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Originally Posted by Adventurbus
Mostly wondering how many panels or how much wattage I'll need for my appliances.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adventurbus
Also, how many batteries should i get and what kind? I've heard marine and golf cart batteries are good.
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As Steve said, work up an
energy budget first so you have some numbers with which to work.
I'll suggest reversing your thinking. Think of your battery bank as the fuel tank for all of your equipment. How large of a fuel tank do you need to supply your needs for a day or two (or whatever your goal is)? Then you can figure out how much solar you need to replenish your fuel tank (battery bank) in the 5-6 hours of sunlight you have each day.
The typical electrical system limitations are budget, physical size, and weight. A high capacity battery bank is very heavy - and takes up a good bit of space. A huge solar array takes a lot of roof space. You'll have to figure out what your limitations are.
Yes, golf cart batteries are about the best low cost option available. You should be able to find 220 Ah 6 volt batteries in the $80-$100 range. You will need multiples of two to make a 12 volt battery bank. There are other options, of course.
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Originally Posted by Adventurbus
Any opinions on rigid or flexible panels?
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The very unofficial word that I have heard regarding flexible panels is that their lifespan is not as good as people were hoping. This may be changing as we speak as the manufacturers have a market if they can make them work reliably. They are also a bit expensive. If you shop around, you should pay no more than $1 per watt for rigid panels - sometimes lower is possible.