Julia Watson

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Hmm, not quite.

City monitor:
The adapter can take in anywhere from 100-240 volts AC and can produce 19 volts DC at a maximum of 3.7 amps (= roughly 72 watts).

The monitor only uses a fraction of this (15.2 watts) but there will be some energy loss as the adapter does the conversion. I would guess it would use a combined total of 40 watts maximum.

Ok! So then the city monitor IS more efficient. I'll get a watt meter and double check. Thanks so much.

Update!

My friend went to the cabin for me and reported back that there is no adapter on the monitor. This is my figurings...do I have this right?

City monitor:
19v x .8 A = 15.2 watts
plus adapter:
120v x .6 = 72 watts
Add them together for total watts used: 72 + 15.2 = 87.2 watts

Cabin off grid monitor:
120v x 1.5a = 80 watts (no adapter)

So this means the old clunky cabin monitor is MORE energy efficient. Seems counter intuitive.  
The city adapter says: input 100-240v .6A and Output 19v .84A. I've used the input numbers in my calc above. Let me know if I have that wrong.

Another question I have is why do you translate "100-240v" to 120v in the formula? What does the range 100-240v mean?

Fascinating! Thank you everyone for the intel.  I'll have to wait until I'm at the cabin again to see what draw the power adapter uses so that I can add it to the monitor usage.

I'll post again when I have that number.  I really appreciate your comments!

I have an old monitor that I use as a secondary screen with my laptop when off grid at the cabin.  The rating on the sticker is 100-240v 1.5A.  Is that drawing a lot of power from my solar system?

I have another newer monitor in the city that is rated 19v .8A which I'm guessing is more efficient.  But could someone weigh in on how much more efficient it is and is my old monitor an energy hog or just so so? I'm thinking I should switch them out.

Thanks!

Thank you for detailed reply. I shall do as you suggest and report back! It will have to wait until the weekend when I'm back at the cabin though.

My Xantrex Prowatt SW 600 in inverter has stopped working.  A multimeter shows me there is power to the terminals so I feel confident it is the inverter that is fried.  I bought it 4 years ago and only run a light and my computer off it. Seems odd that it died. Any ideas why? And is 4 years the typical life for an inverter?

It lives under the cabin, which means it is outside but it is dry and no direct sun on it.  Definitely could have spiders living in it! It's been reliable but it didn't like the July heat dome. I'm in BC but when it was 40C for a week the inverter got too hot and sounded the alarm so I turned it off. Maybe that shortened its life?

Look like I need to buy a new one but am wondering if others find inverters don't last long.
Thanks!  

Hello Frank,

Thanks for all that info! I'll comment on some of it:

-Rest assured I read the manuals. Sometimes several times. But that doesn't mean I understand it all! It's a process.
-I generally set the charger DIP Switch to S1 Off and S2 On and make sure I don't have anything turned on in the cabin. I'm thinking that speeds things up rather than using a load and setting the DIP switches to off/off.
-I do charge everything I can from the second outlet on the genny whenever I run it all day. I have an extension cord inside that leads to the inverter that everything plugs into.
-I have been adjusting the charge controller settings depending on the average temperature. It is on average 10C currently so using the Rolls reference chart I have Absorbing set to 15V and Float set to 14.1V. I may get a automatic temperature sensor at some point if that proves to be key.
- Now that you've read my battery chargers specs (very impressive!) and know that it is a 30amp charger, do you think 6 hours could be about right for it to float?
-When charging I have been putting the Honda EU2000i generator in Econo mode. It uses less gas and is quieter. But will that only increase the amount of time needed to charge the batteries?

My charge controller settings are currently:
Absorb End Amps = 20A (I see you recommend 0A can you say a bit more about what changing this setting will do?)
Rebulk Volate = 12V
Snooze Mode = .6A
Wakeup 1.5V, 5 mins
Park MMP 77% VOC

I wrote down the logs for the last 32 days and then entered them into a google sheet.  If you are up for looking at them and commenting on what they reveal I'd be appreciative. I've taken a copy and left it in edit mode in case it makes sense for you (or anyone) to comment on cells in the sheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nYhw40QSh-Rc2kFR1kSwqsBKPfDpcUxmK3U-6fos1Kc/edit?usp=sharing

Thank you!

Julia

I fixed it!  Victory lap!!! I'm so excited.

It was the propane regulator hose attached to the tank. I swapped it out for the hose we use for the propane freezer (off for the winter) and voila! All 5 elements work at the same time now. A bit of a lesson in try the easiest solution first!  Though I don't regret all that I learned about how a propane stove works as I went through the process of narrowing down what it could be. And the stove is a LOT cleaner now. : )

Big thanks to all of you who helped me figure it out. This was my first post on permies and I'm completely converted. What an amazing community.

Travis, I love your story about the wise old lady being able to tell how hot the stove is.  Common sense and diligent observation!

Phil...you rock!

In gratitude,
Julia

Hi Frank,

Thanks for responding! I have a samlex SEC-1230UL battery charger. It has an ammeter (display) with a needle that starts out at 15 DC amperes when I first turn on the generator and over about 6 hours moves to 0. That's when I turn it off - as per the manual. But the outback charge controller doesn't reflect the generator charging the batteries. If I start charging the batteries in the dark at 7am the charge controller will remaining on snoozing. And 6 hours later when the charge controller is at 0 the charge controller may be showing bulk if there is enough light or it might still show snoozing if it is raining. So the charge controller never shows absorbing or floating when I use the genny to charge the batteries. So I can't be sure the batteries are floating even with a charge. But I'm still thinking the batteries probably are floating if I'm charging for 6 hours and the ammeter shows 0 at the end. Do you agree?

I didn't use any power except a DC light all weekend. So practically no load. I charged the batteries with the genny on a sunny Saturday and as Sunday was sunny too I was curious to see on Sun eve if the charge controller had reached float as the batteries were at 12.5 and had not been used all day. Nope. Hadn't even hit absorb. So 'topping up' with solar doesn't seem to be an option in the current location in November.

I will go look through the logs and note the kwh/day and pv watts and report back. I'm not 100% sure I have the settings on the charge controller optimized. I don't understand what all the elements mean or everything you said.  But I'll note them down and get your input!

Joseph - What an interesting idea to put the panels more horizontal to get diffuse but unshaded light. I could try that for a week and see what happens. Once I learn to read the logs better!

Thank you both,

Julia

We've had the stove for a few years and all elements worked fine even if on at the same time. It has been on the fritz since the summer and only in the last month did the oven stop working completely.  It was a slow decline in function until the oven stopped completely. And as reported earlier, after all these adjustments and cleaning it is now partially working again.

I've checked the intake propane hose and it doesn't bend unduly or look damaged in any way. I'll need to wait until morning light to check for markings on the tank regulator. Someone nearby may have a pressure gauge. I'll ask around.

Thank you!
Julia