1. Drawer Bar Andersen Plug Solar Charger & 2. Extra Solar panel
Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 01, 2015 at 18:39
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Doinit-Ezy
Q 1 - I wish to charge my car batteries (to run fridge) from the van solar system instead of a portable solar unit. Will only be necessary when car is unused for 3 or more days.
Is it just a matter of running wires from plug direct to +ve & -ve terminals of first battery in line or is a fuse (size?) necessary? Car is already wired with 6mm cross section wire. Total length of run 15metres max.
Q 2 - Will also install extra (Currently 3 x 130W Sony) 130W Kyocera solar panel to provide extra capacity during poorer (solar charging not stock-market) conditions e.g. this year in Tasmania with a relatively cloudy & showery summer. Will also make up for lost capacity since installation of Air Command aircon which shades panels at times. Our regulator is an Omegalec 40A fitted March 2007.
Are there any issues; e.g. matching age, size, condition of batteries; that need to be considered?
Does anyone know the use by date of Solar Regulators or how to check the condition of same?
Thanks in anticipation & have a great day.
Greg
Reply By: Cargra - Wednesday, Sep 02, 2015 at 06:51
Wednesday, Sep 02, 2015 at 06:51
My andersen plug is run direct from my auxillary battery which also has a branch to a seperate cig plug to run the engel (permanently mounted in car) so the fridge is powered from the van when car is shut down. The aux and start batteries are of course fitted with a redarc isolator.
I also have a 3 metre extension lead fitted with andersen plugs both ends for occasions when the car has to be unhitched and beside the van (as in some van parks). As an aside I have an 80amp panel permanently on the car.
Hope this helps, cheers graham
AnswerID:
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Reply By: NIK `N` OFF - Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 22:10
Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 22:10
G'day Greg, that is pretty much how ours is done. I would connect to +ve to one battery and -ve to the last battery, provided they are wired in parallel. Ours also has a circuit breaker fitted close to the batteries. I have had different batteries in tow vehicle to van and hasn't been a problem in 8 years. Our solar reg is the same and still doing the job, no idea how to check other than its working or it doesn't. We have 4 120w panels and solar reg handles the charge fine.
AnswerID:
589956
Reply By: Doinit-Ezy - Friday, Sep 04, 2015 at 22:35
Friday, Sep 04, 2015 at 22:35
Thanks Everyone
Always good to hear from people who have had the experience. Will probably get Springers in Brisbane to do the install. May also fit a hard wired inverter to replace 300W pure sine wave portable unit we recently started using to accommodate updated laptop. Having the use of 10 x 240V power points instead of 3 x 12V for charging/running all the toys will probably be easier.
Happy & safe travels
Greg
AnswerID:
589990
