Solar Panel Advice

[Streak]

Hi team,
            does anyone know much about the solar side of things, would the below be something that would useful?

http://pii.net.au/shop/marine/20-watt-solar-panel-controller-kit-copy/

[Brock]

Depends on your requirements.

It will deliver about 1.5 amps into a battery (under ideal conditions). Fitted to the top of a bike trailer, parked up while you are out and about it will top up a smallish standby Battery .

[alans1100]

Before you buy solar panels etc. you need to work out how much power you are going to use and how often as that will determine storage (batteries) capacity and the number of panels needed.

For myself I'm considering having a panel permanently mounted on the trailer lid with the controller and battery/ies within the trailer somewhere. I only need to be able to keep laptop charged, and an LED camping light or two so might be able to get by with one or two ST1100 size batteries.

[ST2UP]

We use to run solar on our camper trailer....used a 140watt BP panel to keep up with 2x 6V 110A/H Deepcycle batteryies via a 15amp solar regulator. Our requirements where to run the 60 ltr Trailblaza fridge on the camper draw bar and a couple of 13 watt Flouro tubes (LED better now) and charge mobile etc.

Used the same panel to keep the 105 A/H Deepcycle in the truck charged for the other Fridge.

Currently setting up a new camping setup and won't bother with a Solar panel (as good as they are) but will use a 20amp DC/DC charger to the 105 AH Deepcycle for the fridge as we will be driving most days....

With thoughtful use the Trailblaza fridge will do 4 days without charging the Deepcycle before it drops below 10.25 Volts and fridge cuts out.


So the question is what do you wish to run, charge, maintain with the panel ??

I have a 10watt with a 2.5 amp regulator and it is brilliant on the shed roof to maintain the ride mower on battery.


 

[Abe]

Have a read from this site

https://outbackjoe.com/macho-divertissement/macho-articles/design-guide-for-12v-systems-dual-batteries-solar-panels-and-inverters/

I have a 120w folding panel when camping from Mandrakes that I purchased several years ago.

[cravenhaven]

would the below be something that would useful?

I guess you would have to define "useful".

The advert doesnt mention that the controller is an MPPT type so you could pretty much guarantee that it isnt. I would hazard a guess that you would get a maximum of 1 amp into a 12 volt battery with this setup.
A bike size battery is probably around the 20 amp hour rating so this panel would take at least 20 hours to charge it from dead flat.