No tracker for me.

bluewickedburner
bluewickedburner Solar Expert Posts: 78 ✭✭✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I was originally going to put a tracker on my motorhome and add some additional panels as needed. Short story- since a motorhome has limited space for both panels and batteries, you only have so much leeway with what you can do.

Also short story, no tracker because of certain complications on other ends.

I have 6 100 watt mono panels, the midnight charge controller, the 4 305 series 6 volt in series batteries for 720 amps @20 hrs. 12 volt system. I'm fabricating some three axis no drill tilt mounts than can later be changed out for something that will use the single axis for horizon to horizon tracking automatically. I'm sticking with the 100 watt panels because they are smaller and that allows me to place them so that as the tilts are set I can reduce or eliminate any shadows. Also I need to have room to walk up there once in a while for cleaning and things like that.

From some advice here, initially the 6 panels will be used to float the batteries and I'll turn off my charger. I'll see how that goes and begin trying out no genset during weekend trips. I have enough space for 10 more panels if I need to go there for a total of 16 which would be maximum but one step at a time there.

I figure since my battery capacity will be at max, adding panels will take place as I see the need to use more charge from the batteries and keep them maintained during trips.

I'm going to take lots of pictures and some video of each step and figure it will take me a week or two going very slowly, triple checking everything and having my retired electrician check to make sure I'm not about to blow something up or reduce all the electrics to a smoldering mess. Turning my shower into a wet taser isn't my idea of fun.

I'll post some pics along the way. Wish me luck.:confused:
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: No tracker for me.

    We're all wishing you luck. With enough luck you can win the lottery, and that goes a long way towards solving many problems! :D

    Or so I'm told. No first hand experience with being a millionaire. :p
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: No tracker for me.
    bluewickedburner wrote: »
    ...... Turning my shower into a wet taser isn't my idea of fun.....

    well, I got a chuckle out of it :D May have to steal that phrase too!
    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 ,

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  • bluewickedburner
    bluewickedburner Solar Expert Posts: 78 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: No tracker for me.

    :D Well, the luck paid off and I feel like the millionaire! I pulled up the cover for the small solar panel on the roof used to handle normal discharge for the engine battery and what do you know, it's a straight shot down where it exits between the battery bay and the storage bay in which I will be mounting the charge controller.

    I don't have to drill a hole in the roof, it is already there and the hole cover plate is easily modified to accept the extra wires that will be going down. The hole there is large enough in diameter so I don't need to open that up either.

    Keep that luck coming, so far so good.
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  • bluewickedburner
    bluewickedburner Solar Expert Posts: 78 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: No tracker for me.

    As I said before, I'm going very slow even if my initial posts made it look like things are speedy or set in stone.

    Given that the solar panels on the roof in what ever manner they are attached physically to the roof is irrelevant to things, I am concentrating on the things that are.

    I have found the path for wire down to the floor (motorhome) and have two possible locations for the charge controller (Midnight Solar 150:

    1. In a storage bay on the same side as the battery bay and a cble run of about 8' total to the battery bank or;

    2. In the battery bay which has enough ventilation to have it's own weather system. The wire run would be about 3'.

    My concern is having a charge controller in the same general area as the battery bank. Right now I have flooded batteries and was going to change them out for 4 6volt in series for a 12 volt bank with 720 amp@20hr.

    Since I am back to the future here a little bit, it it inadvisable to put the charge controller within 3' of the battery bank regardless of how well ventilated or if I went with AGM batteries would take remove the prohibition?

    The motorhome was built with an electrical panel/breaker box in the battery bay but you remove an access plate to reach the breakers.

    The battery bay is large enough to house 4 tiny people in bunk beds so it seems. It measures 3'6" wide, 2'6" deep and 2' 6" tall. The ventilation opening is about 1'6"x1'6" square.

    The would be enough room to place the charge controller into a box that is ventilated directly to the bay ventilation opening with access to the charge controller being behind an access door.

    The big difference between the two locations are:

    In the separate storage bay the run to the battery bank is longer and is also quite a bit more difficult to get to from where the wire from the roof will actually exit the floor.

    If located in the battery bay, the wire coming down from the roof would penetrate the floor right there along with some other cable.

    I would be able to use the space in the separate storage bay for, storage.

    Any thoughts?
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