Recent content by SparkyGage

Just some real word experience: I am running a 3000lb sailboat with an 80lb thrust motor for up to 10 hours (longest run time yet) on a 100Ah 24v battery (2/5 to 4/5 throttle is the norm). For a quick and dirty answer, I would think a boat that weighs less than half mine, pushed by a motor...

About 30 years of unlearning to be precise. The biggest hurtle has been remembering that the batteries themselves are "smart" (unless you are talking about raw cells) and having to pay close attention to what the *battery* is expecting to see in terms of load and charge current.

💡💡💡Proportional💡💡💡 Thanks @42OhmsPA @Steve_S @Brett V and @Brucey - the fog is lifting and this clears up the gap in my understanding that was giving me trouble in planning my own configuration for my shop. (I hope this discussion is helping @Stotts47 as its helping me.)

So... you are saying if the 6-pack (as a whole) and the PowerPro are correctly connected to the small buss with the same length/resistance of wire, they will CHARGE correctly even though the PowerPro is likely to be flat when the 6-pack is still likely over 50% capacity? Does that mean you can...

:unsure: That looks like a balancing nightmare. The 280 will be flat before the 600 (and if I'm not mistaken, the system will act like a 600 and a 280) and charging will be just as wonky.

(NOTE: I wrote this before SigSol responded, but I think its still pertinent to the discussion.) So lets talk about what goes one with a rack mount battery: In terms of circuit logic, the batteries connected to the buss bars are ONE BATTERY. The "rack" is a framework to support the batteries...

The SWMBO Factor. Always interesting.

This alone could probably handle it for 12hrs MINIMUM: Eccoflow River 2 Pro I haven't done a refrigerator test, but it ran my pellet stove quite well on a test last winter. (I may try it if I get time this weekend with my shop full size 15 year old refrigerator.)

Ok, so are you planing to: 1) Live aboard? Solo? Couple? Family? 2) 2-3 days out of port? 3)1-2 weeks out of port? 4) I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea, cause I've got to be free, free to face the life that's ahead of me..... (and are you old enough to get that...

Not sure what size boat this is, but 8 400wt panels will cover about 170-190 sq ft. Will also weigh about 400lbs plus panel mounting hardware. And an alternator is not going to supply more than limited "boost" to this system. If you have room for that many cells, you likely have room for a...

Sorry if we drug this out. We just don't want to see your batteries die needlessly at an inopportune moment.

So here is what I have learned from the links in this discussion and further research into the products: 1) NO-OX-ID is a contact enhancer(?) that is designed to penetrate the layer of Aluminum Oxide that forms rapidly on any aluminum surface. It's best use case is BETWEEN contact points as...

If you are going to bridge(?) the batteries, this an the accepted method and it wont matter which end of the buss bar you connect to: And it's important to make sure the lengh between the positives and the length between the negatives is the same as closely as possible. If you are connecting...

I had hoped one of the engineers would have jumped in by now (I R NOT), but the difference in MY last diagram and the factory is that the CURRENT flows evenly across BOTH batteries in the factory diagram. You can have the same voltage at the buss bar, but one battery can be weaker than the...

A lot of solar installers will get a nice check and a lot of low income will be on the hook for grid-tie systems they can't afford to maintain. I'm seeing a lot of that with my neighbors. They get storm damage to the roof and even if the panels aren't damaged, they have to pay someone $$,$$$...