Best charging technic

wellbuilthome · November 2019

Well , my sun is gone and I need to charge by generator.

I have a 430 ah battery and use 15% over night and 20% in 24 hours with no sun.

I replace about 10% charge in bulk charge in one hour at 2000watts charger out put .

So should I charge for 2 hours every morning to bring the battery’s up from 75% to 95% or charge from 55% to 95% every other day ?
Or may be some other plan ?

My panels get covered with snow and really give no power for weeks some times .

I have 15 295watt panels that will give good power on dark days 300/600 watts is common for most of the day .

If the sun pops out I charge up fairly fast .

Next year I will have 2655 watt ground mounted array I can sweep the snow off

softdown · November 2019

You are seeking a hard and fast charging rule. Pretty tough given the variances of solar power. Guess I might elect elect to keep the batteries over 12 volts when possible.

On the other hand the system voltage fell last week due to several days of very cloudy weather. When the batteries rebounded they seemed to show some renewed vigor. As though the discharge somehow helped a bit.

Each system has unique properties. Do what works for that wellbuilthome.

papab · November 2019

I'd run the gen every day, but Is a snow rake on a long pole an option?

wellbuilthome · November 2019

The panels are hi up.

Probably 30’ from the gutter line .

There is a 36x26 garage just to the right in the pic so I could have 5/6’ of snow piled up on the bottom row of panels .

I just dident think it would be a problem ?

The snow in the pic was from Saturday and it slid off in a few hours .

Sunday I got 6” it just snows every day and kills my power Production.

I could get up on a 10 ‘ step ladder and clear 3 strings if I’m there but if it sits a day or so it turns to ice .

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/da/tujrbjgyfyfq.jpeg

I have the generator out in the shed all hooked up so it is easy enough to jus charge every day to 93/95% I geuess I’ll give that a try .

Is there any % number I should stay above ? 75% 80% ? 85%

I’m not really trying to conserve power but I don’t want to beat up my battery’s unnecessarily. John

Estragon · November 2019

When charging with genny, I try to cycle from ~50-60% to ~ 85%, which usually works out to about every second day. If there's no sun for a week or so (quite possible in fall), I charge to ~95-100%. It takes 2-3hrs of genny time to go from 85%-100%, and isn't needed every day.

wellbuilthome · November 2019

I will try it a few ways , I charge at 2000watts and can get about 10% a hour up to 93/ 95% then my charge rate drops .

Photowhit · November 2019

I'm for the morning charge, should take a bit more while in bulk though, so perhaps every other day might be a bit more cost effective.
I have a 20 foot pole now to clear my ground mounted panels, might reach bottom of many roof mounted panels adding a persons height.

Sorry, I didn't get all the posts before suggest, clearly too high.

softdown · November 2019

Aren't you the guy who has five large 12 volt paralleled batteries? With the HF meter saying they are bad now? What happened with that?

I may be mistaken.

wellbuilthome · November 2019

Soft , no not that guy , I was wellbuilt my account was scrambled and I had to Chang my name last week ?

I added my system to my sig after you posted . John

softdown · November 2019

Sounds like you conceded that a ground mount is the only viable alternative.

Don't mean to pay myself on the back but I almost nailed passive and solar energy here. Average winter time fuel bill for propane heat and generator usage is ~$80 in Colorado's second coldest spot. -2F this morning.

wellbuilt · November 2019

Hi soft , the ground mount was allways in the plan , I started building in really rough terrain and did not want to bulldoze off the top of the Mountain so I added panels to the roof so I had a system in place .

If I was up there all the time it would be different , the roof mount works fantastic 8/9 months out of the year I was having some trouble with the locals ventilating my trailer the with lead the first year I’ve been up there going on 5 years now and the hill Billy’s are leaving me alone .

The road up is not very inviting so it take a full blown 4x4 and some talent to even get to the top .

The truck and trailer in the pic got stuck 1/2 way up the road in the dark and we pulled it up with a track machine I have a real mud bog going in the spring and fall , the truck in the pic needs more ground clearance and 35x12” studded snow tires or we will have to walk in to get the plow truck and plow down .

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/qk/m0qsuv3l38gd.jpeg

Estragon · November 2019

Assuming the panels would eventually get good sun but for the snow cover, a suggestion...

If you could rig something (I'm thinking maybe a rope) that could be used to get the bulk of the snow/ice layer off at least part of the array from the ground, the sun may take care of the rest.

It wouldn't melt 5-6' where the garage is, but maybe enough to get production on the left side panels, and/or top row if wired that way?

wellbuilt · November 2019

I could use a rope as a 1 shot deal buy tying the rope to the out side corner of the solar panels on top and running it across to a attachment point on the top inside corner and pull the rope to cut under the snow but it’s very risky going up to reset it .

I do have 3 strings that could be cleaned off with a roof rake 6 panels on top and 3 on the bottom on the far right side , if I clear the roof under the array the snow will slide off at 22 /25 o but it piles from the bottom .

I was thinking if I mounted 6 panels on a trailer in land scape Configuration I could leave it wired up and pull it in and out of a garage bay , if it got covered with snow I can just pull it in side and let it melt off ?

Estragon · November 2019

I was thinking more of something that could be reset from the ground or somewhere with easy-ish access. Maybe a sorta "flagpole" running along the left/west (or top if easier) side. The "flag" could be a rope or something to sweep/undercut the snow, and be reset, by moving the "halyard" back and forth. Just a thought.

Panels on a trailer could work, but hopefully not likely/easy for someone else to haul away.

Having some panels set vertically has worked for me (so far).

softdown · November 2019

35" mud tires aired down to ~6psi if need be. The magic ticket. They saved my bacon last week when CDOT detour signs directed me down a dead end road that meant climbing an icy hill to get back out. Plus I was pulling a Lincoln on a 20' trailer. It was close. Lockers ad posi or I might still be there - a frozen corpse.

softdown · November 2019

Check into hard/easy it might be to get Ford posi installed in the rear diff. Makes a hyuuge difference.

softdown · November 2019

I do economy 2" lifts with Monroe Loadadjust shocks in rear and 2" coil spacers up front. Got six lifted 4wds. Its my gig. What I do.

wellbuilt · November 2019

Estragon I may mount my ground mount vertical in the spring .

The panels on the trailer would be in the garage when I’m not there .

Soft
The truck in the pick is new , and it came with a very tall stance from the factory .
I can run 35” tires stock it has 5000 miles I pull 15k with it so I need tires rated for the weight .

It came with a locking rear axle and locking hub 4x4 4 30 rear gears .

In my area a guy pulling a heavy trailer is a meal ticket .🤑 the dot is every where , my Wife drives a ford diesel excursion with a 6” lift and 35” BFG all-terrain‘s
I’ve been lifting fords 350s since the 70s a new one every 4 years
I had a 87 f 350 extended cab with 42x16.50 tires I lifted it the day it came home from the dealer 👍

westbranch · November 2019

Well-built I'm having a similar problem this year except that it is not snow but clouds and fog to the lake level... and usually NO sunshine till the late afternoon and we get a titch of PV power just before the sun drops behind the mountain... I have a 30A 24V charger that has a Force Float setting, which I found can be used to'' trick out '' the MidNite Classic 150 to hit Absorb, at my specific setting 28.8V for the AGMs, with low light on the panels... The pre-programmed voltage settings are a bit low for my cells , so to get the optimum gas economy from my 2000W genny I go for the BULK charge in the AM and when it gets to the Float stage I shut it down till the sun shine comes out and then I use the Forced FLOAT setting.

I would think about some more panels but ground mounted where you can clean them off... and if there is a theft problem, consider the largest PVs you can get... TOO big for a single man or 2 is probably a no go for the lazy ones...

Today was the first "NORMAL" winter day we have had this year so far, -15 * C in the morning and FULL SUN , ya hoo,

ADD: Spoke too soon, the lake was in fog all day I got a high of 48 W (peak) for about 10 minutes, batteries down ~10% DoD

wellbuilt · November 2019

Lucky for me I’m up high and the fog and clouds stay 200’ below me and I get bright sun from day break till 900ish then the clouds get pushed up over the top on the ridge and it starts to snow .
I do get some good sun every day and I can bring in 2/300watts all day long even when it’s snowing , I seam to get 1” of snow every morning and it takes till 130 200 to slide off but by then the sun is getting low

Then when we get dumped on there could be 4/5’ snow drifts on the roof.
I’ve been doing ok with theft , no one really wants to drive up my road and it’s a good 15 min up hill walk .

Even if I have friends over I have to pick them up at the bottom of my road and drive them back .

Last year i only plowed a few times and we had a 40” dump the last week of March and we walked in.

I’ll see how it go’s John

softdown · November 2019

Not sure what a meal ticket for the DOT is. CDOT tired to end me though - three times in one night. Never seen anything like it. Not remotely close.

wellbuilt · November 2019

O sorry soft , department of transit state police , the guys pass out 1000 dollar tickets like popcorn at the movies .

I think now they just make stuff up so they can write tickets , the largest ticket I’ve had to date was 5k
a buddy of mine was charged 25k for a Failure to inspect ?

I try to be leagel but it’s hard to keep up with all the rules.

wellbuilt · December 2019

Good morning all , I haven’t had any solar charging for weeks now.

I have been running my 2800 Honda every morning and the charging is going well.

One thing I noticed is I’m running the Honda and getting 2000 watts into the battery , some days I’m getting 10% a hour back into the battery’s some days I only get 7% in a hour?

I’ve been charging at around 78% and ending at 93/ 95% every day .

I use about 15% of my battery over night but in 24 hrs I’m using 17% . With solar I have a positive input from 800am to 430 ,
if charging with genarator I charge for only 1 to 1 1/2hs in 24 hours , it seams like I have 9 hrs of positive power going into the battery on solar all day but I’m only using 2% more capacity for extra day time loads , it seams like my usage should be more because I’m using more power for a extra 8 hours of day time use.

My next observation is that starting the Honda in 0o F every morning is really taking a toll on the genarator .

I’ve thought of adding a insulated box over the unit and adding 100watt lightbulb to warm the generator from under the unit for A 1/2 hour before I start it .

I’m using M1 Synthetic oil 5W 30 for cold weather any thought ? Thanks in advance for replying. John

mike95490 · December 2019

What converts the AC to DC charging ?

I'd also use that same oil, change at the standard intervals, because the oil carries dirt around and there is no oil filter

softdown · December 2019

Synthetics ability to flow in cold weather is one of its greatest attributes. Are you sure the cold weather starts are as hard on the Honda as they are on you? If its a struggle I might consider a short shot of lubricated starter fluid so it fires up instantly. Or letting it soak up some sun and running it later if that is possible.

My panels are mounted at 45 degrees in a 37 degree latitude. They fully charge the batteries in all but the worst conditions - like snow sitting on them on a cloudy day. Still have yet to break out the genset this fall. The weather this fall has often been a tad ugly. Perhaps I am just old?

wellbuilt · December 2019

Hi mike , I’m charging thru my flex power one out back 36 48 inverter charger and gauging battery % of charge thru the flex net Monitor.

Generator is powering loads @ 100 watts +- and charging @ 2000 watts .

wellbuilt · December 2019

Soft
it seams like I’m going to pull the Cord out of the unit when I go to start it , it dose start in one or to pulls but I know that at start up in cold weather there is a lot of wear on a Engine.
I do get some sun but it just snows over night every day up here , in the sun a inch of snow will melt off by 200 But the sun is on the way out by that time . I have 10” of snow on my panels now , it looks like there could be some warm 40 deg weather coming my way on Monday or Tuesday

softdown · December 2019

Having a long pull I have broken many pull ropes dealing with degraded ethanol gas or clogged jets due to ethanol. Sometimes the starter rope is very difficult to replace. I would hope Honda employed a better idea on that. Try not to hit the end of the yank so hard if possible. Being stuck with no genny for awhile would be bad.

BB. · December 2019

One retired poster here would use a 1xx Watt flood lamp, small generator shed, and heat his gasoline engine that way (10-20 minutes?) in deep cold weather.

Of course, these days finding a filament based flood/heat lamp can be hard... A 13 Watt LED flood is just not going to do it...

-Bill

wellbuilt · December 2019

Ya I hate standing around with the cord in my hand .

I have a back up generator if need be , but I’m just trying to come up with a better plan then changing out the pull cord .
John

softdown · December 2019

Garages are usually much warmer. Perhaps you can store the genny in the garage overnight. 2000 watts is a lot though, I'd prefer a 10 gauge cord for power if possible. I think cold weather is favorable for energy conductivity though. Especially with aluminum wire but digressing on that.

Best charging technic

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