =  .8A
+ 1 light                        = 1.7A
+ Heater, no inverter       = 5.0A
Heater, + Inverter           = 6.0A
Heater, Inverter, +1 light = 7.0A

I'm sure it would go over 10 amps with the heater and TV on.
I guess it would be hard to figure my amp-hours with the heater coming on and off during the night.

When camping, I have been leaving my trailer plugged into my truck with two 12V batteries and it does draw down the truck batteries, but there have been times when the solar panels did bring it up to full charge as shown by the lights on my battery test panel.

Tomorrow, I will try it with the fridge, inverter, and TV on to see if the panels keep it at full charge.

Where would be a typical place to mount the Bogart 2020?  The plastic battery box is on the driver's side so I'd have to find a way to access where ever I mounted it.  Are there less expensive monitors.  These solar panels were given to me several years ago.

So, aside from this meter, would I also need a charge controller.  Are the $30 ones good enough for my 96W solar panels?

Thanks for the reply.

Mike B.

Gottcha.

Based on the 19.8 spec, I would lose about .4V, or about .3V on the 15.9 spec.

I use this with my 5th wheel trailer, so it might get complicated adding a tracker.  I've been toying with a way to mount it on the roof and have it pivot so I can aim it at the sun, but I may just end up with a ground base that pivots.  I have to consider storing it while in transit also.

What's a 224?

Thanks for the reply. I'm also a Michael B.

Did you see the 2nd picture of the label on the back of the panel.  It shows 19.8 open ckt volts, so I am actually below that with no load on the panel.  The extension cord is 12g and 15' long, not 15".  My bad.  The panel was just leaning on a bench for the picture.

At the end of the extension cord that plugs into my trailer, I get slightly over 6 amps with the panel pointed directly at the sun.  I cut off the male end of the 12/2 cord and hard wired it to the panel junction box.  From where I plug into the trailer, there is about 18" of 14g going to the battery terminal on my generator.  From there, it is like 0g to the batteries.

It was 3 pm when I measured the amps and volts, and the panels were pointing directly at the sun.  When I'm camping, I try to keep the panels pointed as directly towards the sun as possible.

I baby the batteries and keep them in a cooled garage during the summer.

My question is, do I need a blocking diode anywhere going to the trailer?  Inside the J-boxes, there are factory diodes in both the + and - boxes.

Excessive heat from a lose connection.  Clean and re-seat/tighten all connectors.

Yes, for 24 volts, you would have to wire it + from one panel to the - on the other, but you knew that.

Hi all, great site.

I have two Siemens M75 48W panels wired in parallel. � Aimed directly at the center of our solar system, I get over 6 amps and over 18 volts at the end of a female connector that plugs into an amp meter panel on my 5th wheel trailer. � You can see the solar panels and the label below.�  Am I getting about the right output from them?

http://www.members.cox.net/mcb56/SolarPair.jpg
http://www.members.cox.net/mcb56/SolarLabel.jpg

Inside the J-boxes, there are factory diodes in both the + and - boxes.

The amp meter panel is wired directly to two 6V Trojan batteries wired in series.  On a good day the home built panel gauge shows 5+ amps.  I calibrated it using several amp meters.

Do I need a blocking diode on the wire going to my meter panel?�  I am not using a CC as the propane refrigerator, and water heater control modules and all the air sensors are on all the time.  At night, I use an inverter to run my LCD TV, and laptop. � The propane heater draws a lot at night also.�  This is in the middle of winter in the southwest(Yuma, AZ) with temps from 35-80°. � I don't know what my watt hours are, but the solar panels rarely charge the batteries fully during the day. � Without solar, I had to run my generator several times during the evening/night.

I lean the panels against the trailer and try to keep them aimed at old Sol.  The cable from the panels to the trailer is a 15' 12/2 extension cord.

Is there any way to improve or anything wrong with this setup?