Hello Everyone,
I am starting on a new endeavor. I have purchased a 40 foot bus that I am converting into an RV. I will be configuring a "hybrid" power system involving: solar, shore power, generator and coach alternator.
I have been tinkering with solar & battery sizing. I am finding that panel prices have dropped significantly since I last looked. I started getting really excited with the vision of a 1.5kw solar install. Then reality set in... (reality sucks!). While panel prices have dropped significantly since I last looked, controller and battery prices have not.
My "big loads" are woodworking tools that will (in the absence of shore power) be run from my 3kw inverter. I do not need 3kw continuous but I have found that I need a larger inverter to support the startup current on the motors.
If the weather is bad the tools don't run. I am a "fair weather woodworker".
My question:
As the majority of my power consumption occurs while the sun is shining and I have limitations on space & budget for batteries I began to wonder how practical it would be to "oversize" my solar array compared to battery capacity in order to support larger loads ONLY when the sun is shining and install just enough battery to support my typical night time loads.
Is there a downside to equipping the rig with 1.2-1.5kw on high voltage panels, a 60amp mppt controller and a 24 volt 200 amp/hour battery bank? I know that typical system sizing would call for a bigger battery bank but I do not have the space or the budget to do it. Also, that battery bank will carry my night time loads just fine. My big loads occur between 10am and 5pm and generally on sunny days. I will also have generator backup for cloudy days if needed.
To summarize: Is there any significant downside to equipping with a larger solar array & charge controller and a smaller battery bank provided that the battery bank is adequate to support my "dark time" loads?
Thanks.
S
I am starting on a new endeavor. I have purchased a 40 foot bus that I am converting into an RV. I will be configuring a "hybrid" power system involving: solar, shore power, generator and coach alternator.
I have been tinkering with solar & battery sizing. I am finding that panel prices have dropped significantly since I last looked. I started getting really excited with the vision of a 1.5kw solar install. Then reality set in... (reality sucks!). While panel prices have dropped significantly since I last looked, controller and battery prices have not.
My "big loads" are woodworking tools that will (in the absence of shore power) be run from my 3kw inverter. I do not need 3kw continuous but I have found that I need a larger inverter to support the startup current on the motors.
If the weather is bad the tools don't run. I am a "fair weather woodworker".
My question:
As the majority of my power consumption occurs while the sun is shining and I have limitations on space & budget for batteries I began to wonder how practical it would be to "oversize" my solar array compared to battery capacity in order to support larger loads ONLY when the sun is shining and install just enough battery to support my typical night time loads.
Is there a downside to equipping the rig with 1.2-1.5kw on high voltage panels, a 60amp mppt controller and a 24 volt 200 amp/hour battery bank? I know that typical system sizing would call for a bigger battery bank but I do not have the space or the budget to do it. Also, that battery bank will carry my night time loads just fine. My big loads occur between 10am and 5pm and generally on sunny days. I will also have generator backup for cloudy days if needed.
To summarize: Is there any significant downside to equipping with a larger solar array & charge controller and a smaller battery bank provided that the battery bank is adequate to support my "dark time" loads?
Thanks.
S
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