Reducing power consumption of the Outback Flexpower One?

softdown
softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
Thinking I could unplug the RJ45 internet cable. I have never used the internet capability and have no desire to do so in the future. It must be the other Wireless Network Connection that keeps showing us as "Other Network",

Any other ways to reduce power consumption? On a quest. 
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries

Comments

  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    I think the out back inverter is just a hog on power .
      My 36/48 uses 8/9 percent of my battery over night just being on, running a few lights frig c pac 3 Ceiling fans and charging phones iPad s I go from 91 % down 87 88% so not really a big difference being on vs using some power Being used  .
         From dark to 1100pm I drop to 95/96% so 4points just being on over night , using power  I only use 3/4 percent more in 8/9 hours . 
     The big drop comes in the winter , with the clouds and snow covered panels . 
      I’m down 16% come noon if the sun doesn’t pop out 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    That is what I am seeing - and the reason I seek to lower its power consumption. The Flexpower One also has dancing LED lights and the internet capability which I have no interest it. Sounded good when I bought it though. 

    My internet router seem to use quite a bit of power. Need to measure that. I think it may supply power to the roof antennae. 

    My security system signal booster only uses 3-4 watts. Certainly was not that. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    If I remember the inverter uses 35 watts being on the fm80 flex net and fndc uses 15watts. So 50 watts total . 
     So over 10 hours that is 500watts . 
     My inverter uses way more then that ? 
     Search mode saves a lot of power for me in the winter . 
     The fridge kicks on the inverter  , every thing else is off except my 5 night lights that are led and blink when in search mode. 
     I don’t think any thing is going to save any measurable amount of power. 
     All in all I’m happy with my set up . 
     Adding 12 more panels on the ground will help in the winter so I can clean the snow off 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    What if the internet hub uses 20 watts 24/7 though? Worth checking into. Especially since I don't use it. Others might. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    The cc , flex net and Fndc uses 15 watts and that is when the cc is working, at night it uses very little According to outback .
     I have no internet 😳 so I don’t know but I think if you are not using it it will burn very little on stand by . 
     This is going to be my second winter off grid , last year I was killing my battery’s,  I was covered with snow and not running my generator enough .
     Ijust get a inch or so of snow every night then it takes a few hours to burn off the ice and snow , then the sun gos to low to charge . It’s a vicious cycle 
      I started running my 2800 watt Honda every morning for a hour or so just to boost the charging I’m trying not to sweet the little power leaks . 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Most internet modems ( cable, DSL ) are in the 30 - 50w power range, 24/7  with a 3 minute reboot
     Satellite dish internet is 60-100w, because of the 2nd box up on the antenna, and it's a 10 min or so, reboot if you power off at night
    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 ,

  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    Really good to know , thank mike 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    mike95490 said:
    Most internet modems ( cable, DSL ) are in the 30 - 50w power range, 24/7  with a 3 minute reboot
     Satellite dish internet is 60-100w, because of the 2nd box up on the antenna, and it's a 10 min or so, reboot if you power off at night
    I feel like my modem uses about 100 watts though I have yet to test it. Streaming data for a Netflix show etc is said to increase power consumption - significantly I believe. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • Surfpath
    Surfpath Solar Expert Posts: 463 ✭✭✭
    Hi, The dancing led lights can’t use very much power. If you can turn on search you will see the greatest results. For years I ran search and saw significant overnight consumption savings on my Fp1-6. However Now I have an inverter fridge it appears search doesn’t work any more, but that’s ok since the energy savings from the fridge seem to outweigh the search mode benefit.

    The outback inverters are beasts in more ways than one.  -sp
    Outback Flexpower 1 (FM80, VFX3048E-230v, Mate, FlexNetDC) 2,730watts of "Grid-type" PV, 370 AmpHrs Trojan RE-B's, Honda 2000 watt genny, 100% off grid.
  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    Hi Surf path , my search mode is working reall good , I adjusted the search setting down to turn on with less power . 
     I bet it will work with a inverter frig . 
      For some reason my fp1 system seams to Change setting over time , 2 years a go my search mode work really well , then out of the blue the setting changed and the fridge would not start it , I lowered the setting and it worked fine . 
      I sleep with a c pac in warm weather so I leave the inverter on over night ,  in the winter the mask freezes to my face some times so I turn off the inverter and go with out . 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .