12 Volts info/solar power forum or links plz

[madcampbell]

I knew nothing about electircory before my altenator died... now I have taken a little time to understand 12 volts/amps/milly amps(?) ...I want to rig a second battery to use as a leisure battery that tops up using left over power from the altenator and I can then use as a free source of power to use led lights and charge phones and lap top while on away trips camping.

I need help and advice on it to better understand it so do you know of a forum I can gleam simply and use full 12 volt information... and examples of solar power as I have a solar panel kicking around that I could use to trickle charge the battery on days when I don't drive from the camp site but still want power.

As always any help links appreciated

Cheers
Mark

[Apache]

A google will find lots of links, but what do you want to know?

BTW, there is no 'left over' power from your alternator. It generates current to supply the demand. If you demand more (to charge your additional battery), it supplies more - up to its rated limit. It's not free power, you'll use more fuel to charge an extra battery.

Having said that, if its isolated from the vehicle battery, you can use it all night knowing you'll still be able to start the truck in the morning.

Solar panels of the type typically sold for automotive use are OK to float charge a battery that is sitting unused for long periods, which would otherwise slowly discharge. You'd need pretty large ones (think covering the entire roof or more) to put a full charge into a leisure battery in a reasonably short time.

[Albannach]

I have a reasonably large (25w I think) solar panel that I've used for camping, it worked well using lights (pre-LED), TV and Video player.

[TonyN]

You needs what generally called a split charger to charge both batteries, but it keeps them isolated form each other when using each battery.

A friend has two suitcase sized solar panels on his camper van roof, and this usually keeps his single van battery charged enough to start the van after 2 or 3 days camping and using interier lights and small gadget charging.

Solar power has come along way, but (like everything) cheap panels will be crap, spend proper money on proper stuff and you'll have plenty of power for camping trips.

On twin battery Surfs with good batterys, a single battery will generally start your truck fine, I used to disconnect one battery, just use the other one up when camping and all was good.

[Predictable Bob]

We run the caravan off mains using a 110ah leisure battery backed up by an 80w solar panel and have never had any problems - it's good for at least a week and probably a lot longer

[Overland Tonka]

I'm looking to go down this route.... 80w is the way to go I think.

You need a controller, panel and maybe a box which you pass the wires through after cutting a hole in your roof.

The controller stops your battery from cooking! I will be mounting my panel on the Jerry can holders I have on the roof. Having read other overlanders comments on solar energy I think it's perfect if you plan on camping in the same place for a few days.

Links from eBay..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006088892...8#ht_833wt_689

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2305459455...#ht_4109wt_689
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2305976714...#ht_4019wt_910

[Apache]

Even an 80w cell will take ~12 hours of full sunlight to recharge even a small (~60Ah) battery. Typically you'll not get full sunlight for 12 hours a day in the UK

You wont cook your battery with 5.5A (80w) on tap, assuming its not some cheap chinese shit and the output is regulated to 14.4V or thereabouts.

I'd still say they are nice backup, but I wouldn't rely on one for prime source of power.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Machine Mart sell solar panel stuff.....
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/ca...s--accessories

Better to buy over the counter than E-bay for stuff like that IMO.

[Predictable Bob]

Most panels available in the UK are unregulated so you need a regulator if you go above about 13W. The size you need is dependent on your consumption - we swapped the main lights in our van for LED's and the only other 12v power we use is for the water pumps and a bit of radio/TV.

[Overland Tonka]

Even an 80w cell will take ~12 hours of full sunlight to recharge even a small (~60Ah) battery. Typically you'll not get full sunlight for 12 hours a day in the UK

You wont cook your battery with 5.5A (80w) on tap, assuming its not some cheap chinese shit and the output is regulated to 14.4V or thereabouts.

I'd still say they are nice backup, but I wouldn't rely on one for prime source of power.

Hmmmm...I stand corrected...mind you my camping will be somewhere that is warm and sunny......was hoping for more of a top up out of the system than a full recharge as I too are using LED's and other lower voltage stuff....should be ok for that??

[Apache]

Yeah I'm sure that will be fine. I was just thinking you were expecting your battery to be full again next day after draining it. The best way to recharge is just to run the engine for a little while.

Monitoring what you're using, and what you're putting back so you don't leave yourself short.

[madcampbell]

A google will find lots of links, but what do you want to know?

BTW, there is no 'left over' power from your alternator. It generates current to supply the demand. If you demand more (to charge your additional battery), it supplies more - up to its rated limit. It's not free power, you'll use more fuel to charge an extra battery.

Right ....

1.So when parked with and the engine is running in tick over if there are no lights on or any other ancillary thing on is anything demanding power from the battery?

If NO then the altenator is spinning anyway with a potential to create power but not being used for power so in my eyes a waste of "potential electric"

2. for the altenator to create its max power does it put a bigger demand on the engine and hence use more fuel?

3. I have a sinlgle battery but can run with 2 battery's so am I only using half the eletric available "free power as I am wasting it" ?

As you can see I am missing the foundations and have looked for a link to a Fwits site that I can get a good back ground knowledge without being blown away by rocket science....Yes I should have listened in school

I do understand the post so far but want to get my head around the basics as an example I have 4 led lights I use for camping the have 3 aaa 1.5v batteries in now if I want to rig them to the 12v battery they will go pop (I now have 3 left) how do I drop the power to get them to run? :

The post so far have lots of the Ideas I want to try but only when I understand the subject better

Cheers

Mark

[Overland Tonka]

Must admit that even I thought you meant getting power from an Alt when the engine was off.... Yep power is when the engine is on. You have room for a spare batt. One behind each headlight....and just because you have one batt does not mean you have untapped power from the Alt. A simple way to explain it is the batts are wired together as one.

All my electrics...fridge, various indoor and outdoor led lights, water pump, combination boiler for hot water, extra cig lighter sockets etc etc all run off the one yellow top batt..
12v is 12v..

Right ....

1.So when parked with and the engine is running in tick over if there are no lights on or any other ancillary thing on is anything demanding power from the battery?

If NO then the altenator is spinning anyway with a potential to create power but not being used for power so in my eyes a waste of "potential electric"

2. for the altenator to create its max power does it put a bigger demand on the engine and hence use more fuel?

3. I have a sinlgle battery but can run with 2 battery's so am I only using half the eletric available "free power as I am wasting it" ?

As you can see I am missing the foundations and have looked for a link to a Fwits site that I can get a good back ground knowledge without being blown away by rocket science....Yes I should have listened in school

I do understand the post so far but want to get my head around the basics as an example I have 4 led lights I use for camping the have 3 aaa 1.5v batteries in now if I want to rig them to the 12v battery they will go pop (I now have 3 left) how do I drop the power to get them to run? :

The post so far have lots of the Ideas I want to try but only when I understand the subject better

Cheers

Mark

[madcampbell]

Must admit that even I thought you meant getting power from an Alt when the engine was off.... Yep power is when the engine is on. You have room for a spare batt. One behind each headlight....and just because you have one batt does not mean you have untapped power from the Alt. A simple way to explain it is the batts are wired together as one.

Thanks...I am not that bad lol. Yes you say they are wired together but if I say the battery is a bucket of water we now have the capacity to fill 2 buckets in your trip rather than 1...using the same amount of fuel? or am I missing the point....

[madcampbell]

12v is 12v..

Does that not depend on parallel or serial ....not that I full get that concept either..