Solar panel and CTEK D250S

[topgun94]

Hey guys. I havent been on in a while but recently i finished my university degree. So while i wait for a job to roll around the modification on the MU roll on !
Latest gadget installed is a 80 W solar panel and a CTEK D250S dual battery system.
In the hot australian weather i was finding that my 47lt fridge kept in the back of my car was killing my second battery. So i upgraded from a hybrid CCA/Deepcycle marine battery to a dedicated deep cycle battery and ctek charging system. Its not only an Isolator but a DC to DC charger that pumps out about 20 amps.
The solar panel on a sunny day does about 17.5v (at approx 4 amps) And keep the second battery very happy. I am pretty happy with the voltage considering i have the panel mounted under the roof rack mesh. I didnt this so i could still load my roof racks up while traveling (Because face it, we need as much room as we can get with a MU).
I went coastal camping for a week and my battery didnt drop below 12.6 V the whole time! I am pretty impressed with the set up and hopefully a few more camping trips to come!

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[geeves]

Very good and cunning way to protect the panel.
I use a 3 way fridge on gas as you always have a gas bottle but the catch is you have to switch to 12v while driving and they are not that efficiant that way and really you dont want it running gas inside the vehicle so I often take a separate tent just for the fridge

[muzila]

Thanks for that. I was wondering how the solar panels do against a fridge. I am getting a 50 ltr fridge after xmas so decided a rewire and a solar panel would be the go. I see they have dropped in price quite a lot since I last looked at them. It makes them economical now as apposed to what they where a year or so ago.

[geeves]

there is a new type of panel on the market now. Massivly cheaper but dont last quite as long. Somehow though I suspect these pannels will get damaged well before there lifetime

[topgun94]

Yeah the panel is a mono crystalline opposed to the old type of polycrystalline. Mono is more efficient and a higher quality panel. There is also that new type you were talking about geeves but not many reviews on it yet and hard to get in Australia.
I ended up going for a 80w solar panel and it cost $110. I would have loved a 120w but couldn't justify rebuilding the roof racks to fit it. They aren't expensive though. Maybe a future pipeline job.

[geeves]

very good price