HELP! Please!

[Blondie]

I have purchased 4 acres of sand and gorgeous scenery west of Hurricane, utah and just north of the north rim of the Grand Canyon. I have arranged for a well to be put in soon. However, I will be off the grid. I have three big German made solar panels. I have an inverter and plan to get some 12 volt batteries right away. But.......I have a question. If I gave the panels set up and the batteries in line what happens when I an not there to use battery power for say two weeks? The frig will be on the batteries but what happens to the excess power. Hum?

[Mosseyme]

I know some of the smart guys will chime in but I think you can attach a light or something on a overcharge switch or something that will bleed off charge.

[edkemper]

Like leaving your cellphone plugged in. No harm, no foul. There is a part that regulates the charge rate. When it's full, it sort of turns off the charger.

[rreidnauer]

You must have a charge controller between the panels and the battery bank. I strongly recommend MPPT type charge controllers, but a simple, inexpensive switching (PWM) will suffice if you're trying to stay low cost.

[BoFuller]

Blonde, ditto Rod's comment. A charge controller monitors that for you.
Glad to hear you're making some progress!

[loghousenut]

That's the nice thing about solar as compared to hydro or windpower. A charge controller can just shut it off. With wind or solar you have to use the power somehow or stop the production. With solar you just don't use it.

[Blondie]

Thanks! Guys.

[panderson03]

what Rod said! need a charge controller

[Blondie]

Bo, I found a 31ft old Airstream on of all places ebay and had it towed to the property.From Kansas to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Nothing inside works....no kidding! but there are some good things as well. With the solar well attached and a septic tank as well as a propane heater. I should be set for the winter. I bough gasket about 137 ft for the windows and door on Friday. I finally found the frozen slide that allowed me to latch the door for the inside. I am delighted that I spent hours watching my Dad play mechanic. Lol they made things very well...way back when and the airstream shows it.

[BoFuller]

Bo, I found a 31ft old Airstream on of all places ebay and had it towed to the property.From Kansas to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Nothing inside works....no kidding! but there are some good things as well. With the solar well attached and a septic tank as well as a propane heater. I should be set for the winter. I bough gasket about 137 ft for the windows and door on Friday. I finally found the frozen slide that allowed me to latch the door for the inside. I am delighted that I spent hours watching my Dad play mechanic. Lol they made things very well...way back when and the airstream shows it.

That sounds pretty cool. You should be able to fix it up.
I spent the day using the wire brush on my logs on the inside two walls around the wood stove. Up and down the ladder. It gets a little hairy when at the top of the ladder, hanging on with one hand and holding the drill with the other. :(

[Blondie]

Bo,
I have severe difficulty with a two step ladder. I have no balance at all!