Need Help setting up a Small Solar system.

[k0ua]

Thank you guys for the feed back, It makes sense not to go from 12 V to 120 back to 12 V, this is why i was asking as I didn't know I could charge the batteries with just a controller and panel.

Battery Tender Junior makes its own controller. I have one on my 20 watt panel/small battery plant. I use it for back up for my radio equipment. I operate the VHF radio totally off of it, but could switch over any of the long range radios over to it if I needed to. Also could charge cell phones using a mobile charger if need be.

\
Solar

 

[airbiscuit]

What type of vehicles/equipment are you keeping charged?

 

[JOE G]

This building I keep mostly quads, Maybe a mower from time to time a 40 HP Tractor. I keep smaller equipment in this one.

 

[grsthegreat]

just a quick question...how far away is this building from another building that has utility power.

 

[JOE G]

100 Ft give maybe a touch over, The problem is I have a lot of landscaping in the way, I run an extension cord out there for the winter. This is strictly a storage building and I really only need power there for the Battery tenders. I have zero plans to do any work in this building. I have portable generators that I could use out there if I was going to need to fix something.

 

[Travelover]

100 Ft give maybe a touch over, The problem is I have a lot of landscaping in the way, I run an extension cord out there for the winter. This is strictly a storage building and I really only need power there for the Battery tenders. I have zero plans to do any work in this building. I have portable generators that I could use out there if I was going to need to fix something.

Why don't you just pick up a 100 watt panel, a controller and a 12 volt battery and go from there? Solar systems are totally modular, so you can add in bits and parts as you decide what you want. Maybe get a few 12 volt LED lights, locate them strategically inside and hook them to a switch by the door. Then later, add some wires so you can charge / maintain batteries.

 

[airbiscuit]

So, I like your post because it sounds like a cool project. I hope to learn a lot for future use. That said, a good part of your needs could be resolved by a couple of battery powered LED lights and a portabe jump starter. When my wife got a new car, I bought a lithium ion jump starter. I didn't believe such a tiny package would have enough juice to start my tractor. I was wrong. It spun it over like crazy.

So, I say, carry on with your solar project, but there is an interim fix.

 

[Travelover]

So, I like your post because it sounds like a cool project. I hope to learn a lot for future use. That said, a good part of your needs could be resolved by a couple of battery powered LED lights and a portabe jump starter. When my wife got a new car, I bought a lithium ion jump starter. I didn't believe such a tiny package would have enough juice to start my tractor. I was wrong. It spun it over like crazy.

So, I say, carry on with your solar project, but there is an interim fix.

Not really. Letting lead acid batteries get too low damages them, so the OP wants to keep the charge up to avoid that damage.

 

[JOE G]

I have about $700 in batteries out there, I don't want them to get ruined from getting to low.

 

[Jstpssng]

Looking at what you want, why not just bury 100 foot line out to it, as somebody else has already suggested?