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diy solar

diy solar

Recos for expanding current system

LobbyBoy

New Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2024
Messages
31
Location
milky way
I currently have a 12V system that shipped with my RV (trailer). It uses a 65 amp.hour lead/acid battery and a 100W portable solar "suitcase" charger with a PWM controller. I added a 700 W renology inverter to that system.

It worked well last summer. This summer I would like to add more capacity. Whatever I get, I would like maximum versatility, both for this summer, and leaving options open for future improvements. I'm willing to have the new parts operate as a separate system.

I pull the trailer with a truck that has a cap, so have the possibility of mounting solar panel(s) on the truck cap. This would allow charging during driving, and perhaps importantly for me, during day trips away from the trailer.

Parts I have in mind (though am open to changing them based on what I learn here)

* 100 amp.hour LiFePO4 12V battery
* 20 amp MPPT controller capable of input voltage of 100V.
* 200W 24V panel (maybe Rich Mega 200W 24V panel?)
* Maybe a charger like Victron IP67 for occasions when I have shore power.

Would the 24V panel make sense? Maybe a reason to choose it is if I wanted to go to a 24V system in the future? Would this work for charging a 12V battery as long as my MPPT controller allows adequate input voltage? Any reason to not choose the 24V panel?

Other considerations and recos would be most welcome.
 
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