How many watts of solar panels do you have? How do you have them wired up? There is no way you could have voltage spikes of 19v,if you have the controller hooked to the batterys,like you should. I use an inverter,and CFL's,the 12v ones are too expensive.How do you have your tractor battery tied into the system?
Inverter issues????? requesting input
- Thread starter Boeing
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ronjhall
Super Star Member
You may want to install LED's in your 12 volt light fixtures. I am completing my install using information on a RV forum. Here is a link. Inexpensive Fluorescent to LED Upgrade You will find links to other threads with even more info. I think you will find that your florescent lights do not like voltage over 14.5 vdc. Put a/some regulators on lights and your problem will be solved. Thread linked above will give you some places to get them. Many LCD/LED TV's in the smaller sizes have 120vac to 12 vdc power supplies. They can be powered by 12vdc if a regulator is put in line before TV. Most TV's with external power supplies are 26" and smaller.
I should add that you will find lots of info on solar regulators on the forum linked above.
I should add that you will find lots of info on solar regulators on the forum linked above.
OP
Boeing
Platinum Member
Guys, I have read your replies and reviewed some of the data that I had used to select my "gear".....I'm starting to think that I have a charge controller problem. I'm suprised because it is a good controller, Morningstar Tristar 45, but I should NEVER see 19V out of that controller. It's only 4 months old and WAS showing a cycling 16V and most of the time showed about 14.6. There are lots of micro switches to vary hundreds of things so mayber a call to Morningstar will help.
Somebody asked about the panels... I have two 100W panels and two deep cycle batteries.....the solar goes thru a Morningstar Tristar 45 controller. The inverter AND the light circuit are DIRECTLY wired to the batteries (I thought to give a more even 12V)
The 12V Flourescent bulbs are the spiral type with "house type" screw in bases. There is no name on them but there is a part number if anyone wants to order some. ($6.49) The LED bulbs I got thru E-bay, tried two different styles to judge which works best; one looks like a normal bulb and has 6 bright LED's within the normal type bulb, about $18. The other LED bulb is odd looking....screw in base, then 3" diameter bottom unit and a 1.5" extension like a "ray gun" from the '50's. They were only about $7.00 and BOTH style LED's lived thru this voltage spike that I described in my initial post. Both LED's put out equal light.....not quite as bright as the 15W (60 watt equivilent) flourescents. They do use only 7Watts which is great for battery power.
Another question was asked about how I charge the tractor battery when I'm gone....I just hook up a set of jumper cables to the two "house batteries" and the tractor making the solar charge THREE batteries instead of two. Seems to work.
So, I'm planning on talking to Morningstar and looking for a "good" inverter that might not hurt electronics. It all boils down to how much money you can spend doesn't it.........life goes on.:confused2:
Somebody asked about the panels... I have two 100W panels and two deep cycle batteries.....the solar goes thru a Morningstar Tristar 45 controller. The inverter AND the light circuit are DIRECTLY wired to the batteries (I thought to give a more even 12V)
The 12V Flourescent bulbs are the spiral type with "house type" screw in bases. There is no name on them but there is a part number if anyone wants to order some. ($6.49) The LED bulbs I got thru E-bay, tried two different styles to judge which works best; one looks like a normal bulb and has 6 bright LED's within the normal type bulb, about $18. The other LED bulb is odd looking....screw in base, then 3" diameter bottom unit and a 1.5" extension like a "ray gun" from the '50's. They were only about $7.00 and BOTH style LED's lived thru this voltage spike that I described in my initial post. Both LED's put out equal light.....not quite as bright as the 15W (60 watt equivilent) flourescents. They do use only 7Watts which is great for battery power.
Another question was asked about how I charge the tractor battery when I'm gone....I just hook up a set of jumper cables to the two "house batteries" and the tractor making the solar charge THREE batteries instead of two. Seems to work.
So, I'm planning on talking to Morningstar and looking for a "good" inverter that might not hurt electronics. It all boils down to how much money you can spend doesn't it.........life goes on.:confused2:
dave1949
Super Star Member
When our house was being built we didn't have utility power yet, everything was powered from our Honda generator. I noticed that when the contractor plugged in his cordless tool charger, I think it was a Dewalt, the 6500 watt generator would kick up it's rpms like it had a real load on it, but of course that is only a small load. Our generator has never caused any problems with electronics. I think it has a fairly clean sinusoidal output but I've never had an oscilloscope on it.