Hi.
Since I'm new to this forum and haven't really sorted out all of the info about mobile systems, I felt this was the best place to ask this question and a few others that are related.
UPDATE:
I wrote a very detailed post but just erased it because I think I might have solved part of my initial, more important question.
For clarification, let me shorten what I originally wrote below if you can help me further:
My Goal
To soon build a square drop trailer that will eventually have a mini-split AC unit able to run daily on solar power, alone.
I plan to live in this trailer, while traveling and doing my multi-media business, which doesn't require an office.
But, since the hot season is about over, and to save money - I decided my first step would be to install a 600Ah component system, using (2) 300Ah batteries I have found that are highly recommended, but 25-50% less than the cost of something like Battle Born and others.
My plan was to have the 600Ah systems of batteries, panels and components power a 12V top loading fridge, a ceiling mounted MAXX Fan, my laptop, only a few lower draw LED 12v lights and a 12V TV monitor to view my computer work more easily, during the cooler months ahead.
Then next year I would be in the position to add more panels and batteries to complete the required power to run a mini-split when it gets really hot.
My Confusion Between the Power of Stand Alone Batteries Vs. Solar Generator Packs
My initial post today was about how I was confused when seeing a $1,000 LiFePO4 battery at 100Ah being less in power than the recently discovery of the bigger Solar Generators that I was unaware of.
Or so I thought (about power differences).
I'm dyslexic, so until I wrote my initial post and was getting a link to a Bluetti Power Pack to help anyone understand my confusion, I saw that these Solar Generators don't put what I thought was Amp Hours next to their brand models, but they show Watt Hours.
Of course, I felt stupid, but then again, I've been studying stand alone/component solar systems for years, just trying to learn all that is involved for a mobile system.
So when I found these Solar Generator packs and they are screaming "We have 500-700Wh for only $400-700!!", my mind saw "Ah" in place of "Wh".
Thus, my initial post today was asking for someone to explain to me how a smaller unit like a Bluettie Solar Pack could have so much power, with all necessary components to just plug in devices (and solar panels) - but cost way less than just a stand alone battery without any needed components to run devices.
Again, the dyslexic thing was in place because I always see "Ah" next to batteries. I'm not used to seeing "Wh" next to anything battery related.
But as I mentioned, when I went to Amazon to get a link to a Bluetti Solar Generator, this time the "Wh" jumped out at me.
I then thought to find a web site that did conversions and when I input "12v battery at 500Wh, it gave me 41.67 amp hours".
I think I just answered my question.
Maybe the people making these Solar Generator Packs use Watt Hours as a marketing tactic, to make the average buyer think they get so much power, as I believe most people building solar systems from components are more savvy??
Whatever the reason, I was confused and wanted to ask if someone could explain how I could get more power from a Solar Generator for almost half the price of just a battery that had only 100Ah.
But that still leaves me with a few questions I did have, if you care to help:
I saw Will Prowse and a few other people say it's possible to overpower a Solar Generators charge input with more solar panels than they say is the limit (example: 200watt input max).
Yet, I didn't seem to get the answer that they were saying I could use more panels and recharge a Solar Generator faster than normal, if using only the "limited" input a brand says their unit can take from solar panels.
And when I see buyers of Solar Generators commenting on how it takes a full day to recharge just a 300Watt hour Solar Pack, I am still confused if that time to recharge can be reduced by overpowering the input of the Solar Generators with more panels.
Before just finding the "Wh" and not "Ah" on the Solar Generators I was going to link in this post, I was thinking "Wow! If I can pay only $500 and get 500 amp hours in 24 hours of use each day, I can just buy a Solar Generator, not the (2) 300Ah batteries, plus components - to power my fridge, MAXX Fan, laptop and 12v TV until next summer.
But as it appears now from the conversion web site, if 500 "watt hours" actually gives only 41.67 "amp hours", I could barely expect my fridge to make it 24 hours if there was no sun to recharge through my solar panels.
The Question Now:
Does anyone have a 500-700 "watt hour" Solar Generator and know how much I could expect to run in 24 hours, without full sun to recharge?
Obviously, if I have enough panels to meet my smaller device requirements, the Solar Generator battery wouldn't have to put out so much.
But having just realized my dyslexic mistake between the Ah and Wh, I want to know if I should just scrap the idea of using a Solar Generator and shell out the extra to build a 600Ah system to get through the cooler months, before needing more power to run the mini-split next summer.
And can I reduce the recharge time with overpowering of the Solar Generator input, as Will and others have described (which I still don't understand).
Will! If you see this post, it would be awesome if you could explain the big mess I just encountered between component systems and what you get in power, verses these Solar Generators.
Thanks, anyone!!
Since I'm new to this forum and haven't really sorted out all of the info about mobile systems, I felt this was the best place to ask this question and a few others that are related.
UPDATE:
I wrote a very detailed post but just erased it because I think I might have solved part of my initial, more important question.
For clarification, let me shorten what I originally wrote below if you can help me further:
My Goal
To soon build a square drop trailer that will eventually have a mini-split AC unit able to run daily on solar power, alone.
I plan to live in this trailer, while traveling and doing my multi-media business, which doesn't require an office.
But, since the hot season is about over, and to save money - I decided my first step would be to install a 600Ah component system, using (2) 300Ah batteries I have found that are highly recommended, but 25-50% less than the cost of something like Battle Born and others.
My plan was to have the 600Ah systems of batteries, panels and components power a 12V top loading fridge, a ceiling mounted MAXX Fan, my laptop, only a few lower draw LED 12v lights and a 12V TV monitor to view my computer work more easily, during the cooler months ahead.
Then next year I would be in the position to add more panels and batteries to complete the required power to run a mini-split when it gets really hot.
My Confusion Between the Power of Stand Alone Batteries Vs. Solar Generator Packs
My initial post today was about how I was confused when seeing a $1,000 LiFePO4 battery at 100Ah being less in power than the recently discovery of the bigger Solar Generators that I was unaware of.
Or so I thought (about power differences).
I'm dyslexic, so until I wrote my initial post and was getting a link to a Bluetti Power Pack to help anyone understand my confusion, I saw that these Solar Generators don't put what I thought was Amp Hours next to their brand models, but they show Watt Hours.
Of course, I felt stupid, but then again, I've been studying stand alone/component solar systems for years, just trying to learn all that is involved for a mobile system.
So when I found these Solar Generator packs and they are screaming "We have 500-700Wh for only $400-700!!", my mind saw "Ah" in place of "Wh".
Thus, my initial post today was asking for someone to explain to me how a smaller unit like a Bluettie Solar Pack could have so much power, with all necessary components to just plug in devices (and solar panels) - but cost way less than just a stand alone battery without any needed components to run devices.
Again, the dyslexic thing was in place because I always see "Ah" next to batteries. I'm not used to seeing "Wh" next to anything battery related.
But as I mentioned, when I went to Amazon to get a link to a Bluetti Solar Generator, this time the "Wh" jumped out at me.
I then thought to find a web site that did conversions and when I input "12v battery at 500Wh, it gave me 41.67 amp hours".
I think I just answered my question.
Maybe the people making these Solar Generator Packs use Watt Hours as a marketing tactic, to make the average buyer think they get so much power, as I believe most people building solar systems from components are more savvy??
Whatever the reason, I was confused and wanted to ask if someone could explain how I could get more power from a Solar Generator for almost half the price of just a battery that had only 100Ah.
But that still leaves me with a few questions I did have, if you care to help:
I saw Will Prowse and a few other people say it's possible to overpower a Solar Generators charge input with more solar panels than they say is the limit (example: 200watt input max).
Yet, I didn't seem to get the answer that they were saying I could use more panels and recharge a Solar Generator faster than normal, if using only the "limited" input a brand says their unit can take from solar panels.
And when I see buyers of Solar Generators commenting on how it takes a full day to recharge just a 300Watt hour Solar Pack, I am still confused if that time to recharge can be reduced by overpowering the input of the Solar Generators with more panels.
Before just finding the "Wh" and not "Ah" on the Solar Generators I was going to link in this post, I was thinking "Wow! If I can pay only $500 and get 500 amp hours in 24 hours of use each day, I can just buy a Solar Generator, not the (2) 300Ah batteries, plus components - to power my fridge, MAXX Fan, laptop and 12v TV until next summer.
But as it appears now from the conversion web site, if 500 "watt hours" actually gives only 41.67 "amp hours", I could barely expect my fridge to make it 24 hours if there was no sun to recharge through my solar panels.
The Question Now:
Does anyone have a 500-700 "watt hour" Solar Generator and know how much I could expect to run in 24 hours, without full sun to recharge?
Obviously, if I have enough panels to meet my smaller device requirements, the Solar Generator battery wouldn't have to put out so much.
But having just realized my dyslexic mistake between the Ah and Wh, I want to know if I should just scrap the idea of using a Solar Generator and shell out the extra to build a 600Ah system to get through the cooler months, before needing more power to run the mini-split next summer.
And can I reduce the recharge time with overpowering of the Solar Generator input, as Will and others have described (which I still don't understand).
Will! If you see this post, it would be awesome if you could explain the big mess I just encountered between component systems and what you get in power, verses these Solar Generators.
Thanks, anyone!!
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