getting the most out of the battery

There are a lot of good solar chargers out there, thanks to technology getting better the price of solar equipment is getting cheaper.

ZJ,
what sort of fridge is it? (a compressor fridge will draw less current than a three way Finch)
What is the capacity of the battery? Is the battery in good condition? Is it being fully charged each time you take her for a drive? It may be that you are asking too much of the battery, and you may need to get a deep cycle battery or Optima yellow top to keep your fridge running longer.Bob

I don't think any standard battery would last more than a day and half, certainly not my yellow top optima. The yellow tops only have 65ah in them, a new yellow top came out this year with 75ah. Personally if you have a camper i'd just go for bigger capacity batteries, if weight is not an issue go to any Battery World and ask about putting two 6v batteries in parrallel to get a 12v unit - that way you have access to something like 180ah which would take you a few days.

Say your battery is a standard 65ah battery, and you have an engel or a danfoss compressor in your fridge which draws say 3amps per hour on a 70% cycling rate over a 24 hour period means it uses up like 50amps, so like a day and a bit. Unless have you a motor to recharge the battery each day or solar panels to charge it (presuming there is sun) then your best option is to invest in larger capacity batteries.

dicky smiths sells a solar panel for around 150 -200 i think, maybe cheaper ,it was the smaller of what they had, i use it on the trailer saler running a small fridge,dept sounder, radio,and an anchor light thats on dusk till dawn,(led light built them my self cost $100 to make but brighter then a norm bolb and last pretty much 4 ever,9x 900,000cp,LED's,use one in the cabin as well very bright) and the batterys a standed car 12v, works well, and is about 30 to 40cm square
but back to the point give dicky smiths a ring, and or have a look
cheers
ron

You'd be aiming for a solar panel (or pair) that would produce at least 120 watts (that's 10 amps) at max output.

Even if you assume 8 hours of good sunshine, at maximum efficiency you would only get 80 amps out of the panels, take out the 50 or so that the fridge uses in a day and you'll see that this setup will work for you, but does not leave you much margin for cloudy days.

If you can get away with 120 watts worth of Solar panel for under a grand, tell us all how.

The Dick Smith panels are only intended to help top up an already charged battery, I can't see them helping much in your situation, but then, maybe your camping in the middle of the ocean or on top of a hill that will have uninterupted sunshine all day.

I know that I don't have a name up top (?) but I'm Chopper

Hi zedjay
Check out the for sale items in camping i have a battery charger
for sale would save you going for a drive or idiling your car for long
periods
Friar

HI William
Been down that track ,you kneed a large bank of batteries with solar
for when the sun does not shine also at least 2 large capacity solar panels
The battery charger i have is a car alternator driven by a 4stroke 50cc honda
it works the same way a car chages a battery .The only reason i am selling
it i have decided to go with a eu10 honda @ a 15 amp constant electric battery
charger as i wish to run more electrial items, the other option was to go with
12volt to 240 inverter but prefer the first option
Friar

Why dont you buy an outback battery charger from Christie Engineering!
Check this out.
http://usrwww.mpx.com.au/~christie_eng/

I also use a HiAce, with a 80 watt Solarex pannel and 2 x 80 watt Delcor deep cycle jell batteries sepperated from the starter battery by a Pirahna isolator it works for me .....