Yes, Jim, tell us about your solution to the water problem. I want to know
even if Brian doesn't! Thanks BTW, for your cogent essay on power usage.
Someday I'll put all of this to use. I think 3 years lurking on this list
should qualify one for a Phd. in Airstream Living, thanks to the likes of
you, Terry Tyler, Doctor Gerald, and so many others. Thanks for sharing your
knowledge.
Dan Weeks
75 Argosy 26
> From: Jim Dunmyer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 09:57:24 -0400
> To: Multiple recipients of VACList <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: [VAC] Re: DC TV's
>
> Brian,
> Nearly all of the "solar" sites have an AH chart similar to the one you
> found at RVSolar. Pick one and go with it.
>
> Before charting your usage, you need to actually measure the consumption
> of your various appliances and lights, then estimate how many hours/day
> each will operate. Your DVM, set on the 10-amp scale will work fine to
> measure the draw, just be very careful to run only one device at a time.
> Simply disconnect one of your main battery leads and connect the meter
> in series, then turn on each light, the pump, the furnace, your small
> inverter (both loaded and unloaded), etc., ONE AT A TIME, and record the
> number. Round to the nearest .1 amp, closer than that is not necessary.
> This will require no more than 30 minutes of your time, believe it or
> not, and you'll be WAY ahead of the folks who are guessing, discussing,
> rehashing, and so on.
>
> Put your numbers in your chart, just as shown in the examples on the Web
> sites.
>
> Now, put the AH output from your solar panel(s) in the chart. A 100-amp
> panel will have a peak output of slightly more than 5 amps, and you can
> expect to see that much for a maximum of 4 hours per day, plus half that
> for another 4 hours. That's a total of 30 AH/day. Although that's my
> estimate, it's actually pretty close to personal experience. Note that
> we're assuming sunny days, it'll be next to nothing on a dreary day.
>
> If you're exceeding 30 AH/day in usage, your battery has to make up the
> difference. But, let's put that into the chart also. Your 3 batteries
> will give you about 250 AH max, or 125 AH if you try to never draw them
> below 50% charge. Let's say that you're using 60 AH/day, giving you a 30
> AH/day deficit. You can still operate for 4 days before running your
> battery bank lower than is prudent, twice as long as without the solar
> panel. You might well look at your camping lifestyle and figure out that
> 4 or 5 days is the maximum time you will spend away from shore power and
> realize that you're all set. Of course, an eMeter or equivilant will
> help you track usage and give you a real-time readout on the state of
> your batteries.
>
> You might consider adding a good 3-stage charger/converter to your
> setup, especially if you plan on being out for a long time and using
> your generator to charge the batteries. A regular converter will charge
> the batteries so slowly as to be almost useless in this situation, but a
> 3-stage charger can put a very useful amount of juice into them in 4 or
> 5 hours of run-time. The small 1000-watt Hondas with the inverters are
> very quiet and very fuel-efficient and should do the job nicely.
>
> We use about 30 AH/day, being wastrels next to Sherry, but frugal
> compared to many others. Our 2, 75-watt panels can easily provide that
> amount of power and more. The eMeter has proven out the system, showing
> the batteries as "full" by shortly after noon most days. The one thing
> that could hurt us is if we had to run the furnace very much and the
> days were dreary. The furnace draws over 4 amps and runs quite a bit, so
> it really contributes to the AH consumption. Our TV is tiny, but draws
> only 1 amp. The 9" TV that I'd kinda like to have draws 4 amps, so would
> add at least 9 AH/day to our usage if we watch it for 3 hours/day.
> That's nearly 1/3 more total than at present!
>
> It sounds to me like you're all set in the power department. If you're
> interested, I'll tell you about my solution for the water problem. :-)
>
> <<Jim>>
>
> brian ganoe wrote:
>>
>> Jim,
>>
>> I have used the amp/hours chart at rvsolar. Are here others online that are
>> more useful? I ultimately plan on a 3 battery bank with at least a 100 watt
>> solar panel. This will all be supplimented with a small generator. I now
>> have a 2KW unit but look to get a lightweight 1KW unit in the near future.
>> We have no ac or microwave and I have installed a catalytic heater so the
>> furnace blower will not draw current except when really cold. I have
>> installed some flourescent lighting and am intrigued by the led talk. With
>> the resources we will have and a frugal energy lifestyle it shows we can be
>> out along time. I figure water will be more the limiting factor than power
>> or my wife will want to more civilization. Unfortunately that is not where
>> most of the mineral, fossil and metal deposits are found. Thanks!
>>
>> ..........Brian..........
>> 1973 Safari
>>
>> At 07:24 PM 4/19/01 -0400, you wrote:
>>> Brian,
>>> If you're going to depend on your battery for power while boondocking,
>>> it cannot be emphasized enough that you should use one of the worksheets
>>> on the solar power sites to chart your usage. You're just guessing
>>> otherwise.
>> <<Jim>>
>>
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>>
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>>
>>
>
> --
>
> <<http://www.oldengine.org/members/jdunmyer>>
> <<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>
> <<lower SE Michigan, USA>>
> <<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>
>
>
>
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>
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