Recent content by DLTooley

Very good point. Real world usage patterns also go into those numbers. I've designed my system for approximately 20% discharge, under normal conditions. If there were two weather days with zero power generation I'd be just below 50%. The margin of error on that measurement is a factor, but...

Rope, a bungee cord, or somesuch across the fold points would work.

Running a generator during peak loads, including the initial phase of battery recharging, is a good strategy. Making the best decision will depend on tracking your actual use and solar production. IMO folks don't prioritize this enough in their system design/solar controller selection. The...

I just did a bit of research on those numbers. Please feel free to check my numbers. Float/trickle voltages are typically 13.8v for Flooded Lead Acid. It is normal for voltages to run a bit high after charging and they will ease. According to Battery School your specific gravity says the...

What's the history of your batteries? I'm by no means expert but it sounds like the batteries may be failing. Do keep them on the trickle charge for a while, maybe a month, and see how they respond. Running an equalization cycle and checking water before and after would probably be worth a...

A big advantage of the Victron is its built in amp counting functions.

Reducing all loads to the minimum during absorb is a good practice to maximize charge. The Victron 75/15 MPPT uses the batteries current acceptance rate to end the absorb phase so it's based on actual, not estimated, need. This is all the more important if your usage varies widely. The...

Rewiring the winch to the house bank seems like the way to go. Charging two different banks from the same source would require special tech. A small panel combined with a gennie is a good combo as solar is only fully utilized for a short time. It takes a long while to top off at low current...

I've heard one, unverified, report of a failure in that second generation of flexible panels. Reportedly they were not mounted. Does anyone have a recommendation for a 50-100 watt folding model? I'm currently using a 50 watt rigid from a previous upgrade. At that size it's pretty easy to handle.

Theoretically, no problem. My concerns are about having both a starter and house battery on the circuit. The particular methodology of the solar charger also matters - an egg timer based absorb phase could overcharge. Also, with more complex wiring there is more possibility of error. Fusing...

The fridge is your big draw. The 7 amp/12v number (84 watts) is the maximum running temperature. How often it runs will depend on the internal setting and external temperature. 200 watts of panels won't produce a whole lot more than that in real world conditions, but you should be good. You...

The smaller 'solar generator' systems are pretty affordable. I have one on my list as a supplement to my larger system. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PR4TBZ/ Large pelican boxes are spendy, there are other options, perhaps less durable. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051F8RPE/

I started with a 50 watt, mostly just ran my CPAP. Check the numbers on your fan, but I think you'll be okay. I've since upgraded to a 100 watt and the 50 gets set out as a semi-portable when needed. The fridge is nice. At some point you'll want to get some sort of way to measure actual...

Weight per AH should tell you a lot. But I am not sure exactly what. The heavier the better for deep cycle performance. AGM may differ from Flooded Lead Acid based on construction method.

There are calculators out there for wire gauge and voltage loss. You do want to consider water for the particular receptacle setup you have. The picture of the wired box above has a lot of the common components, including a fuse block. You could mount the receptacles inside the box for...