12v Solar Camping!

it is sad that topic not popular anymore, i would like to hear more information
 
Brings back memories.
That victron 75:15 is still going strong the solar panel did end up getting mounted on the little Suzuki and kept my car fridge running for a couple of years before one day the 100amp hour Ultimate AGM battery farted everywhere in our car and had us wondering what was going on.
Found out sulphur is a sure sign your battery isn't happy a sealed one at that.

Anyhow these days a few years later I look around SE Aus here and its quite popular the mobile roof top solar vehicle option often times their running a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery with outstanding quick charge and discharge capacity.
Trades especially you know car fridge auxiliary battery for charging work tools and such...
 
Brewer #408543 said:
It sounds like you have an exciting project in mind! To set up a portable solar system for camping, you can consider using a DC to DC charge unit with an integrated MPPT solar charge controller. This type of unit allows you to charge your deep cycle AGM battery using solar power. For a basic setup, a budget-friendly DC to DC charge controller can work well. Pair it with a 300W solar panelnfor efficient charging.
Click to expand...
Pretty much exactly what I did do bar the Dc to Dc you need one of them with newer modle cars whose alternator puts out less than 14V DC.
That Victron 75/15 MPPT with Bluetooth is still operating to this day flawlessly.
My old Suzuki Grand Vitara 2010 model didn't need one ;)

Sometimes new ain't always better huh...
 
Trialben said:
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...
Click to expand...
Hello.
I have a Delica van I've been working on to get a Self Containment Certification and would like to have a Solar system with house battery to match at least the minimum 3 days of self containment but ideally more.

My requirements are minimal as far as the amount of things I'll be running. A couple of LEDs as well as charging and using a laptop at night and maybe charging a cell phone. The biggest user of power will be the Waeco TC-14 cooler which will initially draw 4 watts till at temp then drop down to 2 watts. I know this little fridge uses a lot of power(I read in another thread 48Ah/24 hours) but it's what I have at hand and it fit's nicely in my camp box/kitchen.

My question to all you knowledgable people is how big should I go system wise?

I was thinking along the lines of a 120ah battery and 150w solar panel with a mppt controller. Do you think this will be enough to keep the battery charged with my hungry little cooler running 24/7?
 
Brewer #409343 said:
Hello.
I have a Delica van I've been working on to get a Self Containment Certification and would like to have a Solar system with house battery to match at least the minimum 3 days of self containment but ideally more.

My requirements are minimal as far as the amount of things I'll be running. A couple of LEDs as well as charging and using a laptop at night and maybe charging a cell phone. The biggest user of power will be the Waeco TC-14 cooler which will initially draw 4 watts till at temp then drop down to 2 watts. I know this little fridge uses a lot of power(I read in another thread 48Ah/24 hours) but it's what I have at hand and it fit's nicely in my camp box/kitchen.

My question to all you knowledgable people is how big should I go system wise?

I was thinking along the lines of a 120ah battery and 150w solar panel with a mppt controller. Do you think this will be enough to keep the battery charged with my hungry little cooler running 24/7?
Click to expand...
I ran an 110AH AGM battery with a 200w solar pannel I found get a good quality MPPT to feed your battery whilst the Sun's out.

I ran a little Cf35 waeco fridge In the car for a couple of years until the batter clapt out as above in the thread.

It's definitely doable with what your saying.

Double your battery storage and you'll be sitting fine and dandy
 
Brewer #409343 said:
Hello.
I have a Delica van I've been working on to get a Self Containment Certification and would like to have a Solar system with house battery to match at least the minimum 3 days of self containment but ideally more.

My requirements are minimal as far as the amount of things I'll be running. A couple of LEDs as well as charging and using a laptop at night and maybe charging a cell phone. The biggest user of power will be the Waeco TC-14 cooler which will initially draw 4 watts till at temp then drop down to 2 watts. I know this little fridge uses a lot of power(I read in another thread 48Ah/24 hours) but it's what I have at hand and it fit's nicely in my camp box/kitchen.

My question to all you knowledgable people is how big should I go system wise?

I was thinking along the lines of a 120ah battery and 150w solar panel with a mppt controller. Do you think this will be enough to keep the battery charged with my hungry little cooler running 24/7?
Click to expand...
remember one thing the charger uses battery and in some cases more than you think so once you figure out your needs double everything
 
Brewer #409343 said:
Hello.
I have a Delica van I've been working on to get a Self Containment Certification and would like to have a Solar system with house battery to match at least the minimum 3 days of self containment but ideally more.

My requirements are minimal as far as the amount of things I'll be running. A couple of LEDs as well as charging and using a laptop at night and maybe charging a cell phone. The biggest user of power will be the Waeco TC-14 cooler which will initially draw 4 watts till at temp then drop down to 2 watts. I know this little fridge uses a lot of power(I read in another thread 48Ah/24 hours) but it's what I have at hand and it fit's nicely in my camp box/kitchen.

My question to all you knowledgable people is how big should I go system wise?

I was thinking along the lines of a 120ah battery and 150w solar panel with a mppt controller. Do you think this will be enough to keep the battery charged with my hungry little cooler running 24/7?
Click to expand...
4 Watts cannot be correct. That's less than 14 BTUs, which couldn't cool a grape.

4 Amps perhaps. At 12 V, 4 A is 48 Watts.
 
Donoroto said:
4 Watts cannot be correct. That's less than 14 BTUs, which couldn't cool a grape.

4 Amps perhaps. At 12 V, 4 A is 48 Watts.
Click to expand...
Yup from memory my Cf35 was around 3 amps draw.

Man i would love a lithium iron battery you can draw them down more.

In all reality an AGM 100ah only gives you 50ah at the most and that brand new.
 
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Trialben said:
Yup from memory my Cf35 was around amps draw.

Man i would love a lithium iron battery you can draw them down more.

In all reality an AGM 100ah only gives you 50ah at the most and that brand new.
Click to expand...
Their coming down in price but I still think $350 is too much
 
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