Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:17:26 -0700
Reply-To: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Calling all solar gurus
In-Reply-To: <4a47b0bb.a353f10a.56c4.ffffcd40SMTPIN_ADDED@mx.google.com>
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Hi Ellen
Depends on how many watt hours your fridge (and other loads) consume.
You may want to do an "energy audit". It's not hard to come up with a
ballpark figure out how to size your system. Maybe some of the
electrical engineering listees can chime in here and help you with the
calculations.
My initial thoughts about the system from Northern tool is that it may
not be enough output, especially during cloudy days or off season
camping. Off hand, I'd look at outputs in the 80-120 watt range and a
battery with enough capacity to get you thru the dark hours. Cost-
wise, I think there are better deals out there. Used PV panels are a
good way to go.
For reference, my system has a 75 watt panel and a 78 amp/hr deep
cycle battery to run my stereo, amp, cabin lights, coffee grinder,
propex heater fan, fridge fan and camera battery/cell phone/laptop
charger off the 600 watt inverter. These are relatively light loads
that run for short periods of time and the battery has never been
depleted. Sunny days usually get the battery topped off by late morning.
My take on adding solar charging is that it is worth the expense and
time to install, especially if it eliminates one more noisy generator.
Mine has been running flawlessly for over 13 years on 2 different
Westies. The only thing needing replacement was the battery. Simple,
elegant, quiet and very functional (as long as there is sun light).
Good luck
Keith O.
90 Westy Syncro "VikingWagen"
On Jun 28, 2009, at 10:54 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:30:33 -0700
> From: Ellen Oregon <elleninoregon@HOTMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Calling all solar gurus
>
> Think I am on the right track here but need some reassurance from
> those =
> who know about this stuff.
>
> Lola is an ASI conversion and consequently has the two-way (electric
> only) fridge.
> Did a lot of primitive camping this last trip and the camping battery
> didn't hold up too well. So I am exploring solar and have narrowed
> my search down to the following system: http://tinyurl.com/nylk9c
>
> So what do you solar gurus think of this? Is this sufficient
> wattage to run
> my fridge? I don't plan on hooking anything else into it.
>
> Thanks in advance for any and all advice.
>
> Ellen
