Solar, Battery, Compressor fridge Part 2

[Ian and Kathleen]

Thanks for all the previous replies. I am getting close to ordering my new XC-3.

It seems that with large compressor fridges, all vans will be power rationing/watching with standard 3 AGM batteries and 3-4 x 140 W solar.

My choices are:

1. Lithium batteries and large solar panel set up

2. 3 way fridge if Kedron can instal them to work properly

3. standard battery/solar setup with portable solar panels

4. smaller fridge like Vitifrigo 133 L fridge only and have small Waeco or equiv on a slide out under bed as a freezer. Have done the sums and should use about half the power of a Waeco 215L . We don't need a large power hungry fridge. I already run a 60 L Waeco in the tow vehicle.

I am leaning towards the smaller fridge (even the Waeco CR140) with my 60L Waeco as the overflow fridge/freezer.

I don't want to be constantly watching the battery monitor when free camping and respect other campers peace and quiet by not wanting a gennie running.

All comments appreciated.

Another question:

How quiet are the Fantastic fan/vent over the bed at night whilst free camping?

Regards,

Ian

[Neville and Kay]

Good Morning Ian,

The fantastic fan on low has a small hum & increases with speed. We have a 240lt.? Vitifrigo fridge with 4/130 wat. panels on roof & carry 2/130 wat. panels in tug, all hooked up to 3 AGM Batteries & we have free camped 12 days straight & have not had to run Gen. Also run a 60 lt Waeco as a freezer on minus 15 deg.

Hope this helps

Neville.

[GeoffM]

Hi Ian,

I’m always a little apprehensive when I read about the power requirements/usage in our vans because of the many varied setups and requirements, so before I attempt to address your questions let me give you a rundown of our setup and requirements.

2013, 18’ (16’6 internal) XC3. 135w Kyocera panels (x2). 120ah AGM batteries (x2). 215L Waeco. Fantastic Hatch fans (x2). We also have another 120ah AGM and 40L Engel in the tug that’s hooked to the van.

Our daily power usage typically consists of the TV for an hour or so (if we can get a signal), lights over the bench, dinette and stove top during meal preparation/dining and exterior light under the awning for a couple of hours each evening. (It goes without saying that the fridge/s are always on) We are aware of what we use, but don’t become anal about it, although I do admit to keeping an eye on the battery monitor.

On a typical bright sunny day our batteries are back to 100% and in “float” mode by around 12:00 – 1:00 PM. Now with that said, the occasions when we’ve had to drag out the genie has been in the winter months with rain and heavy cloud for more than 3 days.

Also bear in mind that “that beautiful shady spot under the trees down by the river bank” won’t cut it. You have to be mindful that where you park up has a lot to do with how efficiently your setup is going to work.

Fantastic Hatch ….. we think that even on low they are a bit noisy, but find that if we open them both and just have the rear turned on to “out”, it draws a nice cool breeze down over the bed at night and we don’t notice the noise. ( This will depend on your layout)

While on the Fantastic Hatch ….. we were advised by some friends of ours to get the ones with the auto rain sensors. We did and think they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Hope this helps and enjoy your new Kedron.

Geoff

PS: Went down the fridge and lithium routes before ordering and am very happy with the outcome.

[Ian and Kathleen]

Thanks for the replies.

I am including a part of a reply to my original post:

130-140AH per day is not unreasonable - in fact, I think it is a bit optimistic. If you add another fridge to that and a computer, it will easily go over 200AH. Most people don't realise that.

500W of solar should replace around 150ah per day, so while it is sunny you should be OK.

IMHO, 3 x 120AH batteries is nowhere near enough.

SO, it would be interesting to know how many Kedron owners struggle with power reserves with a 215L fridge, TV lights etc and the standard 3 x 120 aH batteries and 3-4 x 140 W Kyocera panels. Fine while it is sunny, otherwise out with the gennie or onto 240v.

Hopefully will stimulate a few more comments on power usage.

Cheers,

Ian

[cvtripper]

Thanks for the replies.

I am including a part of a reply to my original post:

130-140AH per day is not unreasonable - in fact, I think it is a bit optimistic. If you add another fridge to that and a computer, it will easily go over 200AH. Most people don't realise that.

500W of solar should replace around 150ah per day, so while it is sunny you should be OK.

IMHO, 3 x 120AH batteries is nowhere near enough.

SO, it would be interesting to know how many Kedron owners struggle with power reserves with a 215L fridge, TV lights etc and the standard 3 x 120 aH batteries and 3-4 x 140 W Kyocera panels. Fine while it is sunny, otherwise out with the gennie or onto 240v.

Hopefully will stimulate a few more comments on power usage.

Cheers,

Ian

Ian, the other questions to ask are:

1. How many Kedron owners have extra solar panels they plug in to supplement the roof top solar?

2. How many Kedron owners really know/understand how much they are using and manage their usage correctly to optimise their battery life?

3. How many Kedron owners would like to get a lot more out of their systems so they can run the electric kettle, toaster etc?

Many will not be aware that laying the panels flat on the roof is not the optimal position. The panels are best positioned angled facing directly at the sun. Add to that the shading caused by close positioning of the panels to the AC, that prodices shading and shading from other obstacles left raised thru the day eg NextG aerial, TV aerial, satellite dish etc. Just a line from a thin aerial can cut a whole panel out.

I added extra panels to handle this losses - what I call tolerance.

[Ian and Kathleen]

Ian, the other questions to ask are:

1. How many Kedron owners have extra solar panels they plug in to supplement the roof top solar?

2. How many Kedron owners really know/understand how much they are using and manage their usage correctly to optimise their battery life?

3. How many Kedron owners would like to get a lot more out of their systems so they can run the electric kettle, toaster etc?

Many will not be aware that laying the panels flat on the roof is not the optimal position. The panels are best positioned angled facing directly at the sun. Add to that the shading caused by close positioning of the panels to the AC, that prodices shading and shading from other obstacles left raised thru the day eg NextG aerial, TV aerial, satellite dish etc. Just a line from a thin aerial can cut a whole panel out.

I added extra panels to handle this losses - what I call tolerance.

Hi David, hope you didn't mind me using part of your previous reply as a quote. It was aimed at getting a few more replies. And yes I would agree with all of your three questions. I fail to understand how some of the vans survive short to medium term for power whilst free camping. Interestingly I am considering a 285 W trifold portable "Kyocera" panels around $799 on ebay.

Thanks again for your input.

Ian

[cvtripper]

Hi David, hope you didn't mind me using part of your previous reply as a quote.

No, I don't mind at all.

Many that I have spoken to (and not just Kedron owners) really know the answers to these questions. And it's not their fault - they aren't trained to think this way - so I'm happy to help where I can.

[RussnSue]

Hi Ian

Related to all of the excellent points that have already be made is this: When you do certain things is very important as well. For example, if you have an inverter fitted and use it to run a washing machine, bread-maker or other device that is going to use a fair bit of power it makes sense to try and run these during peak charging times. During sunny weather your solar panels should start delivering enough current to cover the 'fridge load within two hours of sunrise. After that enough current should be available to run the 'fridge/'fridges and charge the batteries as well.

As stated in an earlier post, the batteries will most likely be charged by around 1.00 PM. After that the regulator will go into float mode and will not put any more current into the batteries, no matter what. This is the best time to run those items that are heavy users of power. You will still have three or four hours of peak charging time to make up for any current used by these devices. Heavy-load devices should be off by about 3.00PM. You can run these devices while the batteries are still charging if: 1) you are confident that you'll have enough time left later to complete charging and 2) your regulator has a pretty high output capability, e.g. 40Amp or 60Amp

Thankfully, 'fridges cycle less often after the Sun sets, so the main considerations after sunset are lighting, fans and your TV, all of which are "discretionary". I find that you develop a "feel" for how your batteries are going, without even consulting the readout on the regulator. With the right mix of panels and batteries you will rarely, if ever have to ration power during sunny weather and you soon learn to go without the telly if it has been a bit cloudy. I still have space on my roof for two more 130W panels and will possibly fit them sometime in the future. One thing holding me back is the fact that I will need to fit a second regulator to handle the current, which will then exceed the 60Amps that my present regulator is rated at.

My $0.02 worth on fantastic hatches: A little bit noisy on low speed and progressively worse for each increase in speed. I find that the low speed is more than enough to give us a nice cooling breeze when trying to get to sleep (even during quite hot weather) and the noise level does not prevent me from nodding off. In fact, sometimes the fan shuts off due to the built-in thermostat doing its job and this shutting off (the silence) has actually woken me up.

Cheers

Russ

[Ian and Kathleen]

Hi Ian

Related to all of the excellent points that have already be made is this: When you do certain things is very important as well. For example, if you have an inverter fitted and use it to run a washing machine, bread-maker or other device that is going to use a fair bit of power it makes sense to try and run these during peak charging times. During sunny weather your solar panels should start delivering enough current to cover the 'fridge load within two hours of sunrise. After that enough current should be available to run the 'fridge/'fridges and charge the batteries as well.

As stated in an earlier post, the batteries will most likely be charged by around 1.00 PM. After that the regulator will go into float mode and will not put any more current into the batteries, no matter what. This is the best time to run those items that are heavy users of power. You will still have three or four hours of peak charging time to make up for any current used by these devices. Heavy-load devices should be off by about 3.00PM. You can run these devices while the batteries are still charging if: 1) you are confident that you'll have enough time left later to complete charging and 2) your regulator has a pretty high output capability, e.g. 40Amp or 60Amp

Thankfully, 'fridges cycle less often after the Sun sets, so the main considerations after sunset are lighting, fans and your TV, all of which are "discretionary". I find that you develop a "feel" for how your batteries are going, without even consulting the readout on the regulator. With the right mix of panels and batteries you will rarely, if ever have to ration power during sunny weather and you soon learn to go without the telly if it has been a bit cloudy. I still have space on my roof for two more 130W panels and will possibly fit them sometime in the future. One thing holding me back is the fact that I will need to fit a second regulator to handle the current, which will then exceed the 60Amps that my present regulator is rated at.

My $0.02 worth on fantastic hatches: A little bit noisy on low speed and progressively worse for each increase in speed. I find that the low speed is more than enough to give us a nice cooling breeze when trying to get to sleep (even during quite hot weather) and the noise level does not prevent me from nodding off. In fact, sometimes the fan shuts off due to the built-in thermostat doing its job and this shutting off (the silence) has actually woken me up.

Cheers

Russ

Thanks for some great points, Russ.

[mark and maxine]

Hi Ian

One problem with a 3 way fridge is for it to work properly you need to level the van every time you stop or camp.

next problem is it runs on 12v while you are driving anyway.

I would go for the 12v compressor fridge every time.

hope this helps

Mark