Greetings everyone. I recently bought a used travel trailer. It has and old solar system: two 50W panels, with a GoPower 25A PWM charge controller. It has two 12v 125AH batteries, wired in parallel. They are at least a couple years old, and then I accidentally ran them down below 50% and surely damaged them. (I know, I know...)
I am considering an upgrade to the system and replacing the batteries.
The main thing I want to accomplish is to generate enough power to recharge after running the furnace all night. I've searched for any kind of rating plate, etc., but can't find squat. But I know that I can run the furnace for two nights on a fully charged battery without trouble. (Before I killed them anyway.) Maybe three nights, depending on how cold it is.
Very roughly then, I figure the furnace could be drawing as much as 1080W a day. (3000W of battery storage * 50% = 1500W, divided by two nights = 750W per day. Add about 330W / day recharge from the existing system, which is probably optimistic, equals 1080W).
If that's the case, it's not practical / cost effective to upgrade the solar system, and I should just run a generator instead.
So my first question is how I can more accurately figure out how much power the furnace is drawing?
Thanks everyone.
I am considering an upgrade to the system and replacing the batteries.
The main thing I want to accomplish is to generate enough power to recharge after running the furnace all night. I've searched for any kind of rating plate, etc., but can't find squat. But I know that I can run the furnace for two nights on a fully charged battery without trouble. (Before I killed them anyway.) Maybe three nights, depending on how cold it is.
Very roughly then, I figure the furnace could be drawing as much as 1080W a day. (3000W of battery storage * 50% = 1500W, divided by two nights = 750W per day. Add about 330W / day recharge from the existing system, which is probably optimistic, equals 1080W).
If that's the case, it's not practical / cost effective to upgrade the solar system, and I should just run a generator instead.
So my first question is how I can more accurately figure out how much power the furnace is drawing?
Thanks everyone.
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