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--- opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2022/03/31 12:47]
frater_secessus [Stealth] one spot
+++ opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2022/05/15 14:58]
frater_secessus [buying the wrong panel]
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
   * picky eaters
+Further reading:  [[https://cheaprvliving.com/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-live-in-a-vehicle/|Do You Have What It Takes to Live in a Vehicle?]], particular the section about it being 90% //self// and 10% //stuff//.
 ===== Planning =====
@@ Line 237: / Line 238: @@
 Don't get me started on people **flat-mounting poly/mono flex panels to the roof of their van**.  Maximum cost, maximum power loss due to temp derating, //and// with the bonus of blasting re-radiated heat right through the van roof.  It's a crap trifecta.
+=== mixing different panels ===
+Mixing differently-rated panels will always be sub-optimal.  People  who know what they are doing can minimize the losses.  Beginners should either buy identical panels or run different types on separate controllers.
 === Panel types and controllers ===
@@ Line 352: / Line 357: @@
 Yes, you can have too much battery.
-Most people use lead-chemistry batteries and carrying around unneeded lead is both heavy and expensive.  More importantly, **having more battery than you can charge fully and regularly** results in [[electrical:batterycide|battery murder]].  This is especially true for AGM batteries which typically have a //minimum// charging current requirement of C/5 (ie, 20A for 100Ah, 40A for 200Ah).  It is a rare vandweller who actually charges their AGM to [[electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints|manufacturer specs]] and gets a full life from them.
+Most people use lead-chemistry batteries and carrying around unneeded lead is both heavy and expensive.  More importantly, **having more battery than you can charge fully and regularly** results in [[electrical:batterycide|battery murder]].  This is especially true for AGM batteries which can have a //minimum// charging current requirement of C/5 (ie, 20A for 100Ah, 40A for 200Ah).  It is a rare vandweller who actually charges their AGM to [[electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints|manufacturer specs]] and gets a full life from them.
 Exotics like [[electrical:12v:deep_cycle_battery#lithium_chemistries|lithium]] and [[electrical:12v:deep_cycle_battery#carbon_foam_agm|carbon-foam]] aren't bothered by partial state of charge, but they are so expensive that buying too much is a self-limiting behavior.

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