Recommendations for a Solar kit for a workshop

[difflock]

Eggs, thanks,

So just the same as a standard lead acid battery vehicle deeply disliking deep discharging,

OK.

marcus

[eggsarascal]

9 minutes ago, difflock said:

Eggs, thanks,

So just the same as a standard lead acid battery vehicle deeply disliking deep discharging,

OK.

marcus

Yep, that's why a would go for the ones in the link, have 3 on the bank giving approx 225ah, and have three at home on charge, bit of a pain but better then knackering batteries in the first winter.

[AHPP]

Keep batteries warm too. Makes a big difference.

[scbk]

Electric forklifts can be another source of 2nd hand batteries.

 

They might not have much life left in them, but would do as a start, especially if you can get them for scrap money

[openspaceman]

8 hours ago, difflock said:

Eggs, thanks,

So just the same as a standard lead acid battery vehicle deeply disliking deep discharging,

OK.

marcus

Eggs has it  right.

 

It is possible to simply sense the battery voltage and cut the battery off at 11.5V (or whatever voltage equates to 50% depth of discharge). This is what we had on our welfare wagons.

[eggsarascal]

14 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

Eggs has it  right.

 

It is possible to simply sense the battery voltage and cut the battery off at 11.5V (or whatever voltage equates to 50% depth of discharge). This is what we had on our welfare wagons.

I'm not off grid ATM, in fact I've got electric and water to the van, but I've spent enough time over the years to understand conserving power. This is a rough idea of battery discharge. My advice would be, never, ever believe amp meters to tell you what's going on, always use a multimeter. Basically a 12volt battery showing 12 volts is getting into a poor condition.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2019 by eggsarascal

[openspaceman]

2 minutes ago, eggsarascal said:

I'm not off grid ATM, in fact I've got electric and water to the van, but I've spent enough time over the years to understand conserving power. This is a rough idea of battery discharge. My advice would be, never, ever believe amp meters to tell you what's going on, always use a multimeter.

 

 

 

 

So my voltage was much too low and  should have been set to 12.06V but I did say DoD of 50%.

 

Apart from starting vehicles/machines I have not depended on batteries,  what does worry me about using old ones is the self discharge goes up, so the power you put in is a lot higherr that what you get out.

 

With a 4kW array only managing about 0.5kWh on a December day you cannot afford to lose a lot.

[eggsarascal]

5 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

So my voltage was much too low and  should have been set to 12.06V but I did say DoD of 50%.

 

Apart from starting vehicles/machines I have not depended on batteries,  what does worry me about using old ones is the self discharge goes up, so the power you put in is a lot higherr that what you get out.

 

With a 4kW array only managing about 0.5kWh on a December day you cannot afford to lose a lot.

That'll learn me to skip read..., anyone using solar needs to do their homework, especially if depending on it for workshops. Anyone who's lived on the inland waterways, and not taken a winter mooring will know that you've either got to cruise a few hours a day, or run the engine for a few hours to top up batteries, not an option in a remote workshop, it's a genny, or nothing. If you can take some batteries home to charge you are ok otherwise forget it.

[openspaceman]

3 minutes ago, eggsarascal said:

not an option in a remote workshop, it's a genny, or nothing

Yes and the thing about a generator is it gives lots of waste heat to keep you warm.

 

I cruise every day I'm on the boat, otherwise I wouldn't go, but the owner has a genset that runs on red diesel (taxed at marine rate) to keep the auxiliary batteries charged when moored. The coolant  runs the hot water system but a 4 year old Morso Squirrel running on smokeless coal is what keeps living area bearable in winter.

 

P.S. the 100Ah battery for the bow thruster adds a bit of redundancy, all cooking and water boiling is by propane.

[eggsarascal]

18 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

Yes and the thing about a generator is it gives lots of waste heat to keep you warm.

 

I cruise every day I'm on the boat, otherwise I wouldn't go, but the owner has a genset that runs on red diesel (taxed at marine rate) to keep the auxiliary batteries charged when moored. The coolant  runs the hot water system but a 4 year old Morso Squirrel running on smokeless coal is what keeps living area bearable in winter.

 

P.S. the 100Ah battery for the bow thruster adds a bit of redundancy, all cooking and water boiling is by propane.

You're a lucky, lucky man to get use of some one else's boat, I'm envious. Boats, trucks, huts in the woods are different beasts, but when you get your head around how these things become home it's not a bad way to live, even better with EHU, Shoreline. The rest is a doddle. A bow thruster!, AKA the I can't keep it straight button!?

Edited May 27, 2019 by eggsarascal