Can anyone tell me if this would work?

[S1ate11]

I am building a plug n play portable power station. I would like the solar panels to power my DC outputs when the sun is shining and when it is not it switches over to my battery. Allowing me to never have to unplug anything while it is charging.

 

[MisterSandals]

Running DC "outputs" directly from panels is not a very good setup. Usually any kind of load will draw the voltage from a solar panel down very quickly and easily. Often to the point of the low voltage causing the "output" to not function properly (inverters for example will turn off with a low voltage warning).

Running off a battery is a good thing! Your focus should be on stopping power usage when your battery voltage gets low or when the solar charger (you'll NEED one of these) is not receiving power from panels.

 

[S1ate11]

Running DC "outputs" directly from panels is not a very good setup. Usually any kind of load will draw the voltage from a solar panel down very quickly and easily. Often to the point of the low voltage causing the "output" to not function properly (inverters for example will turn off with a low voltage warning).

Running off a battery is a good thing! Your focus should be on stopping power usage when your battery voltage gets low or when the solar charger (you'll NEED one of these) is not receiving power from panels.

I want to plug my portable freezer into my system and leave it plugged up and keep the solar panels on

 

[MisterSandals]

Just connect your portable freezer (DC? no inverter?) to your battery. Also connect your solar charge controller to your battery and let it charge when the sun is shining. Its that simple, no need to disconnect freezer to charge, its all designed to work together.

Your concern should be how to prevent running the battery too low.

 

[S1ate11]

Just connect your portable freezer (DC? no inverter?) to your battery. Also connect your solar charge controller to your battery and let it charge when the sun is shining. Its that simple, no need to disconnect freezer to charge, its all designed to work together.

Your concern should be how to prevent running the battery too low.

That is not a problem in my setup, the freezer will cut off when the power is low. Also I think my bms and mppt charge controller protect from this

 

[MisterSandals]

That is not a problem in my setup, the freezer will cut off when the power is low. Also I think my bms and mppt charge controller protect from this

Great if the freezer shuts off gracefully. The BMS will work too but if that cuts out, you've REALLY discharged the batteries quite a bit. The BMS is a last ditch safety feature, should not be part of a daily charge cycle.

The charge controllers have no control over battery discharge.

DC freezer right? Or will you be using an inverter to get to AC?

 

[S1ate11]

Great if the freezer shuts off gracefully. The BMS will work too but if that cuts out, you've REALLY discharged the batteries quite a bit. The BMS is a last ditch safety feature, should not be part of a daily charge cycle.

The charge controllers have no control over battery discharge.

DC freezer right? Or will you be using an inverter to get to AC?

Yeah DC freezer, it can be AC also but running DC

 

[MisterSandals]

Yeah DC freezer, it can be AC also but running DC

Great. Are you sure it does not pull any load when it “shuts down”?
Is it supposed to have a low voltage shutoff or does it just look like its not functioning when you think it “cuts off”?
Great feature if that is the case. Even better if user programmable shutoff (highly unlikely).

 

[S1ate11]

Great. Are you sure it does not pull any load when it “shuts down”?
Is it supposed to have a low voltage shutoff or does it just look like its not functioning when you think it “cuts off”?
Great feature if that is the case. Even better if user programmable shutoff but it is advertised and listed in the book with a l

Great. Are you sure it does not pull any load when it “shuts down”?
Is it supposed to have a low voltage shutoff or does it just look like its not functioning when you think it “cuts off”?
Great feature if that is the case. Even better if user programmable shutoff (highly unlikely).

It's somewhat programmable, it has 3 different ranges of voltage cut off. A low, medium and high. On high it cuts off at 11v

 

[MisterSandals]

It's somewhat programmable, it has 3 different ranges of voltage cut off. A low, medium and high. On high it cuts off at 11v

Thats lower than my feel-good comfort level but well within the 2.5v/cell damage producing level. 11v cut off, of course, does not guarantee that all the cells are equal. In fact, its more likely that the weakest cell will start to greatly diverge when the battery is below 12v. This is where the BMS is the last ditch safety device.

What freezer to you have? Sounds like it is well thought out! Link please!

 

[S1ate11]

It's the Iceco vl60 dual chamber.

Thats lower than my feel-good comfort level but well within the 2.5v/cell damage producing level. 11v cut off, of course, does not guarantee that all the cells are equal. In fact, its more likely that the weakest cell will start to greatly diverge when the battery is below 12v. This is where the BMS is the last ditch safety device.

What freezer to you have? Sounds like it is well thought out! Link please!

 

[S1ate11]

Thats lower than my feel-good comfort level but well within the 2.5v/cell damage producing level. 11v cut off, of course, does not guarantee that all the cells are equal. In fact, its more likely that the weakest cell will start to greatly diverge when the battery is below 12v. This is where the BMS is the last ditch safety device.

What freezer to you have? Sounds like it is well thought out! Link please!

Iceco vl60 dual chamber