RR, What are you blokes running in the UK to need so much back up? What does a set up like yours set you back?
We have two Engels running on the back of the ute and facilities to charge detectors, radios etc. All this survives with 1 X 110AGM (second battery in 14 years) charged by vehicle alternator while mobile, 200W solar when stationary.
Looks like they take up a lot of valuable space, or is this a double unit?
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It's the Lack of Sunlight that is the main problem,
I only use mine when I go away which is normally 2 or 3 times a month, But my Brother is trying to run his 2 storey house from them, I think he jump the gun a bit because in the first place he should of bought more Solar Not a second SoGen and half way through me explaining that to him within an hour or so he bought the big 2400wh SoGen, Trouble is He has 2x 260w panels and on bad Sun Days they won't make enough power to charge 2x 1800wh SoGens, So he jumped in and bought the 2400 as a backup while he gets to charge the others, Well that didn't work coz his other half keeps draining that watching the 48" TV all day, So then last week he bought 2x 300w 24v panels, One turned up smashed so he had to wait for a replacement, Now he's got them setup and is getting 2 and a 1/2 SoGens charged on a Good Sun Day but he won't set the 2 spare 260w panels up in the yard or link them all to over power the feed on bad Solar Days, So I have given up and let him do it his way, and he refuses to charge them in an emergancy from the Wall Wort.
I went down a differant route, I first bought my ULP Genny about 3 or 4 years ago before buying any of this other stuff because I didn't trust SoGens, Since then I bought a couple of 100/120w folding panels for use in the Van which can be linked depending which SoGen needs charging, During this time I have worked out the fastest ways how I can charge them, All I did was buy one of the factory bigger chargers to plug in the Genny on rainy days and it cost me about 200 bucks all up, And I can charge all of them from the Van while Travelling So I got 3 or 4 ways to charge them up, My Brother went for all out power, I went for charging options, I spent around $2000 including buying the SoGen, Panels and Charger, My Brother has spent about$7500++ and rising, his setup is a long way from being sorted, where I could power my home from one SoGen, but my bother's other half won't ease up on the power and big TV's really cane the system drawing about 75w+ an hour.
I have gone away camping for 4 days In winter with very little Sun using a 512wh / 40A SoGen and a 120w panel running the fridge, TV at night coz it gets dark at around 4 or 5pm and a electric heater, charging phones and SATNAVs etc, If done right then you can do a heck of a lot with one of these little packs,
Lots of Sunshine here today, 37/38* and tomorrow they are saying 40*++
It's 27* and its only 20 past 9 in the morning,
