Solar question

[Jim in Ma.]

I'm finally getting around to setting up a solar system for lights in the wife's screen house.
I have a 45 watt panel , controller and lights.
What would be a good battery choice or for this? Deep cycle or regular 12 volt? Thanks Jim

 

[old]

Deep cycle will probably wok better if your going to pull much out of it say light have the lights on all night and then charge it back up during the day. They are made to be discharged most of the way then charged back up

 

[buickanddeere]

Deep cycle. What size of lights and length of use per day?
Battery, panels and lights should be sized so it's no lower than 75% charge on a short winter day and long winter night.
Otherwise the system will rapidly ruin the batteries.
Screen or Green house?

 

[John T]

You want a TRUE DEEP CYCLE (like Trojan and other similar brand golf cart batteries) nottttttt a quasi wimpy RV/Marine so called deep cycle battery that Wally World sells

A couple Trojan T 105 etc or bigger sixes in series works well for 12 volt applications.

I have 4 six volt golf cart batteries (series paralell for 12 volts) in my RV that total 460 Amp Hrs and am adding 200 watts of rooftop solar panels and use a Xantrex Truecharge2 Smart Charger plus have an Onan 4 KW Genest. We do a lot of dry camping up in the mountains and with that set up we can stay almost indefinitely.

John T

 

[Ted in NE-OH]

Here is a real easy and practical approach to solar energy.

www.plugandplaysolarkits.com

 

[Jim in Ma.]

I have all that stuff. I'm only looking at batteries. Thanks anyway.

 

[circus]

Beware. The utility cuts off anyone with a Plug & Play. It's a Grid-tie and would need to meet criteria, inspections and contracts.

 

[guido]

Hello Jim in Ma,

If the battery system will not be discharged more then 20% , any type of battery should do just fine. More then that a deep cycle one would be a better choice. Trojan makes one that comes to mind, Its made for solar charging application,
12V 75AH, about $170.

Guido.