Wednesday, Aug 28, 2024 at 08:03
Hi Kathy W2,
Firstly, let me state that I am not an Auto. Elec. or a 12 volt specialist, just someone who has been camping for more than 55 years.
After reading the responses so far, I am sure by now you get it that 12 volt kettles are not the way to go. As a couple of responders have mentioned, any 12 volt appliance used for a heat source is going to consume quite a lot of battery capacity, and will take a long time doing it. Electric Kettles and Jugs are for when you have a good 240 volt power supply, such as in a caravan park, gas is by far a quicker and cheaper alternative for heating water or cooking when “off
grid”.
As for Battery capacity, if you have a compressor fridge, the minimum battery capacity I would suggest is 200 AmpHrs of preferably LiFePo4 batteries, and a minimum of 400 watts of solar capacity. The general rule of thumb is that for every battery amp you have, you need double the watts of solar capacity. Some people argue that you can get away with less, but the vast majority will agree with the 2 for 1 ratio. So for your current 360 AmpHrs of battery capacity, you really need 720 watts of solar capacity. You can supplement your current Solar capacity by using portable folding panels or folding blanket. Remember, depending on where you are located in the country, and the time of year, there is only around 4 to 5 hours of optimal solar charging conditions. Also, as someone else has mentioned, you will be lucky to get half of the rated capacity from your solar panels, particularly if they are flat roof mounted. They also need to be in full sun to be efficient.
Your 1,000 Watt inverter is not going to run much in the way of electrical appliances other than phone, tablet and camera battery chargers, the majority of which can be run from a 12 volt power supply anyway.
What do you run from your 1,000 Watt Inverter? Given that appliances such as Electric kettles, toasters, induction cooktops etc. pull over 1,000 watts, it would seem to be a bit small. Depending on what 240 volt appliances you are running, it might be better to upgrade to a larger inverter. You need to match the inverter to the current draw of the appliances that you want to run, with a slightly higher margin to avoid tripping the inverter on overload. Your batteries also need to be able to deliver the continuous discharge amperage the appliance requires.
As a bare minimum, even if you do nothing else, increasing your current solar capacity to the 720 watts as suggested, will help your current set up cope with being off
grid for a couple of nights.
Macca.
AnswerID:
646419