What battery?

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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,456 admin
    #32
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    Re: What battery?

    Lexicon7--I would suggest you start your own thread. It can get a bit confusing trying to keep different posters' requirements separate.

    At some point, you have to "run the numbers".

    Loads (DC and AC, Watts average, peak watts, Watts*Hours of appliance run time)
    Battery bank sizing (AH, volts)
    AC inverter specifications (Watts, Volts)
    Charging Sources (AC, genset, solar panels).

    Sizing the loads/power requirements tells you the battery bank sizing, inverter, and wiring. Now battery bank sizing will influence charging sources (sizing of solar array, genset, AC backup charger)--As will total energy usage per day (Watt*Hour used, or Amp*Hours @ what voltage).

    In general, people tend to oversize the AC inverter... MSW inverters are cheap (you can put in 2 kWatt MSW inverter for not very much money)--However, when you look at the battery bank capacity--a 2kW inverter may drain the battery bank in 1-2 hours... In general, for a small cabin or RV, a 300 Watt TSW inverter is much better matched to actual battery capacity and charging sources.

    Use a Genset and/or large and cheap MSW inverter if you need to occasionally run a skill saw or something large (for minutes or 10's of minutes per day).

    For RVs... typically the area for installing batteries is not very large (and RV cannot handle a lot of lead acid battery weight). Also, roof area tends to be limited and you cannot install very many solar panels.

    Also--There is the question about how the RV is used... Will you be using the RV for weekend summer trips? Living 9 months of the year (sunny season), winter camping in the far north, or what?

    We try for balanced system designs. Really like to know your needs so the system can meet your needs, or change your expectations (more conservation usually).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • ZoNiE
    ZoNiE Solar Expert Posts: 100 ✭✭
    #33
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    Re: What battery?
    Lexicon7 wrote: »
    ZoNie, hey thanks for that... So you are saying the ground pin hole is just for looks?
    Well I'll be... I could not remember where I picked up the thing until I read your post...
    It was Pep Boys indeed..! I've done a lot of thinking on my little system & I should just get that Trimitric 2025rv so I know what the frack is going on...

    Yep, but probably more to accept a 3 prong extension cord is my guess... Took me a min to recall where I got mine, but it was pep boys.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #34
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    Re: What battery?

    If you don't have a ground rod driven into the Earth you don't really have a ground at all anyway.
    But that ground prong ought to at least be connected to the inverter case so that it can be grounded in one step.

    BTW they make these simple plug-in 120 VAC circuit testers with 3 LED's that let you know the wiring condition of any outlet you plug it in to. Everyone should have one. It's a cheap, easy way to check and see if wires are disconnected or reversed.
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  • Lexicon7
    Lexicon7 Solar Expert Posts: 50 ✭✭✭✭
    #35
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    Re: What battery?

    Hey thanks for that Bill, you know I was thinking I may have hijacked somebodies batt thread and only had a quick question on that subject and then you know... off it goes. I will watch that in the future but do love the forum...

    As for my needs, I will be full time beginning in Aug but plan to spend a lot of time at the beach with my dog or just fun outdoors stuff so I'll only use the system for the nights and for Directv evening use. DTV Receiver and 19" tv will run together of course but I even have small battery powered led night lights and such so when I am using the ResMed, never anything else with it with the exception of the minute amount the gas operated fridge uses...
    I do have the Kill A Watt P3 monitor now but I don't still understand what it is telling me so it will take me a while to get there... thanks..
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,456 admin
    #36
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    Re: What battery?

    Morgan,

    Go ahead and start a new thread with your Kill-a-Watt and system questions. You have lots of good questions--It will make moderating a bit easier and keep the thread better on topic for the original poster.

    You can copy and paste some of the information in this thread to your new thread and we can go on from there.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Lexicon7
    Lexicon7 Solar Expert Posts: 50 ✭✭✭✭
    #37
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    Re: What battery?

    Ok will do BB...thnx
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