What have you done to your 200 Series this week? (10 Viewers)
- Thread starter MScruiser
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I spent some time discussing series vs parallel as I was concerned with some flying debris taking out a panel. So I left enough wire to run either if a panel got broken.
Series is best as is low light there is a minimum voltage required for charging. The voltages add in series.
As for the your AGM, do you have gear running off of it when then engine is off? Do you need to keep it charged while the engine is off? If not then 3 for your LifePO4, but if you do then 1 for the AGM.
Is your LC black? I may have seen you driving around.
It is black. The AGM is for everything now, post-lithium for all external accessories and added starting redundancy. Things that are used mostly with the engine running, but I like knowing that there is an independent AGM under the hood always ready if something dies. I do carry a jump starter, but I always forget to charge it.
The lithium will be more of a house battery for inside accessories that will likely deplete it, radios, fridge ...
I looked in the junction box of a panel. There are two diodes in series across the leads with the center point connected to a third pad. I assume they are bypass diodes, possibly for internal and external? If someone knows, please add.
I was curious so I looked in the panel manual.
The 15SQ045 is a Schottky Rectifier Diode with a Voltage Range of 45 Volts and a Forward Current of 15 Amperes in a R-6 molded plastic body. Common application is for use in Solar Cell junction box as a bypass diode for protection, using DC forward current without reverse bias.
Originally I ran my stuff off the AGM in the front, but then when I got the lithium I just use the AGM for winching and all my gear runs off the Lithium.
I agree that three in series would be optimal for the panels with a controller to match for low light. I stayed with the MC4 connectors, so reconfiguring in the field will be easy. Thanks.
Well after a year finally added a hatch light. 20 dollhairs WallyWorld. Rechargeable
I suspect other folks reading this and installing solar know, but panels in series require a MPPT controller and not a PWM controller. Also, panels in series act like one large panel which means partial shading causes significant loss of power. So there are trade-offs, depending on use.
Thank you all. I wasn't sure about the color in the beginning, but it has grown on me. My other car is bronze metallic so there's a theme I guess?
This is a good point and worth noting. I'll add in a couple others.
- It's somewhat of a fallacy that panels need to be series connected for low light performance. Panels inherently are designed for it as they have nominal voltages already above the target system voltage. For example, panels for 12V systems will have Voltage at Open Circuit (VOC) of 22V and Voltage at Maximum Power (VMP) of about 17V. To produce charging voltage of ~14V.
- Most default RV installations of solar arrays are parallel. To account and optimize performance for unpredictable sun angles and shading. Sure, MPPT, series panels, and bypass diodes, can help, but parallel is the optimal method. Where series has stronger benefits is in larger arrays for more transmission efficiency over wiring runs.
Sounds nice. Did you install that helmholtz resonator pipe too? That’s a wierd set up and never saw that before for an exhaust.
That is a good point about the different controllers.
There are many really good threads about this in the Power systems forum MPPT vs PWM and series vs parallel.
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Added a matching spare wheel (powder coated "Rock Warrior" wheel) and tire(285/70R17 BFGKO2) and TPMS. I plan to rotate all 5 wheels and tires as part of my regular maintenance so the tire wear is even.
Dunbar
SILVER Star
I tried rotating 5 on my FJ62 and gave up. Now I keep a new matching spare and every time I buy new tires put the spare on the ground and a brand new one in the spare locations. This keeps the spare from aging out. It also exercises the spare winch and gives access to lube it. I was never happy with the wear pattern when rotating 5 BFG KO's on the truck.
prwillard2
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Got some blood on the rubber mat in the rear.
Is that an Axis?
prwillard2
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Mulie/California black tail hybrid on Camp Pendleton
Your location said Dhabi and I wasn't seeing any spots on him. LOL
prwillard2
SILVER Star
I gotta update that!
Good to know. I should have lubricated the chain while the wheel was down. I guess I can always spray some up there while the wheel is still in place. I don’t put that many miles on truck so who knows when I will ever rotate it in again.
