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Solar & Lithium setup, Great info


Al F

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The Wheelinit.us blog is posting some great info about their recent upgrade to Lithium batteries and additional solar panels. Not only are they providing great info about the whats and whys of what they did, they provide a number of links, all in one spot, to a huge amount of technical detail about solar & batteries in RV's.

 

Here are the first two entries. There are more entries to come in the near future.

 

http://wheelingit.us/2016/02/24/the-big-beastly-solarbattery-upgrade-part-i-why/

 

http://wheelingit.us/2016/02/29/the-big-beastly-solarbattery-upgrade-part-ii-component-details/

 

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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  • 2 weeks later...

I saw the good info, but not at the cost of what I would want to pay.

Current system

960 watts at 45 V open circuit, 34 volts max current.

660 Amp hour batteries usable to 330.

Midnite 150 Classic Controller - Max Voltage 150VDC.

MS2812 Magnum PSW inverter/charger with BMK shunt Kit.

 

Recently playing with system, panels elevated but not directly. Reach 750 watts for 55 amps at 13.7 Vdc

Last set of Batteries lasted 7 years.

Boon dock quite a bit. Have residential refrigerator. Usually 20 amps per hour unless the refrigerator is making ice or coil cleaning mode or using the Crock Pot.

 

Cost of solar = $2000 including MPPT charge controller

Batteries = Costco = $90 ea. (x6).

 

Maybe, if I did not have this investment, I would think about trading up.

 

Maybe someday, the biggest improvement in solar is using High Voltage in Parallel and not in series.

Susan & Dale
DaGirls Rv 2008 Alfa Gold SoLong ISL 425 Cummins
2015 Ford F-150 XLT Tow / Roadmaster Setup
1600W@45Vdc Magnum Inv/Chg&Solar

880AmpHr
DaGirlsRv Blog

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Interesting read. I'm not ready yet but following.

 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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Cost of solar = $2000 including MPPT charge controller

 

Maybe someday, the biggest improvement in solar is using High Voltage in Parallel and not in series.

 

Wow! I've never seen a deal that good before. Even at a $1/watt that's already $960 in panels, $1k+ for the Magnum.. then the controller, shunt, fuses, wiring, brackets, c-box, BMK, breakers, cables, etc... Who do you know to stay at only $2k?? B)

 

If I we're putting together a like system for someone like that I would probably tell them they would need to budget for more in the $4k range rather than 2.5k.

 

Depending on your real estate and shadowing issues, you could probably still improve efficiency now by a simple re-wiring of your panels... going with combo series/parallel arrays to increase voltage to your MPPT controller.

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Wow! I've never seen a deal that good before. Even at a $1/watt that's already $960 in panels, $1k+ for the Magnum.. then the controller, shunt, fuses, wiring, brackets, c-box, BMK, breakers, cables, etc... Who do you know to stay at only $2k?? B)

 

If I we're putting together a like system for someone like that I would probably tell them they would need to budget for more in the $4k range rather than 2.5k.

 

Depending on your real estate and shadowing issues, you could probably still improve efficiency now by a simple re-wiring of your panels... going with combo series/parallel arrays to increase voltage to your MPPT controller.

Plus $720 for the batteries! But I don't think the inverter & batteries are included in the figure, nor are all the connecting materials and miscellaneous items. It sounds like just the panels and controller are included.

 

I agree, the "shunt, fuses, wiring, brackets, c-box, BMK, breakers, cables, etc." cost a few hundred dollars by themselves.

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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It sounds like just the panels and controller are included.

 

I think you're right, Al. I think I misread what he meant with "cost of solar = $2000". For 960 watts and controller only.. 2k would be about right.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

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