Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Electrical nerds help me. Need solar panel advice.

ken0042 · 12-07-2013, 12:43 PM

I have the exact same panel. Bought last winter, and then in an ironic twist I never ended up dry camping this year.

As for the math, in ideal conditions each panel will give you 2.3 amps of power, so 3 panels will give 6.9 amps. Assuming you are charging from 50% drained (as you shouldn't bring a deep cycle battery lower than that), it would take 7.24 hours to return 50 amps to the battery.

Now ideal and realistic are two different things. Right now you would be lucky to get 1.5 amps per panel for more than 2 hours. The sun is just too low. But I did testing in March last year, and was able to get 1.75 amps around noon.

Personally, I would buy a better charge controller if I was going to hook up 3 panels. Or even look at a single panel with chanrge controller; if you just bought these. I have seen Canadian sellers on eBay offering 120 watt panels with controllers for under $300.

12-07-2013, 12:43 PM	#2
ken0042 Playboy Mansion Poolboy Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Close enough to make a beer run during a TV timeout Exp:	I have the exact same panel. Bought last winter, and then in an ironic twist I never ended up dry camping this year. As for the math, in ideal conditions each panel will give you 2.3 amps of power, so 3 panels will give 6.9 amps. Assuming you are charging from 50% drained (as you shouldn't bring a deep cycle battery lower than that), it would take 7.24 hours to return 50 amps to the battery. Now ideal and realistic are two different things. Right now you would be lucky to get 1.5 amps per panel for more than 2 hours. The sun is just too low. But I did testing in March last year, and was able to get 1.75 amps around noon. Personally, I would buy a better charge controller if I was going to hook up 3 panels. Or even look at a single panel with chanrge controller; if you just bought these. I have seen Canadian sellers on eBay offering 120 watt panels with controllers for under $300.