Where forward?

As usual I am criticized for everything to do with my solar setup to the color of my socks. I looked at replacing my solar controllers because I’ve  been told they’re Chinese and therefore crap. I’ve looked at replacing my Harbor Freight battery because it doesn’t seem to be working and I’ve been told it’s Chinese and therefore crap. It seems everything that doesn’t perform as it should is called “Chinese crap”. It’s so depressing to hear all this name calling.

China managed to launch a small space station and their own men in space. China managed to put a lunar rover on the moon. These do not seem to me to be in the least bit “crap”. This mudslinging has to stop. Look around your home... how many things do you have, love and use without issue that are made in China? Most tablets, laptops, phones are made in China. Most electronic components come from China. Isn’t this “It’s  Chinese so it’s crap” argument getting somewhat tiresome? Blame the retailer if something is Chinese and not good. The retailer buys the stuff from the wholesaler and the wholesaler just orders it from China. If the retailer wants cheap, the Chinese will ksupply cheap. If the retailer wants good, the Chinese will supply good. If the retailer wants cheap and good, the Chinese will supply cheap and good.

I looked at the figures for a USA made Morningstar PWM solar controller that cost $95. They were the exact same voltages for start, cutoff, float etc as my “crap” Chinese controller. Not just that but the same figures that I have observed using my meters. In fact, looking at the specifications for all the PWM charge controllers, the figures were very similar.

Reading into MPPT controllers, some commentators say that they’re not worthwhile unless you have 200w of panels. One reviewer noted that many MPPT controllers needed 10W to start up. Then there’s the cost. Most of the MPPT controllers are very costly if they’re actually made in the USA. Most are made in China for western companies. A typical American made controller is about $200. That’s just not worth the money.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but if I was starting my power system from scratch, I would not have used any of this solar stuff. I’d have saved the $200 I spent on panels and the $90 on the assorted batteries and the $50 on assorted controllers. Instead I’d have bought two or three car batteries or marine batteries if they cost the same or less. I’d have put a diode regulator so that the batteries charged when the engine was running and carried a car battery charger for times I’m plugged in and used a small harbor freight generator as backup.

Looking at the figures, my extraction fans burn 58W. Over the hot part of the day that’s about 8 hours use or 38AH. Assuming 3 batteries of 100AH each, that’s four days without needing to replenish the batteries. Solar power is so enticing but unless you’re going to put a lot of panels, it’s just an expensive pain in the arse and, of course, no end of people are willing to tell you how to fix things and that always entails buying yet more expensive stuff with no cast iron guarantee that it’ll fix things.

Given that I believe my charge controller is fine, I’ve left the batteries on charge for a couple of days. I won’t touch the batteries today and didn’t yesterday. Tomorrow afternoon I’ll time the fan again to see how long I get. Last time it was 20 minutes. If I get more then it’s a charging issue. If I get the same or less, it’s a battery issue as I suspect.

Replacing the battery is an option. I have heard that used as a deep cycle battery, $20 lawnmower batteries last 6 months. That sounds a pretty good option. Given that my $50 (without coupons $75) battery lasted just a year, lawnmower batteries seem a more economic option. $20 twice a year rather than $50-$75 a year.

In that picture you can see 75W of solar panels. Two 30W and one 15W. On the back of the bus there are two 10W panels. That’s 95W of panels. The charging light on the charge controller is flashing rapidly. All 3 charge lights are lit. Now another quick calculation. Let’s assume we’re getting just half the panel amperage during the 10 or 11 hours of daylight we have right now. That’s still 47.5 watts times ten hours for 475 watt hours of power. Divide by 12 and that’s 39.58 amp hours of electricity.

I won’t touch the system til tomorrow afternoon. If an afternoon, a day and a morning of sun totaling 79 amp hours have not filled that poxy little 35ah battery then there’s something seriously wrong with the battery. As a last resort if tomorrow the fans work for only 20 minutes I’ll build a new strap to hold a lawnmower battery in place and will commence using an old lawnmower battery. I suppose I could also put the deep cycle battery on a charger overnight just in case. The signs so far point to a dead battery.