National Luna Power Pack - Solar Setup

[Wicked 2007]

Hmm - I seem to have missed this thread - I've got basically the same set up in my camper.

100w CIGS panel from Global Solar, Sunsaver duo w/remote display, National Luna PPP & a group 31 AGM battery.

The 100w panel is plenty to keep up with a ARB 47l fridge & some LED lights (that's all I run off of mine). I had the fridge running for 6 days last week & didn't bother to plug the truck into the PPP. In full sun, with the panel mounted flat to my roof (IE: not tracking the sun), I was fully charged before noon each day. Of course I was in S. AZ with plenty of sunlight. Further north may not have the same results.

One thing that I did notice when I installed the solar panels, is that as soon it starts pushing power to the truck batteries, the NL Power Pack sees the increase in voltage and assumes that the engine has been started, so it connects the starting batteries & house batteries (normal operation mode when the engine is running). This would obviously be limited to the dual output charge controllers where one output is hooked to the main batteries & the other to the house batteries.

You could add a relay to completely isolate the two systems - but that starts adding complexity (potential failure points), and in a way, defeats the purpose of using a system like the National Luna PPP.

So are you saying with the higher voltage coming in from the panel it's also charging the engine battery?

If not and its a problem - I guess you can always fully disconnect the engine battery at the Anderson connection on the NLPP once at camp.

 

[goodtimes]

So are you saying with the higher voltage coming in from the panel it's also charging the engine battery?

If not and its a problem - I guess you can always fully disconnect the engine battery at the Anderson connection on the NLPP once at camp.

Yes. An increase in voltage on the input side of the Power Pack will trick the power pack into thinking that the engine was started - so it connects the house and main batteries.

If you have a single output charge controller (solar) and connect it to the load side of the power pack (IE: directly to the terminals on the house battery), the power pack won't know its there. It's only when you put power (~14v) to the input side that things get wonky.

When the input voltage drops (solar panels stop producing power), the Power Pack should disconnect the main and house batteries (it thinks the engine was shut off).

Is that a huge concern? Ehh. It just seems like you're defeating the purpose of the power pack if you're tricking it to think the engine is running all the time. You could accomplish the same thing with a relatively inexpensive solenoid - or even a less expensive single output charge controller (just hook it to the input side of the power pack).

 

[Wicked 2007]

I see - if i am understanding this correctly, I don't think this happens the way mine is hooked up (single charge controller direct to cab battery). My solar goes directly to the terminals on the battery in the NLPP. The negative then goes to a shunt (so I can measure amps in/out) then the other side of the shunt negative goes to the PP.

I was just thinking if it could be a way to charge both batteries from a single charge controller.

 

[soul]

Here are my pictures, in another thread .. the LiFePO4 setup is very compact (as you can see). Its seems to be running well, the real test coming during the long weekend. http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...in-a-dual-battery-setup?p=1358364#post1358364

I am not sure how much is the charging current to the batteries, will put up a wattmeter to check. It seems that 1 hour drive in a day is sufficient to charge the batteries. The voltage drop in 12 hours (during the night) brings the per cell voltage from 3.37v to 3.34. Hope this setup runs the fridge for 3-4 days at least

 

[Baoser]

omg can't believe I didnt look at your setup at Slick Rock >.< damn next time! looks good josh!

 

[Wicked 2007]

I know it's not the best photo but this is one my friend took while camping last weekend.

Spent 3 days out in stanilaus with family for memorial weekend. Solar setup worked great keeping my AUX battery topped off the entire time.

I was putting some big loads on it also - since it was family with wives, kids and all - we had an electric pellet smoker that ran for 6 hours 1 day, had a projector to play a movie at night and of course it ran my usual stuff - ARB fridge, LED lights, etc.

Having the panel free (vs mounted) to track the sun throughout the day worked great - I'm very happy with the setup.

 

[soul]

I am facing similar issue, my LiFePO4 battery charges up to 14.2V when the engine is running and in parallel with Main battery. But after the engine is shut down the Isolator continues to bridge the two batteries, sensing higher V.
The net effect, Aux battery charges Main battery and supplies vehicle electrical needs till the voltage drops down to 13.2V at which the Isolator breaks connection.

This is not affecting the function, but not able to utilize the full capacity of Aux battery. I need complete isolation when the engine is off, so that aux can be used only for ARB and other camping loads.

 

[Honu]

get a 2 battery marine switch bluesea or perko are the most common
or even a simple isolator switch

I am facing similar issue, my LiFePO4 battery charges up to 14.2V when the engine is running and in parallel with Main battery. But after the engine is shut down the Isolator continues to bridge the two batteries, sensing higher V.
The net effect, Aux battery charges Main battery and supplies vehicle electrical needs till the voltage drops down to 13.2V at which the Isolator breaks connection.

This is not affecting the function, but not able to utilize the full capacity of Aux battery. I need complete isolation when the engine is off, so that aux can be used only for ARB and other camping loads.

 

[soul]

thanks, will give it a try

 

[goodtimes]

I am facing similar issue, my LiFePO4 battery charges up to 14.2V when the engine is running and in parallel with Main battery. But after the engine is shut down the Isolator continues to bridge the two batteries, sensing higher V.
The net effect, Aux battery charges Main battery and supplies vehicle electrical needs till the voltage drops down to 13.2V at which the Isolator breaks connection.

This is not affecting the function, but not able to utilize the full capacity of Aux battery. I need complete isolation when the engine is off, so that aux can be used only for ARB and other camping loads.

Just move the solar to the load side of the isolator. They make the connect/disconnect decision based on the input voltage (the truck side) of the system, and ignore the load side (aux battery side).

 

[Wicked 2007]

Just a quick update. I have been using this setup for a while now and it has worked great. I did expand and add a second panel for a total of 200w system.

 

[Azbackcountry]

Nice setup wicked 2007. Enjoyed the thread .
Working towards a solar set up in Az only makes sense
Az

 

[Wicked 2007]

As an update. I now moved to Grape flex panels. Same specs as the GS100 (length and width and amps) but only 5mm thick and weigh in just over 5lbs

 

[228B]

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Hey Wicked, that's a wicked setup. How's the rigidity of the PV cells on that sheet of (assuming-) aluminum? I have two Renogy 100W panels, roughly 24" X 48" and I was satisfied with their solidity because they're framed (as other rooftop PV is) in 2" alum channel.
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However... I'd like to mount one of the panels on the back of my teardrop trailer, laterally, in the position of what might look like a rear wing on the back of a Bonneville roadster. lol. I like the thinner panels you have, there. They look like they might be monocrystalline cells, too.
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EDIT: maybe a nevermind! because I just saw this in the "Renogy vs Grape" thread:
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Wicked2007
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I will admit the thin renogy would be nice if you did want to stick them to your roof and have them contour the roof vs the 5mm grape. That said, there is a reason why grape went form 3mm to 5mm. People were experiencing "cupping" on the thinner versions.
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I decided to go with grape since I know their quality is spot on (I own a few of their GS100 rigid panels), I felt the 5mm made it more durable and the longer pigtails help a lot for my application. Both put out the same power side by side. My main reason for going with the flexible is the weight savings and ease of packing up for trips.
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I am using two of these panels on my truck to replace my two rigid grape GS100. Compared to my experience with the rigid - these perform exactly the same and I see 12 amps no problem in good sun with my MPPT controller.

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Thanks a ton! for your posted experience.