Need to cut some weight down as any one any experience with the fold up blanket solar panels?
At the moment I carry a 160w double folding panel set which weighs 13kg. No problem carrying sits on the back seat but trying to get the weight of the ute down as much as I can. Thank you
Blanket Solar Panels
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RobertNotBob
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T1 Terry
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Re: Blanket Solar Panels
You need to alter the cabling so the solar controller for the blanket is close to the battery. This will at least allow the higher voltage to flow through the under size cabling supplied without the cable resistance causing the solar controller to constantly switch on/off/on/off. See if it is poosible to increase the side of the cable between the controller and the battery, this will also help.
If you already have a controller close to the battery for your portable panel, you could link the solar blanket cabling into the portable solar input on that controller and do away with the solar blanket controller completely.
T1 Terry
If you already have a controller close to the battery for your portable panel, you could link the solar blanket cabling into the portable solar input on that controller and do away with the solar blanket controller completely.
T1 Terry
A person may fail many times, they only become a failure when they blame someone else John Burrows
Those who struggle to become a leader, rarely know a clear direction forward for anyone but themselves
Those who struggle to become a leader, rarely know a clear direction forward for anyone but themselves
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RobertNotBob
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Re: Blanket Solar Panels
Hi Terry thank you, was planning on not using the blanket controller as I have one close to the battery. Also have my own heavy duty leads to use from the panel to the van.
What is a good MPPT controller which will no break the bank, as I believe they are better than the basic controller I have now cheers Robert
What is a good MPPT controller which will no break the bank, as I believe they are better than the basic controller I have now cheers Robert
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T1 Terry
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Re: Blanket Solar Panels
A bit like light weight 100Ah AGM batteries and light weight lithium batteries that claim the have the same capacity, they all go in the "unobtainium" category. The electronics required to build a quality MPPT controller that won't melt down in Australia's high temps means it will be expensive, they can only build cheap things using cheap components or bypassing half the components required to build a good unit.RobertNotBob wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:04 pm Hi Terry thank you, was planning on not using the blanket controller as I have one close to the battery. Also have my own heavy duty leads to use from the panel to the van.
What is a good MPPT controller which will no break the bank, as I believe they are better than the basic controller I have now cheers Robert
T1 Terry
A person may fail many times, they only become a failure when they blame someone else John Burrows
Those who struggle to become a leader, rarely know a clear direction forward for anyone but themselves
Those who struggle to become a leader, rarely know a clear direction forward for anyone but themselves