On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 8:40 PM, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:
> �RE: Battery Charging
> Sorry to be late to the thread, just back from a week being parked and
> living on my solar panels.
>
> To Neils question: Huh? �Why? �One aux battery, one starting battery. �Aux
> could be two or a bunch, wired in parallel for desired capacity. �Hard wire
> solar charger (and or 110v charger) to aux batteries/battery. �Plug in solar
> when you can, plug into 110v ac shore power if available. Have a separator
> or isolator between aux and starting battery so both charge from alternator
> when engine is running. �Trying to monitor/switch between seperated aux
> batteries just complicates things. �Maybe in marine or aviation applications
> where critical systems have to stay alive there is a place for multiple aux
> systems but for camping in our rigs?
> BTW, my two 50 watt panels kept ice in the Norcold and even ran the laptop
> all day when it was heavy clouds and rain last week. �When the Sun came back
> out my aux was up to the float voltage of 13.3 v by noon each day. �I think
> the new MPPT controller is making the setup even better.
>

For sure. I basically understand what's involved in a solar setup.  :)
  I was thinking one might get away with running one solar panel.

Since I have a starter battery under the driver seat running my LED's,
sink pump etc., I would install 2 batteries dedicated to run the
fridge. In that case, thought one could dedicate the solar panel to
battery A while fridge was running off battery B, switching this
charging pattern daily.

Good to know of your real world experiences Loren. I've been reading
up on electric only fridges and have read again your reports (amongst
others) on real world fridge amperage draw etc.

Those must be good quality solar panels to work even when cloudy and
rainy..... if I understood you correctly. And re: your MPPT
controller. I'm sure it helps a lot.

Neil.

-- 
Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/

http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines