double check my small shelter solar

[Sunking]

Can someone help me decide to use two of the above listed panels or three? I can't decide. What happens when I haven't used any power in weeks and the batteries are topped off? The controler bleeds off the power from the panels?

Well for what you want and need 200 watts of panels and a 12 volt 200 AH battery is over kill. So adding more is just throwing more money away. Trust me you have thrown away a lot of money on what you have already

What extra power? When the batteries are charged up, the system turns off and collects dust. All the energy that could have been generated and used is lost forever. If you could use all the possible energy an off grid system can produce, (Which is impossible to do) that energy will cost you around 10 times more than what you can but it for from the POCO the rest of your life. Used intermittently like you doing is more like 50 to 100 times more expensive than buying it. That is why you hear us say everyday off-grid solar should never be used unless there is no other alternative as it is a waste of energy, money, and resources. An off-grid system will never generate more energy that it takes to make the equipment, thus meaning they are heavy polluters, even more than coal, and will cost a multiple price of an energy source like uranium, gas or coal. (On the order of 10 to 100 times more in your application) They are just bad news for the environment and your wallet.

So if you are doing this because you think it is Green or going to save you money, forget it. The only thing green about it is your money leaving your pocket paying 10 to 100 times more for power than necessary. That is the choice you made by going off-grid. You do know that right?

[Racing4funn]

So if you are doing this because you think it is Green or going to save you money, forget it. The only thing green about it is your money leaving your pocket paying 10 to 100 times more for power than necessary. That is the choice you made by going off-grid. You do know that right?

Absolutely not doing it for eather of those reasions.. I want power in this room no matter what.. I want lights, radio, and small items to be charged. it's a storm shelter first and formost..

[Sunking]

Absolutely not doing it for eather of those reasions.. I want power in this room no matter what.. I want lights, radio, and small items to be charged. it's a storm shelter first and formost..

OK you system is already 3 to 5 times larger than necessary. All you needed was a 100 watt panel and 12 volt 100 AH battery. Your good to go.

[SunEagle]

Correct me is I'm wrong.. more than likely I won't be using these batteries but for 5 or so hours a week.. more than enough power and time from the panels to complete a charge. In fact there will be more wasted power because the batteries are complete and they aren't being used than needed panel power for charging. It's just the nature of not hanging out in an underground room.. I've been thinking about way I can limit wast. Meaning what to do with panel power when batteries are charged and my tinny system isn't worth the expense of grid tie. I got a golfcart I could charge..

My usage of 30 amps for 8 hours listed in the first post was way over exaggerated heavyiest case scenario.

I understand you believe your solar panels will be enough to keep those batteries happy since you plan to not use them much. And they should last a while but not necessarily as long as they could.

A battery system requires proper maintenance which includes keeping an eye on the water level and acid content as well as putting them through a hard charge cycle every now and again.

You don't have to take my word for it but other "off grid" people will tell you that a generator is a necessary tool for a battery system.

[inetdog]

I
You don't have to take my word for it but other "off grid" people will tell you that a generator is a necessary tool for a battery system.

With some qualifications:
1. The generator is only necessary for EQ and makeup charging if you do not have grid power at the time to run a separate charger.
2. If you want to be able to last on this power system for a week or more without grid after a storm, with the possibility of bad weather, then a generator becomes necessary. True off grid people cannot just plug into the grid whenever they need it between outages.