almost-there
New Member
against some conventional wisdom, i set my tiny home up with THREE solar systems. I modelled this after a financial company i worked for that had three mainfraim computers to make sure no data could be lost - the main one in Denver, a second main frame computer in Dallas, and a third one in Missouri ... so i applied the same to my solar systems. Note only the "Denver" system gets about 90% of the solar panels and batteries and is "crucial". there are no electrical connections between the three. primarily, Dallas handles small stuff like a small microwave and a tv and laptop. Missouri handles recharging phones and toothbrushes, etc. All 3 have inverters, big ones for Colorado which is 24 volts - then - dallas and missouri which are both 12 volts. incidentally, 12 volts is great for milwaukee heated hoodies on cool nights. whenever possible, i charge milwaukee batteries and ryobi batteris (which also come with 120 v a/c inverters including usb outlets during peak times) whenever possible. I usually use colorado for that for now.
So Colorado 24 v system is thru tristar and i love it. it also has a big and a small samplex inverter. i mostly just use the big one. this is mainly for the window air conditioner and mini-clothes washer. i also have a converter to that system to tone it down to 12 volts but have never actually used it much.
So dallas charge controller is midnight solar / second to colorado. it has 4 agm batts. (all batts are same throughout without colorado/dallas/mo being connected)
Missouri is a much cheaper converter than midnite solar called renogy voyager.
Renogy display claims to keep the voltage at 13.2 overnight while midnite solar claims to keep it to 12.8.
Initially, i thought the midnite solar would be good to use excess energy to power a water heater but it's complicated with too many buttons and jumpers and i gave up on that idea. currently i have a small on-demand propane water heater that takes care of that but if i can't figure out how to use the excessive energy when i'm sober, then i don't need to figure the device out at night. (anybody want a midnite solar junior without the box that works without the original box at rock bottom price??) but i digress
so for the batteries and 2 meager solar panels [dallas] (i think grapevine on those, an initial purchase) i ordered another renogy voyager to handle the microwave and tv and laptop which are hardly ever used. i probably would also use those batts. on the milwaukee hoodies ("electric blankets" overnite too.
i'm not worried so much about big boy Colorado or little baby Missouri, but will the voyager be ok for 2 agm batts occasionally used by a microwave, small efficient tv and laptop in addition to overnite milwaukee jackets? (milwaukee jackets last a long time with their own tiny battery). Let me know or i will let you know. any input and advice welcome. i hope you are good at disecting sententences, your english teacher would be proud. heart.
So Colorado 24 v system is thru tristar and i love it. it also has a big and a small samplex inverter. i mostly just use the big one. this is mainly for the window air conditioner and mini-clothes washer. i also have a converter to that system to tone it down to 12 volts but have never actually used it much.
So dallas charge controller is midnight solar / second to colorado. it has 4 agm batts. (all batts are same throughout without colorado/dallas/mo being connected)
Missouri is a much cheaper converter than midnite solar called renogy voyager.
Renogy display claims to keep the voltage at 13.2 overnight while midnite solar claims to keep it to 12.8.
Initially, i thought the midnite solar would be good to use excess energy to power a water heater but it's complicated with too many buttons and jumpers and i gave up on that idea. currently i have a small on-demand propane water heater that takes care of that but if i can't figure out how to use the excessive energy when i'm sober, then i don't need to figure the device out at night. (anybody want a midnite solar junior without the box that works without the original box at rock bottom price??) but i digress
so for the batteries and 2 meager solar panels [dallas] (i think grapevine on those, an initial purchase) i ordered another renogy voyager to handle the microwave and tv and laptop which are hardly ever used. i probably would also use those batts. on the milwaukee hoodies ("electric blankets" overnite too.
i'm not worried so much about big boy Colorado or little baby Missouri, but will the voyager be ok for 2 agm batts occasionally used by a microwave, small efficient tv and laptop in addition to overnite milwaukee jackets? (milwaukee jackets last a long time with their own tiny battery). Let me know or i will let you know. any input and advice welcome. i hope you are good at disecting sententences, your english teacher would be proud. heart.
