With the demise of my rooftop solar panels in excessive winds I had to come up with a new answer for running my fridge when out (and the blender too). I also wanted a system I could use to power my fridge in case of a power outage, so I wanted it portable. I purchased this system on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01
Rifle mags for size comparison as they were laying around but not included
Initial Impressions:
CON: It's big and heavy. The size was more than anticipated even though I had read the specs before purchasing. I need to find a place to mount it in the vehicle for trips because its too bulky to stow in the cab as I had planned. Right now I am thinking of making a spot under my RTT for it. It does come with a nice padded case to protect it, but it adds some bulk. (shown below packed in the included soft case with)
PRO: All that weight is the result of sturdy construction. I have no doubt this will last for a long time. Another nice thing about the heft is it should be more stable in the wind.
CON: No manual is included in the effort to "go green". BS, they just don't include one to save the $5 to print it. Either way, the manual is available in PDF form on the website so I downloaded it and have a printed copy and saved on my phone.
PRO: A real company makes this, not some shadowy fly by night Chinese snow job. Lots of information is available if necessary and by all accounts they actually have real people who speak English on tech support. It even has a builders plate with specs on it, something rarely seen on the cheaper imports.
CON: The battery leads are short. It must be set up near the vehicle, so you can not park in the shade and run out the solar. Easily fixed with some simple wiring.
PRO: The controller works great, with adjustable voltages for the different charging phases. It also has a voltage and current readout for the panel's output.
IN USE:
So far, I have just used it at home for testing because it still isn't hot enough to require the extra power on short trips. As it warms up I will be using it more. I set up my ARB fridge in the truck in the morning and filled it with appropriate things (beer, steak) and let it run for a few hours before hooking up the solar. Ambient temperature was around 80. With the panel aimed at the sun (about 3 hours before sunset) it was showing an output of 5.6 amps at 13.5 volts or 75 watts. 75% efficiency isn't bad, and I believe if I had it set up earlier in the day it would have been pushing more. Either way, after 3 hours or so it had fully topped off the battery in the truck. As I conduct further tests I will report back, but so far I am happy with the performance.
http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01
Rifle mags for size comparison as they were laying around but not included
Initial Impressions:
CON: It's big and heavy. The size was more than anticipated even though I had read the specs before purchasing. I need to find a place to mount it in the vehicle for trips because its too bulky to stow in the cab as I had planned. Right now I am thinking of making a spot under my RTT for it. It does come with a nice padded case to protect it, but it adds some bulk. (shown below packed in the included soft case with)
PRO: All that weight is the result of sturdy construction. I have no doubt this will last for a long time. Another nice thing about the heft is it should be more stable in the wind.
CON: No manual is included in the effort to "go green". BS, they just don't include one to save the $5 to print it. Either way, the manual is available in PDF form on the website so I downloaded it and have a printed copy and saved on my phone.
PRO: A real company makes this, not some shadowy fly by night Chinese snow job. Lots of information is available if necessary and by all accounts they actually have real people who speak English on tech support. It even has a builders plate with specs on it, something rarely seen on the cheaper imports.
CON: The battery leads are short. It must be set up near the vehicle, so you can not park in the shade and run out the solar. Easily fixed with some simple wiring.
PRO: The controller works great, with adjustable voltages for the different charging phases. It also has a voltage and current readout for the panel's output.
IN USE:
So far, I have just used it at home for testing because it still isn't hot enough to require the extra power on short trips. As it warms up I will be using it more. I set up my ARB fridge in the truck in the morning and filled it with appropriate things (beer, steak) and let it run for a few hours before hooking up the solar. Ambient temperature was around 80. With the panel aimed at the sun (about 3 hours before sunset) it was showing an output of 5.6 amps at 13.5 volts or 75 watts. 75% efficiency isn't bad, and I believe if I had it set up earlier in the day it would have been pushing more. Either way, after 3 hours or so it had fully topped off the battery in the truck. As I conduct further tests I will report back, but so far I am happy with the performance.
