Chapter 42 of the Perils of Erille

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Chapter 42 of the Perils of Erille

Mergatroy · Veteran Member

if the panels are 14v and your car is 12v, you may have to use the panels with a 'house battery' seperate from your car battery, un less you can get a 'down converter' to convert 24v to a 12v system, Im not sure regulators do this. It may be worth posting a question in the techie forum, or finding someone in your area with solar experience.

Mergatroy · Veteran Member

To test what voltage your panels are get the Autoelectrician to test the open circuit voltage (put his volt meter across the teminals/wires).
The panels need to be pounting directly at the sun in both slope of the panels and direction.

If the voltage is about 22v they are 12v panels (goes to 18v under load then 12-14v after the regulator).
If the voltage is about 33V they are 24V ( endsup about 26-27v after the regulator)

If you want to know the rough (very rough) wtage get him to do a amps test.
He needs an ammeter that can read up to 10 - 15 A
measure straight accross the terminals with the ammeter
At 190W 12V panels should be about 8.5 -10.5 amps (very sun dependant) (18V * 10.5A = 190W)
If 24V should be haff this ie 4 - 6 amps ( 32V * 5.9A = 190W)
These are rough figures as the 190W is measured under labatory conditions) but should be enought to check the type of panel and a general idea that they are working

my 120W are 20V and about 5A (quick test they worked and at the price Im happy)

Hope this didnt give you info overload, or ammo for the pundits to shoot me down with.

Have fun, Hurt none
Merg

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Thanks Merg for your very valuable information and advice and I will pass it on and hopefully all will be sorted tomorrow. With the ute set up there will be a 'house' battery separate to the car battery.

It's not my intent for this to be a techie topic otherwise I would have put it somewhere else.

My point was after having done a fair bit of research and looking for the best value options as well as having a good autoelectrician, I still very nearly came undone. And those with the specialist solar knowledge were in the end extremely unhelpful.

I reckon I was extremely lucky how things worked out.

In the end I did check with the seller and he was adamant that they were 24 volt. I am still a novice and will remain so.

cheers

Rip and Rosie · Guru

I would have been so angry Elle, so I congratulate you on your control.

Is is a male salesman thing, or just with stuff they think they should be selling to a man? So frustrating when you just want good clear info communicated in a way you can understand.

I took the new tug to the service people, to check where I should be checking under the hood etc (its a diesal), and the bloke just said "Leave it alone, you'll stuff something."

I went off to buy a fridge. Got 3 or so blokes who waved their hands in front of the fridges, and said "we'll beat any other offer you get" In the 4th place got a woman, who discussed how the star rating worked, the advantages of the systems offered, the practical features of the models on the showroom, and how to clean them. She wasn't pushy, she beat the others' prices and she got the business.

Rosie

Elle on Wheels · Guru

It was certainly a bizzare experience. I would ask a very reasonable question like how come 15 wmps was more than adequate for 1 panel but 30 amps were pushing it for 2 panels and all them of them just stared at me and said nothing. There were other customers watching all this unfold. I was determined to get an answer so kept repeating the questions until I got some sort of response - mainly useless.

The spooky bit was the near disaster and maybe it's a lesson - always make sure you go to the correct specialist but you don't often have that luxury in a small town.

The other thing is needing to know how something works so you can be confident you are getting the best products. In this case it was a real power trip - superior up themselves w#@$@#s having a laugh at my expense and making sure I was kept in the dark.

beiffe · Guru

If ever you think a salesman is trying to pull the wool over you the best option is to just say (I don't think you are being honest so I best look elsewhere GOODBYE).

If i think this is happening that's what I do.

Even if I know what I want I often play the dumb act (I know that's not hard) to see what they say. If it is BS then I walk away. Sometimes throw the wrong answer at them and see if they recognise your error and try to correct you or they just go along to get the sale.

Its all a great experience. Just glad you are all set up now and it is working. Nothing like looking at the SOC each night and near 100% (voltage right up is usually near enough if you don't have a SOC (State Of Charge) option.

One lessen we should all realise is that MOST auto-elects know NOTHING about Solar.

Regards
Brian

Mergatroy · Veteran Member

I am amazed at the number of 'sales' people who dont know (and dont bother to learn about) thier product. In supermarkts, k-mart and the like, I dont expect it, but specific interest shops I do. To BS someone just to get a sale is so wrong and I would thing discorage me, I would rather be told 'Im not sure Iwill find out' than be fed BS. And to the way they treted you was dispicable. If I was the shop owner (hopefuilly one of the sales people wasnt) I would be 'talking' to the staff about customer service.
I agree Ellie, unfortunatly there ate not many places with solar experience so our choices are limited and those places that do, are either down to earth good guys or new to it and think they are the bees knees and everyone else are ignorant and know nothing, and so BS will get a sale.

Opps I will get off the saop box now, but it is so frustrating

Merg

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Yes, Merg, but when you are a woman there is some barrier that stops clear communication.

Every woman on this forum will be able to recount discussions with mechanics, electricians, plumbers, builders and a host of others which go differently for men v. women. Buying spare parts for car, caravan or trailer is frought with difficulties as if men and women speak different languages.

I prefer to use business where the salespeople are "multi-lingual"

Rosie

Travel Bug · Guru

Glad that it was all sorted in the end Elle....even though it was a frustrating experience.

Rosie...couldn't agree with you more. Certainly not all...but many tradesmen seem to think that a woman could not possibly understand such complex issues. Grrr!!

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Hi all it wasn't my intent to turn this into a men vs women sorta thing but that probably was an element. The main issue was the shocking misinformation and the contempt. And the good outcome including the very fortunate avoiding of disaster. Imagine heading out on my first trip and having everything blow up.

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Sorry Elle, I didn't mean it to be men v women either, except to say that clear communication is a problem, and failure to create an understanding causes problems (like yours) which can have dire consequences.

Rosie

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Today is friday and I'm hoping the sparky has finished the van otherwise I have to wait at least another week while he has a holiday. Mr Stud is camping at my place for a while are we are chaffing at the bit to go on some practice free camping. All we have managed so far is to take the dogs for runs on various beaches. It's still early here so have to wait another hour before I can ring up.

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Wishing you luck
Rosie

yeoeleven · Guru

As this thread suggests it has been a frustrating time for Ellen, one thing after another but the end is in sight.

We went for a drive the other day to Cosy Corner East where we will go for a couple of days. I spent 9 days there before coming to Denmark, it is just the spot for Ellen to get some hands on experience of free camping in a dog friendly environment and only 40kms from the farm.We have plans for another trip to Shannon National Park but that will be without the dogs so hopefully the sparky will have the van finished today.

As well as the delay in the electrical work there is the problem of housing the van whilst these delays have occurred, the yard where the van is parked is needed by another mechanic and he is pressuring to have it removed. Another reason for the work to be completed.

John

yeoeleven · Guru

Ellen your new avatar looks very much like Mrs Slocome of "Are You Being Served " fame. Not so sure that you look good in that purple wig disbelief ashamed

John

Elle on Wheels · Guru

John you should know that's not a wig. I had a big feed of beetroot last night and got an awful fright when I looked in the mirror this morning.

No word from the autoelectrician despite my messages so it looks as if there's another 7 days or more before I get the van back. Oh well.