Van Storage

Submitted: Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 02:02
ThreadID: 124046 Views:8793 Replies:6 FollowUps:4
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We will be storing our BT in an open-ended shed and will probably install a section of polycarbonate roof sheeting to assist with solar charging. Is solar gain possible through polycarbonate and if so is clear better than opaque?
Thanks,
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Reply By: Frank Aus - Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 05:28

Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 05:28
Actually i have been doing a fair bit of reading up, but need a few questions answered first, how long are you going to store the BT? what type of batteries are they? and hoe old are the batteries? and i assume noone will be using it in the shed.
AnswerID: 572921

Follow Up By: Avalon Boggers - Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 06:06

Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 06:06
Hi Frank,
The batteries were installed at BTI in July '07 and are the new gel batteries. The van will be kept in the shed for up to 3-4 months at a time (unfortunately!). It won't be used in the shed at all. There will be power to the shed soon and whenever we are there (about every 6 weeks or so) we will hook it up to 240v for short periods. Maybe we won't need the clear panels at all?
Thank you,
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Reply By: Keith & Joan - Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 17:16

Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 17:16
Hi Richard and Nina, it is my understanding that Polycarbonate sheeting is the worst thing you can put your BT under, as it cuts down the solar charge rate by 95%. Why are you storing it in a shed anyway ? BT's are made to stay outdoors and then the batteries will be OK. My BT stands outside all the time and I have never had any trouble with batteries, or keeping them fully charged.
I am sure I have read on this site, an article by Steve Gibbs about exactly this subject, and why you should not store your BT under Polycarbonate sheeting. Maybe worth the time to do a search and see what you can find. I am sure the answer is here somwewhere. If I find it, I will repost. Good luck. Keith & Joan.
AnswerID: 572922

Follow Up By: Keith & Joan - Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 18:09

Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 18:09
Hi Richard and Nina, Here is the article about polycarbonate sheeting, by Steve Gibbs.
Post I.D. 2069.
Feb. 7th 2006

On Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 14:50
Bushtracker posted about Tip # 85 “Perspex” (ACRYLIC) VRS. “Lexan” (POLYCARBONATE) Carport or Skylight - (PostID: 2069)
The post

I get questions from people wanting to be self sufficient in storage on solar, in remote locations for carports or sheds with clear roofs or light panels… Being one of the first to experiment with solar under clear covers to protect them from damage of halyards and winch handles and whipping sheets and shackles on sailing yachts in the early 80’s, we soon found that the ACRYLIC worked with only about a 5% loss, but the POLYCARBONATE came with a huge loss of 25% to 40%. We were working with ARCO solar panels, on teak blocks, hinged to clean out the salt, raised up off about an inch for laminar air flow under and over.. ACRYLIC is OK, losses were minimal to nil. Just be aware that some of the exotic carport type plastic covers and shed light panels could be POLYCARBONATE, and that is hopeless with solar if you are trying to leave equipment on like fridges and such. The losses are too great. Ask your Builder or Supplier...

By the way, my strong suggestion is that for long term storage, the fridge not be left on. Better to leave it off with the door open on fridge and freezer. In ideal conditions it would be OK, and is certainly OK for short term storage, but long term anything goes wrong and you can ruin batteries, or worse yet ruin a fridge full of rotten food that you can never get the smell out of… Leave it off. It also does have a certain undeterminable engineering lifetime, why run it when you do not need it? For instance my Danfoss Compressor in the horse truck, running 24/7 is on the second compressor in eight or nine years or.. Give it rest if you don't need it, and leave the door open to air it out when in storage.

Best Advice, from the Ranger….

Of course you are free to disregard it, but there will be a cost eventually, so smile when it happens!! Ha!

"The Last Stand In Open Country"



Reply 1 of 1 posted 07 Feb 2006 at 17:22 - (AnswerID: 8260)
Committee Member Noosa Fox replied to the question

We have got our van stored under a white lasorlite roof and the batteries seem to get enough solar energy to keep the batteries fully charged. It is a carport type structure with full length lasorlite roofing.
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Reply By: Noosa Fox - Sunday, Sep 16, 2007 at 02:14

Sunday, Sep 16, 2007 at 02:14
Richard & Nina,

We store our BT under a white laser lite roofed car port type structure beside a shed. The solar panels get enough light through the laser lite to keep the batteries charged and it prevents all the rubbish from the near by gum trees dropping on the van along with the bird droppings. Before we built the caravan port we had to regularly clean the roof of the van.

Another advantage in our area is that it prevents having to make an insurance claim for hail damage.

The clear laser light lets a lot more heat through than the coloured ones.

Brian
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AnswerID: 572923

Reply By: Avalon Boggers - Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007 at 17:42

Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007 at 17:42
Thanks everyone
He who must be obeyed wants to get on the road again (heading from Quilpie towards Windorah).
We will digest all info when we get home.
Thanks,
AnswerID: 572924

Follow Up By: Bushtucker Man - Friday, Sep 21, 2007 at 01:46

Friday, Sep 21, 2007 at 01:46
Nina & Richard,

Make sure you check out the rally site while at Quilpie, Lake Houdraman!!!!

Have a safe and enjoyable journey.

Cheers, Stan.
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Reply By: Avalon Boggers - Thursday, Sep 20, 2007 at 17:50

Thursday, Sep 20, 2007 at 17:50
Hi Brian
Your reasons for wanting to keep the van under cover are exactly the same as ours - it will soon be stored on a property with heaps of huge blackbutt trees which drop quite large limbs.
We are building a new shed and will probably install laserlite sheets over the centre.
Thanks,
AnswerID: 572925

Reply By: Frank Aus - Friday, Sep 21, 2007 at 18:19

Friday, Sep 21, 2007 at 18:19
I will be doing the same thing and i have read that a 5% discharge is worse that a 10% so what i intended doing was to turn off all circuit breakers so that the only discharge was internal to the battery, and i am trying to keep away from laser light sheet and find a 28 day timer to turn the electric battery charger on at least 1/month, this will keep the number of cycles down and from what i have read, this should be fine. solar regulators should keep the battery topped up with no problems through polycarbonate sheeting as well. 3 months storage should have no problems.
hope this helps. there is lots on information on the net and makes great reading
www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery.html
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Lifespan%20of%20Batteries
all worth reading.
Have fun :)
Frank
AnswerID: 572926

Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Friday, Sep 21, 2007 at 18:44

Friday, Sep 21, 2007 at 18:44
Frank,

Supermarkets and hardware stores have a 7 day timer that will allow you to have the battery charger come on once a week for a set time, if that is any help.

Brian
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