If you will have regular access to shore power (at least once a week) you can just install a quality shore power charger, and plug it in long enough to get to 100%. For deep cycling applications, many batteries require higher absorb voltages, 14.6V or so. To get to 100%, you need do one of the following.Ĭharge to the specified voltage (temp compensated if at all possible)and hold for 2 hours.Ĭharge to the specified voltage, and hold until the charging amps (monitored via shunt) drops below 1-2% of battery capacity.įor flooded batteries this is usually 14.4V minimum. To prevent this, you need to get your batteries to 100% as often as possible (daily is best, but every 5-7 days can suffice). This will reduce your batteries lifespan due to sulphation. (a DC-DC charger from the alternator is a different story). I think you may find that the 200 watts you had before is a pretty good compromise.īe aware, that unless you drive for long stretches (4 hours or more) regularly, your alternator does not produce high enough voltage to fully charge lead acid batteries. PVwatts is particularly helpful in that it give both summer and winter, which are dramatically different. So, if it says a 100 watt panel can collect 14 KWH for a given month, divide by 30 to get 0.47 KWH per day, which is 470 watt-hrs per day, then divide 470 by 12 to get 39 amp-hrs per day on average. To convert to daily amp-hrs, divide the monthly total by 30 to get the daily average KWH, then multiply by 1000 to convert to watt-hrs per day, then divide by 12 volts to convert to the average amp-hrs that solar will contribute per day. it takes into account your climate and panel orientation and gives you the average energy you will collect per month. You can get a good idea how much solar will contribute in your climate by using the PVWatts calculator. But, solar is also nice to keep the battery charged when the van is parked in the driveway between trips, and nice if you want to stay in one place for a couple days. If you operate in the mode where you drive some each day, I guess you don't really need solar as some driving will allow the van alternator to do the charging. This was close to a worst case scenario with cold weather and lots of furnace use. I have pretty much the same electrical loads as you, and kept track of actual usage on a recent trip to Banff. Proposed House Battery: 225 amp/h 12v AGM The Espar would be the largest consumer of amps. Therefore with the frequent driving could I recharge these amp hours without solar using an ACR or do I really need solar? If I need solar would 100 watt panel deliver 20-30 amps a day in summer and with an ACR most likely keep me in enough energy?Įnergy Needs: 12v low amp fridge, LED lighting, Fan, accessory charging ports (USB). I found that I was often not parked for days, but rather usually driving every couple of days. The house batteries (2 cheap flooded Costco Deep Marine) were only recharged by solar and never were below 75% in grey skies of B.C. ![]() My last experience was with 200 watt array, cool Blue Sky products, temp sensor, shunt, expensive wires, circuit breakers, etc. This go around I am much more interested in simplicity and "meeting the need" rather than the super cool (read expensive) work I am reading about here. My last build was somewhat complex, a time eater, and expensive. Searching the old threads are rather blurring and time consuming with little effect I'd appreciate some input to help bring me current. ![]() A lot has changed since my first van and a many more people have become very experienced. I am on my second van and am contemplating just how much energy I need and how to recharge those batteries.
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