2608bs Solar

[Sobiepan]

I have the 2608 w solar option. I have perused the forums but have not really found solid answers.

Is there anyone that has one of these units and figured out what it takes to keep the fridge and lights on using just solar. Thanks!

[Ex-tenter]

Originally Posted by Sobiepan

I have the 2608 w solar option. I have perused the forums but have not really found solid answers.

Is there anyone that has one of these units and figured out what it takes to keep the fridge and lights on using just solar. Thanks!

For how long? You're probably going to need another panel or two, and more battery to get more than a couple of days, especially if you are in an area with unreliable sunlight.

Let us know where you are camping and what kind of camping you want to do and we can probably give you a better answer. There are lots of threads about solar including the 2608BS and the fridge you have. The reason you haven't found solid answers is that there are so many variables and expectations.

[Sobiepan]

Originally Posted by Ex-tenter

For how long? You're probably going to need another panel or two, and more battery to get more than a couple of days, especially if you are in an area with unreliable sunlight.

Let us know where you are camping and what kind of camping you want to do and we can probably give you a better answer. There are lots of threads about solar including the 2608BS and the fridge you have. The reason you haven't found solid answers is that there are so many variables and expectations.

Understood. I have 600 watts of solar and two 100ah batteries. I want to be able to run the fridge and lights and pump indefinitely in full sunlight.

[grege]

Originally Posted by Sobiepan

I have the 2608 w solar option. I have perused the forums but have not really found solid answers.

Is there anyone that has one of these units and figured out what it takes to keep the fridge and lights on using just solar. Thanks!

You do know that nothing runs on the solar panels. They charge the batteries and everything runs off those when not plugged in. So the question really is do you have enough battery and can keep it charged in full sunlight.

[Sobiepan]

Originally Posted by grege

You do know that nothing runs on the solar panels. They charge the batteries and everything runs off those when not plugged in. So the question really is do you have enough battery and can keep it charged in full sunlight.

Yes I am aware of that. I was hoping someone has my same setup and would respond with what they have figured out.

[MrPukaShell]

I have a 2608 with 3 panels and have not had any issues with it staying powered up. We pretty much dont use lights unless we have to (got the wife trained that way from our last trailer). Spend most of our time outside. Did have an issue last summer when we were hidden under some trees and had to use the generator to get charged up so that is something we have to get used to. I have since put a shunt on it but have not been dry camping to see what I am using. I could unplug it and tell you how much it draws sitting in the driveway but that would not be real world numbers due to no one opening the refridgerator or using lights, unless I go out and get a beer.

[Sobiepan]

Originally Posted by MrPukaShell

I have a 2608 with 3 panels and have not had any issues with it staying powered up. We pretty much dont use lights unless we have to (got the wife trained that way from our last trailer). Spend most of our time outside. Did have an issue last summer when we were hidden under some trees and had to use the generator to get charged up so that is something we have to get used to. I have since put a shunt on it but have not been dry camping to see what I am using. I could unplug it and tell you how much it draws sitting in the driveway but that would not be real world numbers due to no one opening the refridgerator or using lights, unless I go out and get a beer.

You are exactly the person I am looking for. Can you tell me how many watts your panels are and what kind and rating your batteries are?

I actually was fine until I turned on my heat. The blower motor seemed to kill everything. I can’t seem to find the amps that it is drawing. I have been looking into buying a shunt as well to help figure this out. Thank you for your response!

[MrPukaShell]

I have three of the go power 190’s and two battery that came on not sure of the amps. I know any motor will have a big draw on the batteries. I am in the process of upgrading the batteries/inverter/charging system. Will do that as soon as some warranty work gets done. I got the Victron shunt that Bluetooths to you phone app, it was around $130.00

[tomkatb]

Depends.

You are the owner. I am the engineer.

What do you want. Not my job.

When we design something we ask the owner what they want! We design for, this day. Then there is the come hell or high water design. The 10 year plan. The 20 year plan. Or the 100 year plan. Remember New Orleans flooding?

Where do you play the most?

What works in California does not work in Texas.

Get a battery monitor and study up. Plan ahead.

We have no solar. 430 ah dc of a wet cell battery bank. We use the Honda 2200 every day or two. Or pay to,plug in. Love boondocking. We live in Ohio.

I kind of like 800 watts of solar and a battery bank a bit bigger than mine.

We have a battery monitor. Next step for us is a 400 ah dc lithium battery. Then 800 watts of solar maybe. In Ohio solar does not work so well.

We use about 100 ah of battery daily. Our only big electricity user is the cpap machine. 37’ fifth wheel.

[Sobiepan]

Update on solar for 2608BS

This will be long winded but I really want to help those that are going through what I have.

I bought the 2608 because I loved the idea of running off solar. First time out the batteries (2 of them) failed. They were 100AH AGM batteries with the 190 watt solar kit to charge them. Without getting into all the minute details, this revelation concerned me.

I bought a 400 watt portable solar charger. Next time out that kept my fridge going fine. BUT it was cold so I turned on the heater. Next morning batteries are toast again.

Brought the rig home and bought a SHUNT with remote capability to see what was being drawn out of my batteries. If you have solar, buy one as it tells you exactly what is going in and out.

Bottom line was when the fridge goes into defrost mode it kills the battery. It draws about 32amps while doing it. 3 amps while just running. The heater draws 1.5 amps.

I paid $650 for a 200AH zoom lithium battery. I can now run everything always. Fridge, heater, stereo, water pump and lights and from a full charge it never has gone below 68%.

Such a game changer. My last trip was 5 days, one battery, only two days of sun and still absolutely fine. I bought the Zoom ProLife4 200AH from Amazon for about $650

Hope this helps those that have the same setup

[Richard Dietzen]

Hopefully your system isn’t charging lithium below 30°.
You’ll need to watch out for that or (apparently) get a recommended Victron inverter or a battery warmer. There are batteries with a cold sensor switch, but they cost more. See Will Prouse recent YouTube video on that one, and this topic. Your basic BMS should now prevent damage with a low voltage cut off, also.
Is your solar system charging at or below freezing?

[W5CRE]

Originally Posted by Richard Dietzen

Hopefully your system isn’t charging lithium below 30°.
You’ll need to watch out for that or (apparently) get a recommended Victron inverter or a battery warmer. There are batteries with a cold sensor switch, but they cost more. See Will Prouse recent YouTube video on that one, and this topic. Your basic BMS should now prevent damage with a low voltage cut off, also.
Is your solar system charging at or below freezing?

As noted by Will Prowse. If you put your perfectly safe lifepo4 batteries inside the trailer it's a non issue when camping. In order for it to be an issue the battery cells must go below 0°C and you must then be charging the battery. Most decent lifepo4 batteries have a low temperature cut off preventing this. If the battery has some insulation such as being in a plastic battery box the battery in of itself will provide some heat. If you stuff some Styrofoam around the battery you'll add even more insulation. Will Prowse also said he has never had one of his batteries in an unheated environment get too cold to charge.
Now, for me personally, if it's too damned cold for my battery to charge it's way past too cold for me to be camping.

[Sobiepan]

My controller will not turn on if it’s below 33.

[MrPukaShell]

Originally Posted by Sobiepan

My controller will not turn on if it’s below 33.

Where did you put your batteries? I am thinking on puting batteries and charge controller in the front compartment. Then putting a box on the tongue to carry and store stuff. Did you upgrade the inverter?

[Sobiepan]

Originally Posted by MrPukaShell

Where did you put your batteries? I am thinking on puting batteries and charge controller in the front compartment. Then putting a box on the tongue to carry and store stuff. Did you upgrade the inverter?

Lithium batteries are incredibly light compared to the deep cycle ones that came with it.

I went to Home Depot and bought a sheet of aluminum and some aluminum angle and a rivet gun and made a box that allows an inch of foam all around it and placed it on the tongue. The entire 2 batteries, SHUNT and box are still lighter than what I pulled out.

The unit came with a 1k watt inverter which is more than enough for what I am doing as I do not plan on running the AC units which is all I currently cannot run.