6 Volts

[daveb]

Mike SMB usually install Lifeline or similar in the 4D size but you have to request it, at least when I ordered mine that's how it showed on the order sheet. I don't know what they use for the smaller battery(s). If your battery sucked maybe it was a small battery and if thats the case you might want to research it before you jump. As for the solar, you should match your panels to the batteries. I would venture to say that 65 watts would help but more is better. For two small Optima's that might do but sun light angle, shadow, temperature and line loss are just a few things that factor in. I have 3 ultra lite Solara 60 watt panels on top and I keep one under the lower bed that I can set outside and point directly at the sun when needed. Even in fog I can get a few amps out of the three. Archive through this section. There is quite a few posts concerning solar.
Dave

[Windzup]

You might have a point with the 4D - just doing a little comparison.

I'd use, at a minimum 2 blue tops - might just squeeze 4 into a bigger tray...

Looks like I'd need 3 of them to equal the 4D. Hmm, why is it those little coiled batteries seem to be calling my name??

How is your remote/mobile solar panel tapped into your system. some high speed plug you installed?

I have so much stuff on my roof right now, i could probably only get a 50w up there. When is someone going to come up with some solar panel front window shades?

Mike

[daveb]

I think those Optima's are 55 amp hours as compared to a single 210 amp hour 4D. I think I paid about 400 bucks for the extra 4D battery. I have had good luck with Optima's but last time I bought one was several years ago. The problem with a 4D is you need a trany jack to mount it. Man they're heavy.

The plug for my panel is routed to the controller shown here.



The plug is below the tail light.


This might be helpful in your case with stuff on the roof. A lot of folks are running the heavier glass type panels but they are fairly large. My 4 Solara SM-225M panels are 68W each and measure 31.5" x 25.5" and are a little over a 1/16 inch thick. There is a small junction box on it that's slightly over2x1 inches and about 1/2 inch thick. Like I said the 4th panel stores under the lower bed of my EB-50.
Dave

[Windzup]

Very nice installation -do that yourself?

Can I see a picture, a little further back showing where your panel is placed?

I think I can get one panel 31.5X25.5 on the roof, no problem. I can then wire a plug like yours incase what we have is not enough, do it all at once.

Now, back to the battery question. Gads - went to Interstate battery last nght and talked to the battery guy himself.

He's familliar with lifeline, optima and compared the two, then asked if a wet battery would work. I do not see why not, says I.

He points me over to the golf cart, 6V batteries. A single 6V has 240 AH, put two and you have 12v at 240, 4 and you're at 480. He said the constant drain/charge/drain/charge is harder on the 12V, showed me the cut out sides of both 12 and 6V batteries and the relative size of the plates. Said the 6V can go down to 20% and still give power.

So, I think I am back to making a bigger tray and linking together a boat-load of batteries. With that bigger tray, I am sure I could put a hamster cage and wheel as well - in fact, that might be a better solution.

Mike

[daveb]

Totally agree about the 6V batteries but I just don't like the idea of wet batteries. I burned up too many wet cells when I was bass fishing heavy. Always having to worry about the water level and boiling the batteries is a pain. Someone posted about a system keeps the water level correct but I no nothing about that setup. That's how I would go mainly because I'm lazy. The more automatic or lease work on my part the better. A friend has 6V batteries in his golf cart. He has to keep up on the charging and checks the water every couple of months or so. They have lasted over 10 years! That's a great record but dealing with wet cell batteries for 20 years sucked IMO. I tried gel batteries for a time and went back to wet cells because they just didn't last. I was so happy when the Optima's came out and I still run them. What I like about an AGM's is that once charged up, (provided there is no load loss), they will stay topped off for months as compared to a wet cell battery that needs attention often when sitting. On the bad side, if an AGM is brought to a too low threshold, the battery will not re-coupe as good as a wet cell. This happened to my SS Impala. It's not driven much and the alarm took it too low. I ruined an expensive Optima battery. Something else to consider when dealing with a battery bank, if one shorts for some reason you have the possibility of doing damage to the entire bank. That can be really expensive. It's advised by most battery experts that when dealing with a 2 battery system if one battery goes bad you should change both out so there is no titer totter effect. This would apply to multiple batteries.

As far as the portable Solar panel I store under the bed, do you want to see a picture of it? If I plan to use it I just make sure I have it pointed at the sun, so the van has to be position correctly because the cord is only about 6' long.

SMB did the install on the plug and complete system.

Good luck on whatever you choose.
DaveB

[Windzup]

Hi Dave,

OK, so I guess I could ask SMB about the plug, that's a start.

I would like to see where you store the extra panel...

My van is so full of gear, I'd have to get pretty creative to store it in there without damaging it.

I think I have too many hobbies....no, scratch that, my wife thinks I have too many hobbies.

[John and Dana]

If you do decide to go with the Optima's I was at Costco the other day and noticed they now sell the Optima's at a great price.

Good Luck

[Windzup]

I think there are actually rebates available for Optima through September... incase anybody is shopping. Thanks!

[Greg In Austin]

I have been following the discussion and thought I would add another approach... We have our two 130 watt solar panels mounted on special feet that attach to the Yakima Tracks on the PHT. THis allows us move or remove the panels. We have two solar pre-wires, one on the passenger side at the very rear and the other at the rear of the PHT. If we were to be boodocking in a shaded location and needed the solar we could pop the panels off the top and set them in the sun and hook them into the plug on the passenger side. The plug on the back of the PHT would allow us to add more panels on the roof, or to relocate the penls from the front to the back of the PHT.

...more to consider...

[daveb]

Definitely the way to go by mounting on racks Greg. I asked about this during construction but I was told they had never done it. Better cooling and if the panel goes bad it’s easy to replace. I still want to make a cargo rack to replace my load warrior. I would like to be able to fix the solar panel at the top of the rack when no equipment in it, and being you can supposable walk on them, I would like to have the ability to lower the panel and stack stuff on top of it when necessary. But it’s money and so far I’m content with what I have. At least with the EB-50 I can store the extra panel under the lower bed and pull it out when I need it.
Dave B