12v Solar Camping!

GFHomebrew

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ok i thought id try out the brew community and pic your brains on all things solar 12v and battery storage i know this is a brewing forum and there are solar forums for this but lets admit we are a pretty nousey bunch us brewers.

ok here is what ive got currently a standard voltage relay that charges my deep cycle AGM battery (110AH )but its over 10 years old so im looking to up grade to current best practice.

these days it seems its DC to DC charge units with in built MPPT solar charge units all rolled into the one unit. you hook your Auxillary battery in your cranking battery and solar unit load all into the one unit.

I want to make a transprotable unit so i can have it hooked up in the car but when i get to my camp spot i can unhook the battery box from car and take it into my campsite then set the panel up in the sun, hook up fridge, light system all into the battery then kick back relax brouse brewersfriend and have a homebrew whilst out in the beautiful great outdoors;).

whats your set up all? you run solar you know much about this DC to DC charge units and all heck im even thinking how i could run my brew fridge and freezer on a solar battery storage setup.

the Dc to Dc charge controller im looking at is as below is not bottom of the line but near so should work i think with my basic setup.
Screenshot_20180422-170841.png

i thought this pannel looks good and i wanna mount it on roof rack whilst in transit but be able to unhook and set up near my campsite away from car. it doesnt need a charge controller as ill hook it into DC to DC its got Multi point power tracking MPPT inbuilt. is this a good panel? it fits dimentions of roof rack.
Screenshot_20180422-170714.png

well let us know your thoughts im like a newb BIAB brewer who just needs direction...
 
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all of the core of engineers camp sites around here have the option for water and electric, I my self like to rough it and camp like the cowboys did with no electronics especially phones but people say I'm crazy too lol
 
I don't need power but I want a shower even when camping. US campsites are amazing compared to Canadian ones.
 
I don't need power but I want a shower even when camping. US campsites are amazing compared to Canadian ones.
US campsites are hotels where you bring your own room. Camping with electronics just defeats the purpose. I camp, I want to see the Milky Way and meteors, not a phone screen.
 
I brought my phone, laptop, and radio when we camped in our air conditioned RV. We enjoyed it. People roughing it next to us seemed to be enjoying themselves just as much as we were. Everyone’s a winner!
 
This is my lake trip strategy, pack as little as possible and just what you’re going to use, when I arrive set up the tent and bedding, trash area and lantern, then go straight for dry wood anywhere you can find it, pile it up as much as possible then sit back and have a cold one before the first playtime event, physical labor after I start drinking never works out, I like to relax when camping
 
yep i get it but how long can you go without essentials like food and water a fridge freezer allows me to get off the beaten track into remote country but without a reliable 12v charge setup with optional solar your just not going to stay out there too long untill you run outta food.

i spent 3 years living in a camper trailer travelling around Aus with basics. i want to build something i can disconect from the car even lug it inside at home and run other things off it. like a portable power unit that gives you free energy...

we get plenty of sunshine in Aus;).
 
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ok i thought id try out the brew community and pic your brains on all things solar 12v and battery storage i know this is a brewing forum and there are solar forums for this but lets admit we are a pretty nousey bunch us brewers.

ok here is what ive got currently a standard voltage relay that charges my deep cycle AGM battery (110AH )but its over 10 years old so im looking to up grade to current best practice.

these days it seems its DC to DC charge units with in built MPPT solar charge units all rolled into the one unit. you hook your Auxillary battery in your cranking battery and solar unit load all into the one unit.

I want to make a transprotable unit so i can have it hooked up in the car but when i get to my camp spot i can unhook the battery box from car and take it into my campsite then set the panel up in the sun, hook up fridge, light system all into the battery then kick back relax brouse brewersfriend and have a homebrew whilst out in the beautiful great outdoors;).

whats your set up all? you run solar you know much about this DC to DC charge units and all heck im even thinking how i could run my brew fridge and freezer on a solar battery storage setup.

the Dc to Dc charge controller im looking at is as below is not bottom of the line but near so should work i think with my basic setup.
View attachment 2899
i thought this pannel looks good and i wanna mount it on roof rack whilst in transit but be able to unhook and set up near my campsite away from car. it doesnt need a charge controller as ill hook it into DC to DC its got Multi point power tracking MPPT inbuilt. is this a good panel? it fits dimentions of roof rack.
View attachment 2900
well let us know your thoughts im like a newb BIAB brewer who just needs direction...

I either have a backpack on and go way out or stay in a cabin with a boat launch close by so not much advice from me but sounds like you have the ground work for a good time. Good idea on the solar. If it puts out more than you use you should be good. Nosey could probably make you out a graph to show if you have enough juice.;)
 
speaking of solar is seams the core made a law and I guess they can do it since the own the lakes and easements but all docks now have to be powered by solar so no more cables strung underwater for lights and boat lifts, Ill have to check around to how they wire solar to a boat lift
 
We have panels on our roof wired to the house - 110 V AC, once it's past the inverter. Use just like any other electricity....
 
ill keep everything DC atm for now and just run 12v appliances and charge off USB plugs wired into battery.

with inverers it seems getting one big enough to run the certain appliances you need for example a 2400watt heating element for brewing or kettle is going to suck some extream power. also the wave length of the power being generatedby inverter to run delicate elec equipment like PC is important pure sign wave they call em.

you know ive already started looking at my brew fridge and freezer to see what whattage they run on so i might eventually go off grid with my brewing...:p
 
me solar pannel turned up today and my 12v stc from Inkbird i see its in Celsius and Fahrenheit. i see the relays are still 10amp but prob 10amp 12V. anyhow cant wait to rip the wires outta my Waco and rig it up to this temp controller. man i like messing with 12v DC more even so it still causes a spark if wires are crossed.
20180515_152238.jpg

ive not used inkbird STC beforw only Elitech i like Inkbird gives a 12month warrenty too sweet!
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20180515_152737.jpg
 
im not sure what i was smoking yesterday arvo because all STCs go ti 10th of celcius:confused:. the display is bigger
 
Clearly. Nice though, I like my STC.
 
got a pic of me panel its a cheepy from china 200w for i thunk it was $120 or there abouts. guess what?? its wired backwards or im backwards:confused::p. yep the + & - terminals are arse backwards well thats what my multimeter is telling me anyhow. i knew to check for thus though thats why these forums arr the GO you can dig a bit deeper under the surface and get the low down from those in the know;).

anyway cant wait to test amps out in full sun i was getting .3amp 20v at sundown to be expected. im hoping for atleast 9amp fingers crossed. who knows how much watts itd producing thats a maths thing right VxAmps should = Watts.?o_O
some how i gotta mount this on the car...:)
20180516_162211.jpg
 
well wired in STC into Waeco car fridge. used exisiting 12v Plug and put the stc where digital screen once was so far its working a treat.
20180519_151422.jpg
 
Doing a dummy run with my solar charge controller battery setup ATM.
Will see if i can run my car fridge with just the solar pannel and victron charge controller alone which atm it seems i can.
20180527_154259.jpg

I ended up using a Victron 75/15 as my charge controller which has built in bluetooth so you can link you phone to it and get a real time display of what your solar is doing battery and load pretty bloody cool.
20180527_154344.jpg


Ill leave this set up as in the photo and put it to the test.

Heres a screen shot of late arvo charge Info bugger all but still charging that Multi Power Point Tracking for ya
Screenshot_20180527-154322.png
 

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