Hello all,
I would like to get some advice on a setup to charge a deep cycle battery that I will be using as a backup when the power goes out. I have already purchased the Trojan 27 TMX 12v deep cycle battery and the Optimate 6 battery charger. I will use the Optimate to keep the battery in good health while the grid is up and once setup the way I want it I plan to use the Trojan on occasion just to practice the off-grid scenario.
At this point the only thing I wish to power with the Trojan is my 12v amateur radio. The radio consumes 10.8w (0.9a @ 12v) in receive mode and 240w (20a @ 12v) when transmitting at full (100w) power. I have a volt meter connected to the setup so I can monitor the health of my Trojan in that way (I also have a good hydrometer). Typical use of the radio during a power outage would be 2-3 hours of receive (3 hours * 10.8w = 32.4w) and perhaps 15-30 (1/2 hour * 240w = 120w) minutes of transmit per day so that would be about 150w/day or thereabouts.
So, what I am looking for is a single solar panel setup, MPPT charge controller, and wire recommendations. In the future I may want to add another panel so I would like the charge controller to handle two panels. I want to overbuild in case I go bigger. Off the top of my head I may want to connect my SkyRC MC3000 battery charger in order to charge up some Eneloops for the flashlights, not at the same time as I use the radio. Let's say two 1500mAh AAs a day is 1.5v @3amp is ~5watts is that correct? So not much more use.
The solar panel will be about 100' from the charge controller which will be near the battery, the battery being near the radio in a well-ventilated area. So, for the wire recommendation it will need to account for the 100' run.
Don't need Bluetooth or anything like that on the MMPT however good indicator lights on the MPPT would be nice so I can tell at a glance what's going on or some other means per your recommendations.
My location is zip code 92075 San Diego County, California.
In a nutshell:
Trojan TMX 12v deep cycle battery
Approx. 150 watts daily use
Need recommendation for a single panel, MPPT charge controller, and 100' run of wire (what gauge wire? what connectors to use?)
Thank you!
Michael
Newbie
I would like to get some advice on a setup to charge a deep cycle battery that I will be using as a backup when the power goes out. I have already purchased the Trojan 27 TMX 12v deep cycle battery and the Optimate 6 battery charger. I will use the Optimate to keep the battery in good health while the grid is up and once setup the way I want it I plan to use the Trojan on occasion just to practice the off-grid scenario.
At this point the only thing I wish to power with the Trojan is my 12v amateur radio. The radio consumes 10.8w (0.9a @ 12v) in receive mode and 240w (20a @ 12v) when transmitting at full (100w) power. I have a volt meter connected to the setup so I can monitor the health of my Trojan in that way (I also have a good hydrometer). Typical use of the radio during a power outage would be 2-3 hours of receive (3 hours * 10.8w = 32.4w) and perhaps 15-30 (1/2 hour * 240w = 120w) minutes of transmit per day so that would be about 150w/day or thereabouts.
So, what I am looking for is a single solar panel setup, MPPT charge controller, and wire recommendations. In the future I may want to add another panel so I would like the charge controller to handle two panels. I want to overbuild in case I go bigger. Off the top of my head I may want to connect my SkyRC MC3000 battery charger in order to charge up some Eneloops for the flashlights, not at the same time as I use the radio. Let's say two 1500mAh AAs a day is 1.5v @3amp is ~5watts is that correct? So not much more use.
The solar panel will be about 100' from the charge controller which will be near the battery, the battery being near the radio in a well-ventilated area. So, for the wire recommendation it will need to account for the 100' run.
Don't need Bluetooth or anything like that on the MMPT however good indicator lights on the MPPT would be nice so I can tell at a glance what's going on or some other means per your recommendations.
My location is zip code 92075 San Diego County, California.
In a nutshell:
Trojan TMX 12v deep cycle battery
Approx. 150 watts daily use
Need recommendation for a single panel, MPPT charge controller, and 100' run of wire (what gauge wire? what connectors to use?)
Thank you!
Michael
Newbie
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