My Profile - Mainey (wa)
one of two x 12v 100+ Amp Hour AGM battery
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StateWestern Australia
Member Since06th Nov 2007
Vehicle1985 Toyota High-Ace
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 Description

 Diesel, Auto overdrive, runs nicely on larger Ford Longreach rims & rubber
Dual Hiclone II's, which if I wasn't 100% satisfied - I would have returned
Aux battery system - Firstpower 200+ah AGM DC and Megapulse series lll
Cranking battery - 670cca 'good' model with attached Megapulse series llll
Rotronics dual battery isolator, 'upgraded' alternator regulator & cabling
200+ Watt roof mounted Sölar system, Steca PR 15a Sölar regulator
300 watt Codek pure sine wave Inverter & 4 x outlet power board
70 Lt Reefer Professional Fridge/Freezer, power connected 24/7
7 x fishing rods, 2 x spear guns, Gidgee & Dive gear etc
Queen bed, Coffee maker, Digital camera, Dell laptop
Yes, those AGM battery cables are thick (32 mm²)
Delkor DC27 was retired (not dead) @ 6 years old

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* SÖLAR will charge a 12v battery system only while sun is shining!

* GENERATOR will charge 12v battery system only when turned on!


While driving, only the vehicle Alternator will charge the Auxiliary 12v battery system.

When you arrive at your camp site the Auxiliary battery system is therefore (hopefully) fully charged, and if it’s a “reasonable capacity” battery (system) it may power the accessories for 3 days, therefore it will give you no power problems that night.
You can set up your battery charging system next day, after all you want to meet the neighbors and have a chat and a drink.

If you choose to camp near the guy with 3 noisy kids, 2 dogs and generator, that’s your choice, after all he was there first !


# GENERATOR power

When you need to use the generator you first must unload it, fill it with fuel and turn it on when the Auxiliary battery system voltage gets low, (yes, you have to be there to monitor the battery voltage) generally campers tend to start the Generator probably only every second afternoon or early evening, because the fridge and/or freezer uses most of the battery power during the day in the higher ambient temperatures, caused by the constant opening of the fridge by the kids or when Dad obtains his fermented liquid refreshment.

The generator will charge the Auxiliary battery system, up to a point whereby the battery will no longer accept any further charge, and at that point the generator is just ‘running’ and NØT increasing the battery voltage and doing nothing - except using fuel and as some would suggest, making a noise.

The Auxiliary battery system is therefore being constantly discharged and recharged to often very low battery voltage levels, because it’s not being continuously charged by the generator during its peak high draw and heavy usage times which is during the day.


# SÖLAR power

If you have to set it up because it’s a portable system, you do that next day, because it’s not going to work at night anyway, and you still have two more days power in the Auxiliary battery system.
You put the SÖLAR system into the sun at what-ever angle you desire, it can be horizontal, because it’s on the roof rack or it can be free standing as a portable system whereby you can move it to follow the sun, which makes it work more efficiently - if you can really find the time.

Next day the SÖLAR system will charge your Auxiliary battery system, and continue to power all the 12v accessories during the day, which is the high drain and heavy battery use time anyway, this will ensure the Auxiliary battery system is FULLY CHARGED at the end of the day and the Auxiliary battery will then only have to power the 12v accessories during the night.

This is a boring & repetitive procedure that will occur daily and fortunately you don’t have to be there to supervise it :-))

The SÖLAR system will power all the 12v accessories, also charge the Auxiliary battery, assuming it has been correctly specified and uses an efficiently matched Sölar panel and Sölar regulator and it’s charging an AGM Auxiliary battery system.

*During the day, a SÖLAR system powers the 12v accessories and charges the Auxiliary battery

*During the day, the 12v accessories are NØT drawing power from the Auxiliary battery system

*Only during the night, is the 12v Auxiliary battery system supplying power for 12v accessories

*A SÖLAR system may ‘produce’ ~10 Amps, (example: 2 x 80 Watt panels)

As the Auxiliary AGM battery system I use gets closer to fully charged, the Steca SÖLAR regulator permits less charge to go the Auxiliary battery, hence there may be 12 Amps available at the SÖLAR panel, but only a few of those Amps is available to the Auxiliary battery system

Generally "elcheapo" solar regulators work on an ‘on’ & ‘off’ principal, this type of regulator will NOT give the same high results as constant charge SÖLAR regulators

*When using SÖLAR power, the Auxiliary battery remains fully charged at the “float” Voltage ~13.6 Volts for wetcel batteries

*If the SÖLAR regulator is a quality engineered product and has “Float” - “Boost” and “Equalize” Voltage programs, just like an expensive 3 x stage battery charger, the Auxiliary battery will be constantly maintained in a fully charged condition



~my SÖLAR ‘NUMBERS’ explained ~

#-> "12 Amps produced @ Sölar panel, only 5 Amps is charging 14.3v AGM battery"
Steca Sölar regulator LCD screen shows 12 Amps is being produced @ Sölar panel
"Vøltage gauge" shows AGM battery is 14.3 Volts (charging)
"Ampere gauge" shows AGM battery being charged @ 5 Amps
This shows NOT all 12 Amps produced by Sölar system is charging AGM battery


#-> "Fridge drawing 7.8 Amps from Sölar system & 0.5 Amp is still charging 13.8v AGM battery"
Steca Sölar regulator LCD screen shows fridge is drawing 7.8 Amps
"Vøltage gauge" shows AGM battery is 13.8 Vølts (charging)
"Ampere gauge" shows AGM battery being charged @ 0.5 Amp (½ Amp)
Note: These statistics are indicated while Sölar system is actually POWERING the fridge - NOT the AGM battery.


#-> "Just 3.3 Amps running fridge is from 13v AGM battery"
Steca Sölar regulator LCD screen shows 13 Volts
"Vøltage gauge" shows AGM battery is 13 Volts
"Ampere gauge" shows (negative) -3.3 Amps
Fridge is drawing 3.3 Amps from AGM battery, with balance supplied from Sölar system


#-> "Just 4.9 Amps @ Sölar panel, & only 3 Amps powering fridge?"
Steca Sölar regulator LCD screen shows 4.9 Amps is produced @ Sölar panel (41% capacity)
"Vøltage gauge" shows AGM battery is 13.1 Volts (charging)
"Ampere gauge" shows fridge drawing 3 Amps from AGM battery
Fridge is running, drawing 3 Amps in excess of Amps supplied by Sölar system.


#-> "10+ Amps charging 13.7v AGM battery"
This is the view of the Steca Sölar Regulator LCD screen used when traveling, showing AGM battery Voltage as 13.7 Volts and all facilities working correctly.
"Vøltage gauge" shows AGM battery is 13.7 Volts (charging)
"Ampere gauge" shows 10+ Amps charging AGM battery


#-> "100% State of Charge for 12v AGM battery"
Steca Sölar regulator LCD screen shown in “State of Charge” mode.
This mode only works accurately when the Auxiliary battery system is powered by Sölar system - NOT when charged by Alternator.


The ‘State of Charge’ mode is used 0NLY when camped.
The ‘State of Charge’ % value is more accurate, it evaluates what Amps have gone in and out of the Auxiliary battery over a period of time.
The Voltage and Amps 'numbers' can be seen on my "Voltage" and "Ampere" gauges mounted below the Steca Sölar regulator.


It can very clearly be seen in these pictures my AGM Auxiliary battery system is maintained 'fully' charged during the day by the Sölar system.
The fridge draws its power direct from the Sölar system and the AGM battery system is not required to power fridge when there is in excess of ~8 Amps available (out of a possible 12+ Amps ) from Sölar system.
Only when the Sölar power system is nøt producing sufficient Sölar power to independently run the fridge, will the fridge then take the 'difference' direct from the AGM Auxiliary battery system.
This can be seen when the Ampere gauge reads in the 'negative' (left/red) instead of the 'positive' (right/black) side of the gauge.
Most days the fridge will never take any power from the Auxiliary battery system, which is maintained fully charged all day and ONLY powers the fridge at night.


# this is how my Sölar power system actually works - it's nøt to be assumed ALL Sölar systems are created equal #


~Hopefully this clarifies some myths of SÖLAR power, supply & distribution~

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12 Vølt batteries . . .
(a work still in progress)

"Battery"
A black, brown or beige "plastic box" containing ingredients capable of creating a chemical reaction !
Basically, the purer the chemical ingredients, the ‘faster’ and also more ‘efficient’ is the chemical reaction, hence the "better" is the battery.


# Battery Charging - Voltages & Currents

Wetcel (lead-acid) batteries should be charged at no more than the C/8 rate for sustained periods.
(C/8 is the battery capacity @ 20-hour rate, divided by 8)
(example: 100 AH battery) 100 / 8 = 12 Amps


* Bulk Charge
- 1st stage of 3 stage battery charging
"Current" is sent to battery at maximum rate battery will accept until "voltage" rises to near full charge level (80% - 90%).
"Voltages" at this stage typically vary from 10.5 volts to 15 volts.
There is no correct "Voltage" for bulk charging, but there may be limits on the maximum "Current" the battery cable used can take.

* Absorption Charge
- 2nd stage of 3 stage battery charging
"Voltage" remains constant and "current" gradually tapers off as internal resistance increases during charging.
"Voltages" are typically around 14.2v to 15.5v

* Float Charge
- 3rd stage of 3 stage battery charging
After battery reaches full charge, charging "Voltage" is reduced to a lesser level (12.8v to 13.4v)
This is also referred to as MAINTENANCE or TRICKLE charge, as its main purpose is to keep a charged battery from discharging



# State of Charge
For longest life, batteries should be maintained above 50% State of Charge
Occasional drops to 30% & 20% are not harmful, but continual discharges to those levels will shorten battery life considerably.


S o C _ Voltage
100% _ 12.7
90% _ _ 12.5
80% _ _ 12.4
70% _ _ 12.3
60% _ _ 12.2
50% _ _ 12.1
40% _ _ 11.9
30% _ _ 11.7
20% _ _ 11.6
10% _ _ 11.3
. 0% _ _ 10.5



Mainey...

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