[Solar, Battery, Compressor fridge Part 2]

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.

[Solar, Battery, Compressor fridge Part 2]

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

[Solar, Battery, Compressor fridge Part 2]

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

[Solar, Battery, Compressor fridge Part 2]

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

[Solar,battery,compressor fridge]

Hi Ian,

Just for a different perspective, whilst I have installed 360A/H of Lithium batteries, it is still a job to get them to 100% every day, which they prefer apparently. I purchased a 120W portable solar panel to run our ARB fridge when tenting. I have found that when it's anderson plug is plugged into the van anderson plug which usually plugs into the car, it happily charges the van batteries along with the 4 panels on the roof. The bonus is that it can be turned to get the full benefit of the sun during the day whilst the roofmounted panels spend a fair bit of time in the shade of the airconditioner, unless I am lucky enough to park east/west. I should also add that it pumps in more power on average than the individual roof panels because I am too lazy to get up to clean them!!

Regards

Chris

Thanks Chris,

With the lithium batteries what did they cost? Supplier? It sounds like a portable 150-200 W panel would be a better option than installing another fixed 130-140 W (in place of the TV aerial). And I agree the roof top panels don't open get cleaned regularly.

Cheers,

Ian

[Solar,battery,compressor fridge]

Hi Ian

In our ATV we have four 140 watt and one 75 watt solar panels (635 watts total) and three 120 amp batteries (360 amps total). Our normal usage (lights, water pumps, compressor fridge, sat TV etc) is between 130 to 140 amps per day. As you can see by these figures, we need to put that power back into the batteries every day. In a normal day in Queensland we can usually do this. But there are circumstances we can't control ie clouds, short winter days, and the occasional tree that might block a bit of sun. In addition to the solar panels, we can charge the batteries via a 40 amp 240 volt charger on mains power or via our generator; we also have a 40 amp DC to DC charger. If there aren't many people around in a free camp, we usually run the gene for an hour while having breakfast, so we can use the toaster and to put a quick 40 amps or so into the batteries. We rarely let our batteries drop below 60 percent.

The theoretical figure on the ratio of solar panel watts to battery amps might be impractical to implement as there may not be enough roof area on your van, bearing in mind the area taken up by hatches, aircon etc.

Putting the batteries under the dinette seats sounds good, but if it were a solution, I'm sure Kedron would have done it. The batteries in the boot is an important factor in providing a ball weight of around 10 percentage of the van. If you move the batteries, you need to compensate for that weight being removed from the ball weight. By putting extra 'stuff' on the draw bar to compensate the repositioning of the batteries could result in the van exceeding its ATM.

Hope this helps in some small way.

Cheers

Pete

[Solar,battery,compressor fridge]

Hi just researching the standard Kedron setup for 215/230 L compressor fridge of 3 x 120 aH batteries and 3 x 140 A Kyocera solar panels. My question is - does this system work in most circumstnces? How many days of rainy cloudy weather in warm climate till you get down below 50% SOC for the three batteries?

I am really only asking the question after reading that 250 A solar per 100 aH battery is ideal.

Furthermore has anyone ever had Kedron instal the batteries under the dinette seating (which is often a wasted space)?

Any other suggestions would be welcome

Regards,

Ian

[XC3 OR ATV]

HI EVERYONE

WE HAVE ON ORDER A 21FT XC3 DELIVERY IN MAY , THE MAIN REASON FOR THE XC3 IS WEIGHT AS WE ARE TOWING WITH A PX FORD RANGER WHICH SUITS OUR TRAVELS AS WE USE IT WITH A CAMPER BODY , ANY COMMENTS RE THE CHOICE BETWEEN XC3 AND ATV WOULD BE GOOD , I THINK THE BASIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 2 IS 25MM VERSUS 40MM WALL MATERIAL AND SUSPENSION , ANY COMMENTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED

[ATV3]

Hi Ian

We have a topender for sale excellent van just add a SOG ventilation to it plus a McHitch auto coupling see post in public forum

2011 TOP ENDER PRICE REDUCTION WAS $94000 NOW $85000

PRICE DROPPED MUST SELL WAS $94000 REDUCED TO $89000

FOR SALE

KEDRON TOPENDER NOVEMBER 2011 19' 17’6” INTERNAL

Regards

Graeme Yost

[ATV3]

Sorry meant wanted XC-3

Ian

[ATV3]

Hi anyone got a van for sale 18 - 19 footer? Or thinking of upgrading?

Thanks

Ian