AGM battery, now what?

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System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
Hello all,

Last year I bought a deep cycle AGM marine battery (105@20Ah) to power my CPAP machine when I am camping. Now I am buying a house and will finally have room to eco-hack, etc.

So, my febrile geek brain has been atwitter wondering what I might do with said battery+panel+charge controller. I have an Ansmann 120VAC/12VDC input smart charger for AAA/AA/C/D NiMH/NiCad/Li-ion batts. So, one obvious application, given the charger's tender function, is always having fully charged batts. I could, of course run some low carbon footprint/emergency LED lights in the house as well. It'd be great to have a setup that I can take camping to keep the AGM battery charged too. (Camping = truck and small travel trailer) Other ideas?

My biggest question is this: What should I buy such that I keep my options open for future expansion with more panels, etc. I've been looking at this lustfully: http://www.ul-solar.com/product_p/stp125p-n.htm , but I know nothing specifically about solar PV systems. I am fully versed in the basics of electricity, physics, sci/math in general. Just don't know jack about this kind of tech.

Comments & suggestions please!

Thanks,

Art

PS: Also have an AIMS high-efficiency 300 watt pure sine inverter.

Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Re: AGM battery, now what?

    Our host - WindSun, has a brick & mortar store, and they carry panels too:
    http://store.solar-electric.com/hiposopa.html
    And for the very least cost, there is SunElec in Florida, but shipping costs can get you.
    You will also need a charge controller, that has settings for your AGM battery, a couple fuses, and possibly and inverter, if your battery charger does not have a 12VDC input. Caution - solar systems can have up to 15 or 16VDC in them, compared to a car with 14V engine running.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,