Inverter Install

Seapig said:

I did a similar mount on my 2005 260 for an 1800w unit. I was disappointed in its abilities. In order to run the microwave, tiny coffee pot, or toy inflator, I had to have the engine running or the DC voltage with a pair of gr 31s would drop below the operational threshold and the inverter would cut out.

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That’s odd, did you use proper wire size from the battery for the distance (voltage drop). Mine required 2/0, if my memory is correct

I had a similar size inverter, i had 4 group 31 batteries though. The microwave was no issue. I could run my AC for 3-3.5 hours before the alarm sounded

Seapig said:

I did a similar mount on my 2005 260 for an 1800w unit. I was disappointed in its abilities. In order to run the microwave, tiny coffee pot, or toy inflator, I had to have the engine running or the DC voltage with a pair of gr 31s would drop below the operational threshold and the inverter would cut out.

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Something wasn’t right. I would spect something wrong with the batteries (possibly one dead cell) that wouldn’t normally be noticeable giving you a larger than normal voltage drop under load, or the cutout voltage was set too high. That voltage is adjustable depending on the type of battery setup you have. As previously mentioned, too small/too long a wire might contribute to the voltage drop. My wiring is 4/0 and only 4’ long on each leg.

My 2x group 31 AGM’s provide all the juice I need for a 2 day party making coffee, warming meals and running the stereo all day at moderate volume.

dtfeld said:

Any serious cooling process is a huge energy consumer and the only solution is a bigger battery bank. Tom (Ttmott) pointed out the new LiFe batteries coming out that allow more power to be accessed and a much lighter battery. Only downside is the huge cost.

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Yeah, agreed. My house bank is 4x 6V Golf Cart batteries, hooked up in combination of serial and parallel to give me the 12V. Each battery is rated to 230AH (if I recall) so my entire bank should give me 460AH. The ice maker spec says it will draw 2.5A/hour (at just cooling, not making) and the fridge 5A/hr. If I have nothing else running, I should be able to get just over 30 hours until 50% voltage on the batteries. I was getting much less than that, so I'm thinking my house bank needs to be bigger, or I shut down the ice maker (which is what I ended up doing). I also realized that the inverter efficiency would impact the duration I'm able to run the ice maker, I remember reading it was something like 80% at the ambient temp I was at.

In the ideal case, my solar panels should supply 8.3A each, so 16A between the 2 of them (in full sun). That should be enough to maintain my charge, even with just partial sun, so I was surprised when that wasn't the case. I need to investigate further, getting down in the ER with my voltmeter to see what's actually going on.

In the ideal case, my solar panels should supply 8.3A each, so 16A between the 2 of them (in full sun). That should be enough to maintain my charge, even with just partial sun, so I was surprised when that wasn't the case. I need to investigate further, getting down in the ER with my voltmeter to see what's actually going on.

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On a mobile solar installation, you might be lucky to get 20% of the rated output other than at high noon, so you’re probably not keeping up with the power demands. Some controllers have the ability to measure the energy collected.

I’d be interested to know what the output you get at various times of day with that setup. There are a ton of variables and tough to maximize the power output on a flat roof swinging on the hook.

dtfeld said:

On a mobile solar installation, you might be lucky to get 20% of the rated output other than at high noon, so you’re probably not keeping up with the power demands. Some controllers have the ability to measure the energy collected.

I’d be interested to know what the output you get at various times of day with that setup. There are a ton of variables and tough to maximize the power output on a flat roof swinging on the hook.

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I'm pretty sure the new charge controller (more specifically the app that pairs to it over Bluetooth) will collect the charging stats, so I should be able to monitor that. Unfortunately, it will probably have to be next summer, fall here in Seattle has set in with a vengeance, so I think my mobile solar charging effort is in the past for me now.

GnrlPatton said:

I'm pretty sure the new charge controller (more specifically the app that pairs to it over Bluetooth) will collect the charging stats, so I should be able to monitor that. Unfortunately, it will probably have to be next summer, fall here in Seattle has set in with a vengeance, so I think my mobile solar charging effort is in the past for me now.

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That's for sure !!! My 36 panels are down to a trickle today...