Why isn't it working?

Gilgamesh91

I have a 12v 15w solar panel connected to an esky charge controller which connects to a 12v 35ah lead acid battery which runs about 40 feet on 10gauge (idk what gauge really) to a 1000w constant 2000w surge power inverter.
I let the battery charge all day. The charge controller says the battery is full. Then I go plug in my tv and Xbox into the inverter. I turn the inverter on and turn just the tv on. Immediately the inverter alarm goes off.
What am I doing wrong?

zoneblue

Well almost everything. For a start you cant run a 1000W inverter off of a 35Ah battery (thats like 3C), and if that wasnt enough  the 40ft of 10 gauge is the nail in the coffin. Work out the required DC current, work out the voltage drop on the cable: http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html

Johann

40 feet on that #10 wire is a long distance to power that inverter. Inverters like that usually use a way bigger wire for proper operation with a shorter distance.
Why not put the inverter with the battery and run the 120 volt power 40 feet, This way the voltage drop is way less for that distance.
Use a smaller inverter that is closer to the loads needed. If your loads are 300 watts use a 600 watt inverter. Inverters use power for themselves even in idle.
What is your total load? 300 watts or morer?
What kind of inverter are you using? Full sine wave or modified,
At best your solar panel produces 60 watt/hrs a day. If your load is 300 watts per hour that would give you a few minutes of power per day to operate your items.
 

mike95490

too large of inverter and too (way too small) small of battery and PV

vtmaps

Welcome to the forum,

Even if you had a smaller inverter and shorter, thicker wires between the battery and inverter (as mentioned by the others), you couldn't charge that battery with that solar panel, the panel is just too small for that battery. 

To design a system, start with the loads... how many watts (and for how long) do your xbox and tv consume?  Once you know the loads, you can pick a battery of the correct size for those loads.  Once you choose your battery, you can figure out how many watts of solar panels you need to charge that particular battery. 

If you do it any other way, you are just guessing.... and you are seeing the results of just guessing.

--vtMaps