80 watt Zamp Solar ? - R-pod Owners Forum

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JandL

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Joined: 29 Mar 2014
Location: California
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Posts: 364

Topic: 80 watt Zamp Solar ?
Posted: 09 Mar 2017 at 9:31am

Here is a post on the refrigerator fan's

fridge temp

JandL
2013 Honda Ridgeline
2012 177
2 Paynes in a Pod

dropkick

Newbie

Joined: 17 Jul 2015
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Posts: 18

Posted: 09 Mar 2017 at 4:07am

Use around 77% end-to-end efficiency for solar/battery calculations. Also 8 hours of "full" sun is a stretch unless you're out there rotating the panels 2-3 times throught the day. And no shade, not even a leaf's worth! With 80W panel, looking at 25AH realistically. That's actually a decent number for your loads. Fridge fan is probably the biggest one but at those ambient temps I'd like to think it wouldn't run much (future research project--is the fan thermostatically controlled or does it just run whenever the propane is running?). Other stuff is even more intermittent. You should be good. Lights are LED I hope? Just keep an eye on the voltage each day.

JandL

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Joined: 29 Mar 2014
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 364

Posted: 20 Dec 2016 at 12:15pm

What the manufactures spec say and what you get out of panel are 2 different things. My 100 watt panel say 5.56 amps maximum, but that is under a set of controlled conditions. The most I have seen when I have it pointing directly at the sun 4.75 amps. Typically I get 4-4.5 amps, so your 80 watt panel will be less

JandL
2013 Honda Ridgeline
2012 177
2 Paynes in a Pod

texman

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Joined: 24 Jul 2014
Location: TeXas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 446

Posted: 20 Dec 2016 at 10:42am

hank you! JandL

i think that i almost have it now. From reading it looks like an 80 watt solar should generate about 4-5 amps per hour in full sun. so if i get 8 hours of full sun, the battery gets 4.5amps per hour times 8 hours = 36 amp hours. Does that sound correct? If so, i think it is possible to get by on the 80 watt panel for several days as long as i am very careful of what is on and for how long.

TexMan

TexMan 2015 182g
2018 Sequoia
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JandL

Senior Member

Joined: 29 Mar 2014
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 364

Posted: 19 Dec 2016 at 6:06pm

This is a post I did of battery run times

TYPICAL BATTERY RUN TIMES

last week I was at Joshua Tree National Park and I knew it would be sunny all day and did not have to worry about shade hitting the panel so I only took along one panel rated at 100 watts. It had no problem keeping my battery charged. I also had to run my furnace at night.

JandL
2013 Honda Ridgeline
2012 177
2 Paynes in a Pod

texman

Senior Member

Joined: 24 Jul 2014
Location: TeXas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 446

Posted: 19 Dec 2016 at 10:56am

Can you help me estimate/understand how my current setup will perform?

I have a zamp 80 watt panel and two 6volt 215hr batteries in series on my 182g and a battery cutt-off.

I am trying to get an idea of the battery expectancy under the following conditions to boon dock:

Fridge on propane, Temp range of low 30s to highs of 60s. Don't need ac (but i have a generator)

So i need to run the heater at night some, say 60 deg. water heater on propane, of course. Then

all of the drains that we all have, propane detector, lights, stereo, fridge fan?, water pump, indicator lights, rpod invertor, etc. (please let me know what i am not considering that draws battery power)

So, is this even going to work for a few days? say 3 ? longer maybe? I have tried to understand the load and recharge calcs, but still not clear. thank you all so much for the help thus far.

Texman

TexMan 2015 182g
2018 Sequoia
TexManMods

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JandL Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 29 Mar 2014 Location: California Online Status: Offline Posts: 364	Topic: 80 watt Zamp Solar ? Posted: 09 Mar 2017 at 9:31am
	Here is a post on the refrigerator fan's fridge temp
	JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod

dropkick Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17 Jul 2015 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18	Posted: 09 Mar 2017 at 4:07am
	Use around 77% end-to-end efficiency for solar/battery calculations. Also 8 hours of "full" sun is a stretch unless you're out there rotating the panels 2-3 times throught the day. And no shade, not even a leaf's worth! With 80W panel, looking at 25AH realistically. That's actually a decent number for your loads. Fridge fan is probably the biggest one but at those ambient temps I'd like to think it wouldn't run much (future research project--is the fan thermostatically controlled or does it just run whenever the propane is running?). Other stuff is even more intermittent. You should be good. Lights are LED I hope? Just keep an eye on the voltage each day.

JandL Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 29 Mar 2014 Location: California Online Status: Offline Posts: 364	Posted: 20 Dec 2016 at 12:15pm
	What the manufactures spec say and what you get out of panel are 2 different things. My 100 watt panel say 5.56 amps maximum, but that is under a set of controlled conditions. The most I have seen when I have it pointing directly at the sun 4.75 amps. Typically I get 4-4.5 amps, so your 80 watt panel will be less
	JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod

texman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 Jul 2014 Location: TeXas Online Status: Offline Posts: 446	Posted: 20 Dec 2016 at 10:42am
	Thank you! JandL i think that i almost have it now. From reading it looks like an 80 watt solar should generate about 4-5 amps per hour in full sun. so if i get 8 hours of full sun, the battery gets 4.5amps per hour times 8 hours = 36 amp hours. Does that sound correct? If so, i think it is possible to get by on the 80 watt panel for several days as long as i am very careful of what is on and for how long. TexMan
	TexMan 2015 182g 2018 Sequoia TexManMods

JandL Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 29 Mar 2014 Location: California Online Status: Offline Posts: 364	Posted: 19 Dec 2016 at 6:06pm
	This is a post I did of battery run times TYPICAL BATTERY RUN TIMES last week I was at Joshua Tree National Park and I knew it would be sunny all day and did not have to worry about shade hitting the panel so I only took along one panel rated at 100 watts. It had no problem keeping my battery charged. I also had to run my furnace at night.
	JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod

texman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 Jul 2014 Location: TeXas Online Status: Offline Posts: 446	Posted: 19 Dec 2016 at 10:56am
	Can you help me estimate/understand how my current setup will perform? I have a zamp 80 watt panel and two 6volt 215hr batteries in series on my 182g and a battery cutt-off. I am trying to get an idea of the battery expectancy under the following conditions to boon dock: Fridge on propane, Temp range of low 30s to highs of 60s. Don't need ac (but i have a generator) So i need to run the heater at night some, say 60 deg. water heater on propane, of course. Then all of the drains that we all have, propane detector, lights, stereo, fridge fan?, water pump, indicator lights, rpod invertor, etc. (please let me know what i am not considering that draws battery power) So, is this even going to work for a few days? say 3 ? longer maybe? I have tried to understand the load and recharge calcs, but still not clear. thank you all so much for the help thus far. Texman
	TexMan 2015 182g 2018 Sequoia TexManMods