solar panel question

[sparrowhawk1]

The high quality fairly low power high output fan. If you don't want to spend that much you can get an O2 cool fan for $20 and it uses .6 amps at 12 volts house even though it's rated at 9 volts for built-in batteries.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Chill out just a bit. The OP is a total beginner it appears and he just needs basic information.

The last beginner we overloaded with technical info on Solar Panels, Controllers, Current, Voltage, connections etc became so frustrated he decide to just stop his troubleshooting for a while>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Using correct terminology, especially for beginners, always has seemed to be a proper approach. Easier to teach your children well than to have to retrain them.


That last skipper may have been overloaded, but it was his choice, wasn't it? IIRC, he got some VERY good advice from a wide variety of respondents, who imparted a vast amount of information in a short period of time. And he had an interesting conundrum, too. And from his OP was completely confused between amps, volts, amp hours, watts, wire sizing and fusing...just about everything. Didn't someone suggest he read a book?

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Chill out just a bit. The OP is a total beginner it appears and he just needs basic information.

The last beginner we overloaded with technical info on Solar Panels, Controllers, Current, Voltage, connections etc became so frustrated he decide to just stop his troubleshooting for a while

If you monitor your Victron Controller while in Float ( I use my Lap top for this) most of the time you will read 0 amps or that is what mine reads.

Thomm, I think you have a very atypical set up. No loads when your solar panels are in float is not the optimum way to manage a solar system.

Here is a photo of our system in float with one of the solar panels delivering 72w. The other two solar panels have a similar output. So a bit over 200w on float. Nothing unusual, just a typical snapshot of our system while on float.

Originally Posted by thomm225

You will basically see no current flow that will amount to anything when in Float

This may be “basic” information, but it is also wrong information, so it is not any help to anyone.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Using correct terminology, especially for beginners, always has seemed to be a proper approach. Easier to teach your children well than to have to retrain them.


That last skipper may have been overloaded, but it was his choice, wasn't it? IIRC, he got some VERY good advice from a wide variety of respondents, who imparted a vast amount of information in a short period of time. And he had an interesting conundrum, too. And from his OP was completely confused between amps, volts, amp hours, watts, wire sizing and fusing...just about everything. Didn't someone suggest he read a book?

Everything was suggested but like sometimes occurs, folks to go to the Nth degree on a small problem when it just isn't necessary and it can overload a beginner when the simple approach is usually the best

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Thomm, I think you have a very atypical set up. No loads when your solar panels are in float is not the optimum way to manage a solar system.

Here is a photo of our system in float with one of the solar panels delivering 72w. The other two solar panels have a similar output. So a bit over 200w on float. Nothing unusual, just a typical snapshot of our system while on float.


This may be “basic” information, but it is also wrong information, so it is not any help to anyone.

My setup is very basic.

The first 6 years I used one of those $12.00 PWM Controllers that held the voltage at 14.4 Volts after charge up and one 65 Watt Panel. This was hooked up to a left over starter battery from when I had a diesel and an Interstate deep cycle battery in parallel. Not the best setup I know but it's what I decided to try and it lasted about 5 years

I now have two panels: one 50 Watts and one 65 watts hooked to a Victron 75/15 Controller in parallel which charges two matching 12 volt (so called) deep cycle batteries from Auto World/Auto Zone etc. (I also had two 40 watt panels hooked to a PWM Controller alligator clipped to my batteries but I disconnected that yesterday)

This powers mainly Depth, GPS, VHF, Autopilot, lights, inverter so when I turn off the power everything is off

Whether it's optimum or not, it's how my simple system is set up

What is your load when at Float?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by sparrowhawk1

The high quality fairly low power high output fan. If you don't want to spend that much you can get an O2 cool fan for $20 and it uses .6 amps at 12 volts house even though it's rated at 9 volts for built-in batteries.Attachment 179404Attachment 179405

Maybe I'll get one before next year because my present setup powering a 120 volt house fan through my 400 Watt Inverter is very inefficient. (I've decided to try and repair my jib sail (broken head straps) myself and maybe get another year out of my dodger by doing some repairs. New Dodger and frame was quoted at $1700 and sail repair would probably be around $300) Or I'll just see how low I can go on the batteries and find out how low can they go and still give me at least autopilot power

The inverter also really loads up my system in the am when charging my Laptop. Usually the batteries are at like 11.9 - 12 volts in the am after the fan has been running for about 12 hours ……...basically after anchoring and during the night

The early am Sun after it clears the horizon will quickly bring the voltage to 12.2 and up (if there or no clouds) but if I need to charge my laptop if will be back at 11.9 volts or so until the batteries have had more time to charge

Recently I left my anchorage in quite the rain storm. I had a long way to go and was pulling the anchor even before I made coffee (on my propane hot plate) While pulling the anchor I heard this weird shhhhhhhh noise (in was dead calm) and could see the rain line but had never heard this before being in town etc

I was anchored alone quite a ways off the grid. Anyway, I ran autopilot and running lights (at times) only and used my compass for the first few hours until the squall was over. Visibility was very poor but the winds weren't too strong.(voltage was around 11.8 volts

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by thomm225

My setup is very basic.

There is nothing wrong with a basic system. Our first yacht was set up much like yours minus the inverter! We had a great time in this boat. When we upgraded to 46w of solar we felt like we had enormous amounts of power .

You are seeing zero current in float mode because you have none of the common electrical demands. If you want to avoid confusing beginners, you need to be careful about making absolute statements such as “You will basically see no current flow that will amount to anything when in float”, without qualifying that this only applies to very small systems such as yours.

Even with a small electrical system, the statement is not ideal. You should try running as much power as possible when the solar panels are being regulated. This is the ideal time to charge your laptop.

For most solar controllers that means turning on loads such as computer, phone and camera charging when the controllers are in absorption or float modes. However, your Victron controller does not have a normal absorption mode. Therefore with this controller you should try and run these optional loads while the controller is in float mode.

If you are in float mode and your controller is showing zero current, as you indicate is generally the case, you are almost certainly throwing power away. This is fine if there is power in abundance, but something to be avoided as much as possible if you want to maximise the usable power.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

There is nothing wrong with a basic system. Our first yacht was set up much like yours minus the inverter! We had a great time in this boat. When we upgraded to 46w of solar we felt like we had enormous amounts of power .

You are seeing zero current in float mode because you have none of the common electrical demands. If you want to avoid confusing beginners, you need to be careful about making absolute statements such as “You will basically see no current flow that will amount to anything when in float”, without qualifying that this only applies to very small systems such as yours.

Even with a small electrical system, the statement is not ideal. You should try running as much power as possible when the solar panels are being regulated. This is the ideal time to charge your laptop.

For most solar controllers that means turning on loads such as computer, phone and camera charging when the controllers are in absorption or float modes. However, your Victron controller does not have a normal absorption mode. Therefore with this controller you should try and run these optional loads while the controller is in float mode.

If you are in float mode and your controller is showing zero current, as you indicate is generally the case, you are almost certainly throwing power away. This is fine if there is power in abundance, but something to be avoided as much as possible if you want to maximise the usable power.

Okay. I'll try and explain my simple system next time.

I'm at my boat most days while it's at the marina, and it's at float an hour or so after Sunrise if I haven't been out for a few days sailing. I don't use shore power (my boat isn't wired for it) unless I want to run my shop vac or drill without hooking up my 1500 watt inverter. I have an adapter/extension cord for the shore power receptacle courtesy of the PO

When I'm out sailing for a weekend or a few days, it's rarely at Float (but close) unless I shut everything off and let the batteries charge, but I'm usually sailing a lot under autopilot because I have limited time. When I stop/anchor usually by 4 pm the Computer comes on, the fan, my Jet Pack (for internet) etc. Anchor light is a portable LED lantern

I actually will use the laptop and jet pack under their battery power but I don't want the batteries to get to low in case I want to use the computer in the am when power is low

[john007]

Most items have been covered . Having read numerous articles on the use of panels I became aware that with a meter on them you can see the difference of output my moving something, your hand, in the way of the sun. Simple keep them clear. I tried several controllers, as you are , wondering what was going. I have now settled with a Steca, German made and it displays / provides an amazing amount of data. Speak as you find