Re: Solar charging: Real World

On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 17:55:18 GMT, "Mountain Mike^^"
<slackamn@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Neon John" <no@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:21oof2p55j242eke1brvndpf4ra8kaii3b@xxxxxxxxxx
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 13:08:04 GMT, GaryO < @ . > wrote:

The wattage is right under the EU1000's rating but I bet the low PF
and resultant VA consumption will trip it so yeah, I'd have to
recommend the 2000 version too, if one is dead-set on having an EU.


Oh NO! I ain't dead set on anything that costs money........I just don'
understand what you're saying. Spec it out please......

That means that the EU1000 probably won't run the 60 amp Intellipower
so the EU2000 would be necessary.


Which Cicom? What specs? And THANKS!

That's "ChiCom", abbreviation for "Chinese Communists". The ChiComs
seem to design a gadget and then make 40 bazillion of 'em, offering
them private labeled to whomever will buy 'em by the cargo
container-load. Such is the case with this little 2-stroke generator.
Here's Northern Tool's version:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200313480_200313480

I notice that they've jacked the price up yet another $10. It was
$179 last year. I've seen this generator being sold under at least 4
different brand names and paint schemes. Mine's red and cost $129 2
years ago. Harbor Freight sold it painted their pukey orange in the
$150 range. They may still offer it - I haven't looked. The Northern
one is blue. I've seen a green one but I can't recall the brand.

This is a superb little generator for its price. It is fairly quiet
and when smokeless oil is used, smoke and odor-free. It is a very
nice match for the 60 amp Intellipower. The Intellipower loads it
fully which is the way you want to run a generator for battery
charging, as that results in the fastest possible charge from that
generator.

When you hear the throttle start backing off, shut 'er down. The
battery is 70-80% charged and it would take hours to make up that last
bit. The next time you're around shore power you can plug in and let
'em top off but that's not necessary when dry camping.

If you're going to be actually using your battery bank (as opposed to
just tickling it with some lights for a few hours at night) then I
highly recommend getting a Link-10 battery monitor:

http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/97/p/1/pt/1/product.asp

This instrument actually keeps track of the amp-hours in and out of
your battery and does the Peukert compensation (apparent loss of
capacity at high discharge rates). It shows you exactly how much you
have used and how much you have left.

I make little effort at energy conservation, placing convenience and
comfort at the top of the priority list and so hit my pack fairly
hard. I use lots of lights and power a variety of gadgets from the
inverter including the microwave oven and the conventional
compressor-type refrigerator and freezer. Often times I'll approach
my self-imposed limit of 80% depth-of-discharge before it is
convenient to charge. The Link-10 lets me do that without risking
further, damaging discharge.

From the sound of things I don't actually use that much more power
than Bob and others. The difference is that I'm space-restricted and
only have room for 2 120 ah 12 volt batteries wired in parallel - at
least until/unless I get around to fabricating another battery rack.
Bob's casual approach to charging and discharging works fine with a
440 ah bank and a daily consumption of say, 150 amp-hours but not so
well for a bank half that size. I think you said that you're also
space-limited so you're in the same boat as me.

With the Link-10 I can positively know whether I have enough power to
get through the night. I know what my rig will use overnight with the
Maxxair fan on (in summer) or the furnace in winter. At bedtime if
I'm short I can charge just enough to get by, watching the Link-10 as
I charge to know when I've put enough energy back in. That is much
more comfortable than going to sleep with that nagging doubt in the
back of your mind about whether you'll have heat in the AM.

John
---
John De Armond
See my website for my current email address
http://www.neon-john.com
Cleveland, Occupied TN
Don't let your schooling interfere with your education-Mark Twain
.

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