solar panel

[Smokecreek1]

Okay guys I have a stupid question for you concerning my solar panel. A few months ago I bought and installed a new 100wt solar panel on the roof of my FWC (replaces my old 30 wt) and it works great, seems to be always charging the battery (optima blue top)and the battery indicator usually is in green when I use the heater, etc--or always goes back to green when I stop using what ever, and I don't need to run the truck that much when I camp in that nice spot for a while, and the gauge stays in green most of the time . Soooo, here is the stupid question. I leave it hooked up to the solar comptroller and the cut-off switch off when not out adventuring and the controller always is charging/or green when I check it, so do I need to plug my FWC to a shore station to charge up the battery and cool down the frig (3 way) the night before I head out as usual, or is there enough solar panel charge to do it ? When I pull the cut-off switch out and put the frig switch on battery, the indicator goes from charging to green, so I guess I could run a test of the system, and just leave it do it's thing and hope it keeps the battery charged up and cools down the frig and doesn't go dead. There are times when I maybe can't plug (time or in the boonies) into a shore outlet, and maybe the panel will do it. Maybe I don't trust the thing to work yet but it would be sure nice if it would. Any ideas, thoughts, worries, etc., I was hoping to head north on Tuesday, so I'll go ahead and plug it in and not worry! Thanks!

Smoke

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

OK Smoke.Not an expert by any means but I have a 45w panel with 75a house battery.I can run my truck fridge brand compressor cooler for a long time ,many days,without the light moving past green. I tried this at home when I got the cooler last year long before I took it on a trip.
Seemed to cool down nicely and once to temp 34* it would than just cycle whenever needed.
My guess would be that it could do that for a long time as long as there was enough sun and not much else to draw on the battery.
What kind of fridge do you have?The 3 ways on 12v draw a lot of power so I don't think you could go very long without some other power source.
Before a trip I hook up my 3 way to "shore" and turn on the compressor fridge both are down to temps by the next morning.
This is just my observation on how it works for me.Hope some of this helps your needs.
Have a nice trip and a good Thanksgiving.
Frank

 

[jha6av8r]

I usually plug in before a trip just to make sure the house batteries are topped off. Figured it can't hurt since the fridge is cooling down and the door might be opened and closed a few times while packing. From testing it doesn't appear to be needed especially if we're driving 3 our more hours but I've learned there's no reason not to plug in when it's available.

 

[Beach]

I would plug in to shore power. That 3 way fridge pulls a lot of amps and if your battery is a 24 series it has about a 85 amp/hr rating(I think). Your fridge will draw it down in about 8-10 hrs.

 

[camelracer]

I agree that a 3 way fridge on 12v power draws way too many amps. Also when I had my 3 way I found it wouldn't cool from ambient on 12v power. I needed to use 110v or propane. 12v was used only to keep it cool while driving.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Thanks guys, that's what I thought, just to many amps on the 3 way, anyway, the solar panel makes my life easier on most things, just have to keep plugging in to shore power before i take off. Happy T-day everyone !

Smoke