AUSSIE BATTERIES & SOLAR

Complete Battery and Solar e-book

All you need to know about:

✓ Deep Cycle Batteries
✓ Portable Solar Panels
✓ Portable Fridges
✓ Generators
✓ Battery Chargers
✓ Inverters
✓ Complete DIY Solar Kits

FREECALL 1800 853 315

SHOP ONLINE OR VISIT THE STORE
Website: www.aussiebatteries.com.au
Email: i n f o @ a u s s i e b a t t e r i e s . c o m . a u
1
Store: 8 Technology Drive, Warana QLD 4575

Complete Battery and Solar e-book v2
September 25, 2015 3:56 PM
All you need to know about batteries and solar panels
2 3
CONTENTS
About this eBook........................................................................................... 4
1. BATTERIES 5
- Overview...................................................................................................... 5
- Flooded cell and Calcium batteries:............................................................ 6
- AGM Deep Cycle Batteries:........................................................................ 7
- GEL Batteries:............................................................................................. 8
- Lithium Batteries:........................................................................................ 9
2. BATTERY MAINTENANCE: 10
- Charging:................................................................................................... 10
- Sulphation:................................................................................................ 11
- Battery Levels:........................................................................................... 12
- Battery Terminals:...................................................................................... 13
- Linking Batteries........................................................................................ 14
- Linking in Parallel:..................................................................................... 15
- Linking in Series:....................................................................................... 16
- Connecting to linked batteries:................................................................. 17
- 240v Battery chargers:.............................................................................. 18
- Charging from Solar:................................................................................. 20
- I strongly recommend AGM’s, But Why?.................................................. 21
- Expected Life of Batteries......................................................................... 26
- What is battery cycles VS. build life.......................................................... 26
3. SOLAR 28
- Solar Overview:......................................................................................... 28
Fixed Solar Panels:...................................................................................... 30
- Portable Solar Panels:............................................................................... 31
- Regulators:................................................................................................ 33
- PWM – Pulse Width Modulation Regulators:............................................ 34
- MPPT – Multi Power Point Tracking:......................................................... 35
Petrol / Diesel Generators............................................................................ 36
Will you need a regulator?........................................................................... 37
WATTS / VOLTS / AMPS.............................................................................. 37
Formula:....................................................................................................... 37
Calculating Solar and Battery Setup........................................................... 38
Technical Data Explained............................................................................. 40
- Inverters..................................................................................................... 41
- Modified Sine Wave Inverter:.................................................................... 42
- Pure Sine Wave Inverter: .......................................................................... 43
- Inverters Overview:.................................................................................... 44
4. REFRIGERATORS 46
- Overview:................................................................................................... 46
- Compressor Fridges:................................................................................. 47
- 3-Way fridges:........................................................................................... 49
 1. BATTERIES

- Overview

Batteries in essence are a portable source of power.

We use them in everything from torches and radios to the
space shuttles and aircraft. For solar power systems there

About this eBook are three main categories of batteries used and they are
flooded cell batteries (including calcium batteries), AGM
The purpose of this solar bible is to help guide you,
(absorbed glass matting) sealed deep cycle batteries and
the reader, in making informed choices about solar and
GEL sealed batteries.
independent power systems. There is a lot of information in
the market for people looking to move into solar power and Each type of battery has its own unique properties with
quite often this can be conflicting and confusing. We hope varying pros and cons associated with it.
that this booklet will offer some guidance and explanation
of what is involved in current solar systems and help you to
make an informed decision as to what will best suit you.

All information in this booklet is current at the time of

printing but new and exciting advances in technology are
taking place regularly so it’s always worthwhile checking with
your local solar experts, to see what new products may be
available.

4 5
 - Flooded cell and Calcium batteries:
Flooded cell and calcium batteries are usually used in
automotive and marine applications. They are commonly
referred to as “starting” batteries as they usually have
a high CCA (Cold Cranking Amp) rating and an internal
design which allows them to produce a short sharp burst of
energy such as what is required by motor vehicle engines to
start. These batteries have acid in their cells as their name
suggests and are not sealed and so if they tip over or are
damaged, they can leak corrosive acid and cause damage.
Flooded cell batteries also produce hydrogen gas as they
are charged and discharged. If these batteries are used
within a confined space, this hydrogen can accumulate and
given it’s highly flammable nature, can catch alight if there is
a spark or naked flame in near vicinity. Under-bonnet of cars
is no problem for these batteries as there is space for the
gas to dissipate, but it’s strongly advised not to use them as
internal batteries for caravans or motor homes etc. as there
is a chance of an explosion or fire taking place. Flooded
cell batteries are cheaper than AGM or GEL batteries,
however the trade-off is that their service life is shorter with
an average automotive battery
expected to last 3 years
approximately under normal
usage.
Giant Power 730CCA, 90AH, 160RC
Automotive Battery
6 7
- AGM Deep Cycle Batteries:
AGM sealed deep cycle batteries are the work horse of
the battery world. Their construction and design allows them
to have low to medium current drawn out of them, over a long
period of time. AGM batteries are still a lead-acid battery but
in between the lead plates is a thin sheet of Boron-Silicate
glass mat. This glass mat is what the electrolyte (acid) of
the battery rests in, rather than being free flowing like its
wet-cell cousin. This makes the AGM “unspillable” as the
acid is contained by the glass mat and therefore won’t leak
even if tipped on its sides. This characteristic, as well as not
producing gases while they charge, makes AGM batteries
perfect for use in caravans, boats, RV’s or as a second
battery in a dual battery system. They can be placed in sealed
compartments and also will handle corrugated roads or
vibration because they are designed and built to withstand
these conditions. AGM batteries are not designed to be
cranking batteries, however using them as a cold cranking
occasionally will not affect there overall service life. The draw
needed at start up is too high to be sustained by the battery
and continued use in a cranking situation or a situation with a
high draw out of the battery will affect service life. AGM and
Gel batteries are also sensitive
to heat and are not suited to
be mounted under bonnets of
vehicles unless they are in an
insulated covering.
125AH 12V AGM
Deep Cycle Battery
 - GEL Batteries:
GEL batteries are very similar to AGM batteries and are
quite often used for similar applications as AGM batteries.
GEL batteries have the electrolyte mixed into a paste and
then placed between the lead plates. They have the same
properties as AGM batteries in that they are non-spilling and
non-gassing and can be placed on their side or in positions
that traditional wet cell batteries cannot. GEL batteries are
more sensitive to voltage spikes and over charging and like
to be charged at 14.4v which requires a dedicated charger
that specifies it can be used with GEL batteries. Anything
over this voltage can damage the battery and lead to a
shortened life or battery failure.
Giant Power 450AH 2V
Tubular Gel Battery
8 9
- Lithium Batteries:
Lithium batteries are a technology coming to the
forefront now as an exciting alternative to traditional
batteries. They are smaller in size than a lead-acid battery
with the same storage capacity and yet weigh less too.
Unfortunately the cost of Lithium batteries is prohibitive,
for most applications, being 2-3 times more than a lead-
acid battery and can be more unstable with the chemicals
involved being more volatile than those used in lead-acid
batteries. We believe that these batteries will be the way
of the future and technological advances are being made
regularly but just at the moment, we’d recommend looking
into your lead-acid battery options first.
“Different batteries should be used for various
applications and if you’re unsure as to what type of
battery would be suit you situation, feel free to give
your battery experts at Aussie Batteries and Solar a
call and we can point you in the right direction.”
 2. Battery Maintenance: - Sulphation:

- Charging: Sulphation is one of the most common causes of

battery failure. The sulphuric acid within lead-acid batteries
It is important to know the type of battery that you are
reacts with the lead in the plates of the battery to form lead
charging and the correct voltage that it should be charged
sulphate on the negative plates of the battery. This barrier
at. Over charging batteries can compromise the internal
reduces the surface area of the acid on the lead plates and
structure of the battery, shortening its life and performance.
over time reduces the ability of the battery to hold its charge
Each type of battery has a different rate of charge it prefers
and makes it hard to even recharge the battery.
to be charged at and most modern battery chargers will
have settings for Flooded, AGM and GEL batteries. If you’re
There are a few battery rejuvenation products on the
battery charger is a bit older, just make sure that it will suit
market which will help in reducing the effects of sulphation
the type of battery you are wanting to charge in order to
on your battery and you can even buy battery chargers
avoid over charging the battery.
which will assist in preventing sulphation of your battery.
Reverse Pulse Desulfation Chargers are completely different
Type of Battery: Required rate of Charging
Flooded/Calcium 15.7v from conventional chargers you may find on the market.
AGM 14.7v The reverse pulse technology helps reduce battery internal
GEL 14.4v impedance while charging and will help reduce the effects of
sulphation on your battery.

24V 20amp Ultipower Automatic 12V 15amp 7 Stage UltiPower

Maintenance Battery Charger Automatic Desulfation Battery Charger

10 11
 - Battery Levels:
In traditional automotive batteries you can top-up the
level of electrolyte within the cells of the battery by adding
Distilled or deionized water. Be careful not to overfill or have
the level too low and its worth checking these levels once a
month or so. A growing trend in automotive batteries is to
use maintenance free* batteries that don’t require topping
the cells up and they instead have a hydrometer which
will let you know the state of the battery. It’s good to keep
an eye on this to make sure that your battery is in tip top
condition.
Giant Power 530CCA, 60AH,
95RC Automotive Battery
*MAINTENANCE FREE
12
- Battery Terminals:
Corrosion on your terminals can now be prevented
with a number of sealing products. These usually come
in spray can form and can be sprayed on your terminals
after a battery is fitted forming an airtight barrier around the
terminal and preventing corrosion. If corrosion is present on
your terminals, some warm water and bi-carbonate of soda
brushed over with an old toothbrush is a great way to get it
off.
Terminal Corrosion
Clean Terminal
13
 - Linking Batteries
When linking up batteries, you basically have two
options. Linking in Parallel or linking in series. Both of these
options will be explained in more detail in the following
paragraphs. When linking batteries, they need to be the
same type, same size and same age in order to avoid
equalisation problems when charging. A good thick cable
should be used to link your batteries (2 or 3 B&S should do)
this will allow a good flow of electrons and prevent voltage
loss.
B&S Cable
PROJECTA 12V 85A
DUAL BATTERY KIT
14
- Linking in Parallel:
Linking batteries in parallel is done the same way as
jump starting your car. Connect the positive terminal on the
first battery with the positive terminal on the second battery
and also connect the negative terminals together. This will
allow you to keep the same voltage of your batteries, but
increase the capacity.
Eg. If you link 3 x 125AH, 12 volt Deep cycle
Batteries in parallel you will have 375AH (Capacity) at
12 volts.
You can link up to 4 batteries in parallel safely before
equalisation may become an issue and as previously
mentioned, they should be the same type (eg. Not a flooded
cell linked with an AGM), same size (capacity) and same
age.
15
 - Linking in Series:
Linking batteries in series is the same as putting
batteries into a torch. Connect the positive terminal
of one battery to the negative terminal of the second
battery. This will result in the capacity of the batteries
staying the same but see an increase in the voltage
output.
Eg. If you link 2 x 410AH, 6 volt Deep cycle
Batteries in series you will have 410AH (Capacity) at
12 volts.
You can link more batteries in series than you can
in parallel but just be careful because the higher the
12V 1025AH BATTERY WIRING
voltage, the more dangerous it becomes and remember
that high voltage can injure or cause death. Most solar
systems deal with 48v or under.
12V 410AH HEAVY DUTY
AGM POWER PACK
16
- Connecting to linked batteries:
When you have more than one battery in your bank
and are wanting to draw off it through an inverter or some
other device, the best way is to use the positive terminal on
the first battery in your battery bank and then the negative
terminal on the last battery in your battery bank. When
connecting a charging device to the battery bank, it’s best to
use the same terminals that you are using to draw from your
batteries.
Connecting to your batteries in this fashion will allow for
an even draw through the batteries and help to get the most
even wear on the batteries and the longest life out of them.
CONNECTION TO
INVERTER NOT
INCLUDED
17
 - 240v Battery chargers:
Battery chargers have come a long way in recent years
with the coming of age of “smart” chargers. These chargers
have the ability to automatically detect the type of battery
being charged (Flooded, AGM or GEL) and charge them
appropriately. They start by being connected to the battery
and then send a pulse into the battery in order to determine
the internal resistance of the battery. From this it will know
the type of battery being charged and will charge it at the
voltage that best suits that type of battery. These smart
chargers are usually staged and will usually have a “float”
charge as its final stage allowing the user to not worry about
the battery being overcharged or when they have to remove
the battery from the charger.
18
When using an older charger it’s important that the
charger be compatible with the type of battery you are
charging. If you charge an AGM battery with a charger
designed to charge wet cell batteries alone, it will
overcharge the AGM and damage it, shortening its life span.
As a rough guide battery chargers should be rated at
10% of the AH capacity of the battery that it’s charging. For
example if you are charging a 100AH battery, then a battery
charger rated to 10amps would be the ideal size to charge
it. Up to 5% either side of this 10% figure is fine but placing
a small battery charger on a large battery or battery bank
may take it too long to charge or it may never reach full
charge and placing a charger that’s too large for a battery
can cause it to charge too quickly and cause damage to the
battery.
PROJECTA AUTOMATIC
12V 21A 6 STAGE
BATTERY CHARGER
19
 - Charging from Solar:
Solar panels, after the initial set up cost, are a way
of generating free power to charge batteries and run
appliances. They convert sunlight into an electric current
which can then be harnessed and used to power other
devices. This is now a viable solution for people who need
power and are unable (or unwilling) to connect to grid
power. When you need to charge a battery and don’t have
access to grid power, solar power can be used to charge
your batteries. Solar panels after being placed in the sun
will produce power that will run through a regulator. This
regulator should be able to be set to the correct type of
battery you are charging and then will charge it accordingly.
12v solar panels can actually produce between 12 and
21v. This fluctuation in power levels would wreak havoc
on a battery if left unregulated, so by having a regulator in
place, the correct voltage will be put into the battery and it
will be charged properly. Most modern solar regulators are
also staged and will switch to float charge after the battery
has reached full capacity. The most important thing is that
the regulator is set to the
correct battery type for
what you are charging
in order to prevent
overcharging of the
battery.
130W 12V PORTABLE SOLAR PANEL
20
- I strongly recommend AGM’s, But Why?
Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) Valve Regulated Lead
Acid (VRLA). They are the best lead battery available and
have many characteristics that make them far superior to
conventional batteries.
Sealed Absorbed Glass Mat (Ca/Ca) VRLA deep cycle
batteries (also known as “starved electrolyte” or “dry”) have
a very fine fibre Boron-Silicate glass mat between their
flat Lead with Calcium alloy in the positive and Lead with
Calcium alloy in the negative plates. The AGM battery was
invented in 1980 and first used in military aircraft in 1985.
AGM batteries have several advantages over both
gelled and flooded batteries, at about the same cost as
gelled batteries:
• Much safer then wet batteries (due the hydrogen
gas recombination during charging)
• Do not require water
• Lower self-discharge rate (typically 1%-2% per
month)
• Longer service life (approx. 2-3 times life
expectancy of Flooded lead acid)
• Higher resistance to vibration
• Lower deep discharge failure
• Less forgiving when accidentally overcharged
21
 • Higher bulk charge acceptance rate (which means
up to a 15% shorter recharge
• time and reduced cost than Flooded lead acid)
• Do not require special hazardous shipping
• Can be used in saltwater applications
• Spill proof and can be mounted in virtually any
position (because they are sealed)
• Can be used inside an enclosed area, like the
passenger compartment or trunk
• Greater terminal corrosion resistance
Only Purchase “Deep Cycle Model” AGM
Many companies throw around the words “Deep
Cycle” as a marketing term.
YES, All AGM batteries have some cyclic ability.
NO, Standard model AGM’s are not created for
true deep cycling applications and will not last if used
for this.
Make sure you check that the AGM batteries you
are purchasing are truly “Deep Cycle Range” AGM
• They will have 30%+ better cyclic ability than their
standard AGM counterparts.
• They will have thicker plates and therefore be
22
heavier, I constantly hear from my customers “but I
want to save on weight”, the fact is, it is the lead in
the battery that gives it a larger AH and more cyclic
life, the more lead-the better the battery, there is no
way around it.
• They will have a 2 year Warranty, not a 1 year
warranty. The warranty is set by the manufacturer
and they only give a 1 year warranty on their
standard batteries.
• If you are going to try to use standard batteries for
cyclic applications, the fact is, they are not going to
last. As a rule of thumb, expect about half the life of
their superior Deep Cycle Model cousins.
CHECK THE RATING IS AT 20HR DISCHARGE
Rating batteries- Comparing apples with apples
Part - or most - of the loss in charging and discharging
batteries is due to internal resistance. This is converted to
heat, which is why batteries get warm when being charged
up. The lower is the internal resistance, the better. AGM
batteries have resistance levels up to 5 times lower than
standard batteries.
Slower charging and discharging rates are more
efficient. A battery rated at 180 amp-hours over 6 hours
might be rated at 220 AH at the 20-hour rate and 250 AH
23
 at the 48-hour rate. Much of this loss of efficiency is due to
higher internal resistance at higher amperage rates - internal
resistance is not a constant - kind of like “the more you
push, the more it pushes back”.
Typical efficiency in a lead-acid battery is 85-
95%, in alkaline and NiCad battery it is about 65%.
True deep cycle AGM’s can approach 98%.
The 20-hour rate is the most common for
standardising batteries in Australia, while the USA
uses a 10-hour rating system.
EXPECT LONG WARRANTIES ON BATTERIES
Sellers know if there products are going to last the
distance and give warranties that reflect this. If a seller is
only offering a 12month warranty, alarm bells should be
going off. A top quality battery (and that is all you should be
buying) should have a 2 year warranty. A top battery will last
many years and the warranty reflects the manufacturers and
seller’s belief in the product.
ASK QUESTIONS
At the end of the day, if you want to get the most out
of your purchase you need to know the A-B-C’s of what
you are getting. You can learn most of what needs to be
known in as little as 20 minutes, read through our website
24
for relevant information and feel free to ask us any questions
you have. We pride ourselves on knowing nearly everything
about batteries and solar, so use us for the information,
we’re happy to help.
WHY AGM?
AGM batteries have several advantages over both
gelled and flooded, at about the same cost as gelled:
• Much safer then wet batteries (due the hydrogen gas
recombination during charging)
• Do not require water
• Lower self-discharge rate (typically 1%-2% per month)
• Longer service life (approx. 2-3 times life expectancy
of Flooded lead acid)
• Higher resistance to vibration
• Lower deep discharge failure
• Less forgiving when accidentally overcharged
• Higher bulk charge acceptance rate (which means
up to a 15% shorter recharge time and reduced cost
than Flooded lead acid)
• Do not require special hazardous shipping
• Can be used in saltwater applications
• Spill proof and can be mounted in virtually any
position (because they are sealed)
• Can be used inside a enclosed area, like the
passenger compartment or trunk
• Greater terminal corrosion resistance
25
 - Expected Life of Batteries be careful when looking at ratings that list how many cycles
a battery is rated for unless it also states how far down it is
These are some typical (minimum - maximum) typical
being discharged. For example, one of the widely advertised
expectations for batteries if used in deep cycle service.
telephone type (float service) batteries has been advertised
There are so many variables, such as depth of discharge,
as having a 20-year life. If you look at the fine print, it has
maintenance, temperature, how often and how deep cycled,
that rating only at 5% DOD - it is much less when used in an
etc. that it is almost impossible to give a fixed number. But
application where they are cycled deeper on a regular basis.
here goes anyway:
Those same batteries are rated at less than 5 years if cycled
to 50%. For example, most golf cart batteries are rated
• Starting: 3-12 months
for about 550 cycles to 50% discharge - which equates to
• Marine: 1-6 years
about 2 years.
• Golf cart: 2-7 years
• AGM deep cycle: 5-10 years
Battery life is directly related to how deep the battery
• Gelled deep cycle: 2-7 years
is cycled each time. If a battery is discharged to 50% every
• Telephone (float): 2-10 years. These are usually
day, it will last about twice as long as if it is cycled to 80%
special purpose “float service”, but often appear on
DOD. If cycled only 10% DOD, it will last about 5 times
the surplus market as “deep cycle”. They can vary
as long as one cycled to 50%. Obviously, there are some
considerably, depending on age, usage, care, and
practical limitations on this - you don’t usually want to have
type. When used for cyclic abilities they tend to last
a 5 ton pile of batteries sitting there just to reduce the DOD.
2-4 years
The most practical number to use is 50% DOD on a regular
• Ni-Fe (alkaline): 5-35 years
basis. This does NOT mean you cannot go to 80% once in a
• Ni-Cad: 1-20 years
while. It’s just that when designing a system when you have
some idea of the loads, you should figure on an average
- What is battery cycles VS. build life DOD of around 50% for the best storage vs. cost factor.
Also, there is an upper limit - a battery that is continually
A battery “cycle” is one complete discharge and cycled 5% or less will usually not last as long as one cycled
recharge cycle. It is usually considered to be discharging down 10%. This happens because at very shallow cycles,
from 100% to 20%, and then back to 100%. However, there the Lead Dioxide tends to build up in clumps on the positive
are often ratings for other depth of discharge cycles, the plates rather in an even film.
most common ones are 10%, 20%, and 50%. You have to

26 27
 3. SOLAR
- Solar Overview:
Solar panels are used to convert energy from the sun
into a usable energy form that can then be used to power
other appliances. Solar panels use photo-voltaic cells in their
construction and it’s these cells which allow the panels to
Solar panels are graded on the quality of the quality of
the cells used in their construction with higher quality cells
being more efficient and producing more energy. Make sure
that the cells you are purchasing are a high grade cell from a
reputable manufacturer.
Solar systems are becoming a viable alternative as

produce a usable form of electricity. There are three main power costs keep on going up and up. Solar can be used

types of cell that are used in modern solar panels and they in fixed systems such as on the roof of houses or portable

are: systems such as folding camping kits or panels mounted on

the roofs of camper vans etc. The world of solar power is
Mono-crystalline (Works best in being opening up a lot of exciting power solutions.
direct sunlight)

Poly-crystalline (Works slightly

better than mono-crystalline cells in
low-light conditions)

Amorphous (Thin flexible film

panels, more expensive and less
efficient than it’s crystalline siblings, 195W COMPLETE PORTABLE SOLAR KIT
makes up a small percentage of the
solar panel market)

28 29
 Fixed Solar Panels:
Having solar panels mounted or fixed in position on the
top of your caravan, boat, camper van or 4WD is a great
way of utilising a solar system. They are out of the way, will
work even while you are traveling and require no set up or
pull down once you are at your favourite camping spot. The
disadvantages of this type of system is that in order to get
the most out of your panels, you’ll need to park your vehicle
in direct sunlight which can be painful during the summer
months and also because they will be laid flat, the panels will
lose about 20% of the power they potentially could produce
in a day due to not being able to follow the arc of the sun.
Depending of course on what you are wanting to run off your
solar system, most caravans have space to hold a system
that will cover nearly all of their power needs.
100W SOLAR PANEL WITH
SHARP SOLAR CELLS
30
- Portable Solar Panels:
Portable panels allow you to “chase the sun” during
the course of the day and generate the most power possible
from your panels. They can be placed in the sun while their
cable runs back to your vehicle, which can then be parked
in the shade keeping you nice and cool while your battery
charges. Portable panels have the disadvantages of needing
to be set up and packed down each time you are wanting to
charge with them and depending on their size, they can be
quite large and heavy. Security of the panels is also an issue
but a chain through the handles or legs on the panels and
then wrapped around a pole or stake driven in the ground
should be enough of a deterrent for any would be criminals.
120W 12V PORTABLE SOLAR PANEL
TRIFOLD WITH KYOCERA
JAPANESE CELLS
31
 Quality of portable panels varies hugely amongst
those available these days. Make sure that good
quality latches, hinges and handles are used in the
construction of the panels you are buying.
Another thing to consider is the size of the cable
used to run from your panels back to the battery. If the
cable size is too small or the length of the cable is too
long, then you could experience voltage drop and not
get the most out of your panels.
A good quality regulator should also be included
with your portable panel kit. Most portable panels have
the regulator mounted on the panels themselves and
the length of cable coming from this to the battery.
You can have the regulator mounted separately
and ideally it will be closer to the batteries than the
panels but going this way can reduce the “portable”
characteristic of your panels. Properly sized cable on
your portable panels will help neutralize any negative
effects that having the regulator mounted on the
panels may have.
32
- Regulators:
Regulators are used to regulate the voltage produced
by solar panels to a level that will safely charge batteries
and run appliances. 12v solar panels can produce anywhere
between 12v and 21v and if this voltage were to be put
straight into the battery it would overcharge the battery
and damage it. The regulator is put in place to temper
this voltage to the correct charging voltage of the type of
battery connected to it. There are two mainstream types
of regulator available, these are PWM regulators (Pulse
Width Modulation) and MPPT regulators (Multi Power Point
Tracking). All regulators serve the basic function of regulating
the voltage produced from solar panels, but there are many
additional options available such as waterproof regulators,
“smart” regulators that automatically detect the type of
battery it’s charging or regulators with LCD displays and
readouts. It pays to
shop around to find
the regulator that is
best going to suit
your needs.
20A TRACER MPPT SOLAR CHARGE
CONTROLLER REGULATOR
33
 - PWM – Pulse Width Modulation Regulators:
PWM regulators are a tried and tested technology that
charges batteries in a way that prolongs battery life, reduces
heating and gassing of the batteries and reduces sulphation
of the batteries. These regulators are usually cheaper than
their MPPT cousins but work on around a 70% efficiency
rate when it comes to transferring energy from the panels to
your batteries.
30A INTELLIGENT SOLAR
REGULATOR WITH LED DISPLAY
34
- MPPT – Multi Power Point Tracking:
MPPT regulators are a newer technology that offers the
battery friendly properties of the PWM regulator (prolonged
battery life, reduced heating and gassing of batteries and
reduced sulphation) whilst offering an efficiency rate of 95%-
97% from your panels to your batteries. MPPT regulators are
usually a little more expensive than PWM regulators but the
increase in efficiency is well worth the investment. It will help
you get the most out of your solar system, especially if you
are in an area with low light levels or are flat-laying your solar
panels.
40A TRACER MPPT SOLAR CHARGE
CONTROLLER REGULATOR
35
 When purchasing solar panels (fixed or
portable), it’s important to make sure that what
your panels are rated to, is the actual output that
they are producing. A lot of inferior panels may say
they are rated to 120w but in reality they perform at a
level much lower than this. The cause of this can be
caused by a number of factors including inferior cell
quality, poor craftsmanship or inferior wiring. Make
sure that your panels are a good quality brand, that
they have a solid warranty and that the company you
are buying through is going to be there and provide
good after sales service.
Petrol / Diesel Generators
You might think that generators are not exactly
alternative power, but they certainly are useful. You should
not rule them out, particularly as a small generator could
provide you with reliable guaranteed backup power. The last
thing you want is 4 days of heavy cloud and find yourself
without power from
day 5 onwards. A
small generator of
reasonable quality
could cost less than
$200.
HYUNDAI PETROL DIGITAL
INVERTER 2800W GENERATOR
36
Will you need a regulator?
Yes, if you are dealing with solar panels, you will
generally need a regulator. Most solar panels come with a
regulator as standard, this converts the solar panel volts
of 18+Volts to a consistent and workable 14.7V for ideal
battery charging. Without a regulator the batteries would
continue to charge past 14.7 Volts and be destroyed.
WATTS / VOLTS / AMPS
Formula:
• Watts / Volts = AMPS
• Solar panels are rated in Watts
• Batteries are rated in Volts
• Energy is stored and used in AMPS
• 160 Watt Solar Panel / 12 Volt Battery = 13.3
AMPS produced per hour
• 200 Watt panel will only be able to put 160 Watts
into a battery per hour because of Voltage loss
(explained below)
• A common misunderstanding is the Voltage
difference of Solar panels and Batteries and how
that affects true input values.
To put it as simply as possible:
• Solar Panels work at approx. 18 Volts
• Batteries charge at approx. 14 Volts
• A Solar regulator steps the voltage down from
18V-14V
• Therefore you have a loss of 20% from total
possible power generation.
37
 Calculating Solar and Battery Setup
So if you have a 12V Fridge running at 2 amps
average per hour how much solar panels and batteries
do you need?
• 2 Amps x 24 hours Day = 48 Amps per day needed
to run the fridge
• A 120 Watt Panel will produce:
all these and more individual factors. Personally I
would look at adding an extra 20% solar power to
help recharge from previous cloudy days.
• A convenience of having 3 days minimum before
needing to use other energy source (ex. Generator)
• Adding 10% more for occasionally needing more
power than expected.

• 120 Watts / 12 Volts = 10Amps per hour • This would give the following requirements for the
But remember the 20% loss = 8Amps per hour of same fridge setup:
direct sun 8Amps x 6 hours of direct sun per day =
48Amps • 140+ Solar Panel

• A battery needs to last about 2/3 of a day without

• 260AMP battery setup
sun before being recharged. Therefore at 50%
discharge level the right battery size is: 48Amps
x 2/3 x 2 = 63AH battery. This doesn’t account
for personal needs of individuals that need to be
considered, some examples are: GIANT POWER 80L COMPLETE
SOLAR FRIDGE KIT

• Wanting to last more than 24 hours before a need

to use alternative energy source on cloudy days.
Needing to recharge the battery from previous
cloudy days. Occasionally needing to run other
appliances, etc. etc.

• Margin needs to be added to the above formula for

38 39
 Technical Data Explained - Inverters

40W solar panel: Inverters are used to convert 12v DC power in batteries
Output 40 W to 240v AC power that can be used to run most 240v
Pmax 40 W
appliances. This is a great advantage in situations where
Vmp 17.4 V
access to the power grid is limited such as camping or
Imp 2.3 A
Voc 21.8 V
4WD’ing. With an inverter, household appliances can be

Isc 2.58 A taken on the trip and used without having to purchase
expensive 12 volt appliances or try and find a power source.
What does this tell us? There are two main technologies when it comes to inverters,

• Pmax is the maximum power generated by the Modified Sine wave and Pure Sine wave and it’s important to
solar module in full sunlight with the panel facing get the right one to suit your needs.
directly at the sun overhead in a clear sky and
where the temperatures of the solar cells is at 25°C.
These are the standard test conditions (STC).

• Vmp is the voltage at STC.

• Imp is the amps at STC.

• Voc is the open circuit voltage, the voltage at

the terminals of the solar panel in full sun but not
connected up.
• Isc is the short circuit current, the current that
would flow through the solar panel in full sun if the
panel terminals were shorted out. This is the current
to consider when sizing the required wiring for the
panel, to be safe add 25%. For instance this solar
panel would need at least
The wattage of an inverter relates to the amount
of power it can invert at any one time. A 300W unit is a
sensible minimum for most basic camp gear, however for
high load items such as kettles you will likely need a 1500W
- 2500W unit. Check the power rating on the back of your
appliance and add 20% safety margin as a basic guide, but
be aware that some items such as pumps and microwaves
have extremely high startup surges and will require a

• 2.58 plus 25% = 3.225 Amp cable. substantially oversized inverter.

40 41
 - Modified Sine Wave Inverter:
Modified Sine Wave inverters are cheap, readily
available but will only run a certain types of appliances. The
output wave form of a Modified Sine Wave inverter is square
and chunky compared to that of a pure sine wave inverter.
Because of this trait modified sine wave inverters are not
suited to running sensitive equipment such as phones,
computers, televisions, microwaves etc. They are perfect
however for more basic equipment like drills, blenders, 240v
lights, fans etc. Modified Sine Wave inverters are usually
lighter than Pure Sine Wave inverters and usually cost
around a third to half of what a Pure Sine wave inverter of
the same size would cost.
PROJECTA 12V 300W
MODIFIED SINE WAVE
INVERTER
42
- Pure Sine Wave Inverter:
Pure Sine wave Inverters will run all manner of 240v
electrical goods from them. They will run the sensitive
equipment that modified Sine Wave inverters cannot such
as computers and phones. The output wave form of a PSW
inverter mimics and can even be better than the electricity
that comes out of the wall sockets in most people’s homes.
They are more expensive than MSW inverters but will run
more appliances. There is more expense to outlay with a
PSW inverter but for the ease and convenience of being able
to run all your appliances, it’s worthwhile considering adding
one of these to your kit.
GIANT POWER 12V 1500W
DC TO AC PURE SINE WAVE
INVERTER
43
 - Inverters Overview:
Inverters come in a range of sizes from 150w through
to 6000w. It’s important to know what size appliances you
are wanting to run off your inverter in order to properly size
the inverter you buy. As a rule, an inverter should be roughly
double the size of the draw you are wanting the place on the
inverter.
Eg. You want to run a 600w drill, match this
up with at least a 1200w inverter. This will allow the
inverter to work well within its capacity and cause less
strain on it. There’s also less chance of blowing fuses
in the inverter should there be a power spike or surge.
Inverters usually have two ratings, a continuous and a
peak rating. The continuous rating denotes what draw can be
placed on the inverter continuously or for long periods of time.
Some appliances however draw a lot of power to start up (eg.
Fridges, fluorescent lights) but then their power needs lessen
after they have passed through this initial start-up period.
Inverters allow for this and have a peak rating which is the
load the inverter can handle, for a short period of time (3-10
seconds). This peak rating is usually double the continuous
rating and will allow appliances that require this initial burst of
energy, to start up and then settle into their continuous rating.
Make sure the appliance you are running off your inverter,
works within you inverters specifications for this.
It’s also important to have the correct size battery and
44
the right type of battery to suit your inverter. Different types
of batteries have maximum draw currents that they can
sustain without damaging the battery. For AGM batteries,
the maximum current Draw is 30% of their total capacity
(AH), for GEL batteries it’s 25% and for Wet or flooded cell
batteries, it’s 10%. For example, the maximum draw off a
100AH 12v AGM deeps cycle battery would be 30amps.
A 100AH 12v GEL battery’s maximum draw would be 25
amps and a flooded cell 100AH 12v battery will sustain a
maximum continuous draw of 10 amps. It’s important to
match the inverter to the correct sized battery and battery
type.
Eg. A 600w drill will have a continuous draw of 50
amps at 12v. To run this effectively through an inverter
would require:
AGM Batteries – Minimum of 180AH in battery capacity
GEL Batteries – Minimum of 2000AH in battery capacity
Flooded cell Batteries – Minimum of 500AH in battery capacity.
If inverters are left turned on, they will still draw from
the batteries, even if there is no appliance plugged into
them. Check the specifications of your inverter to determine
what this draw will be and be aware of it so that you don’t
end up with a flat battery. Inverters also work at an efficiency
rate of 85%-90%. This means that an appliance if run
through an inverter will actually be drawing 110%-115% of
its nominated value due to this inefficiency.
45
 4. Refrigerators - Compressor Fridges:

- Overview: 12v compressor fridges are becoming the most

common place type of fridge in the portable fridge market.
Portable fridges are becoming more popular and
making staple camping foods like noodles and baked beans
They run purely on compressor power and are
a thing of the past due to people being able to take their
economical running of either 12v battery power or 240v
everyday foods items with them, without them perishing.
mains power. An average compressor fridge will use
Portable fridges come in two main technologies, 3-way
approximately 30 amps per 24 hour period when run
fridges and 12v compressor fridges. These technologies do
between 0ºc - 4ºc. The same fridge will use approximately
differ but there are some principles about all portable fridges
60-70 amps of power if run as a freezer (-18ºc) for the same
that are important to understand.
period of time. It’s important that these fridges have good,
thick levels of insulation in their construction so that they
Ambient temperature is going to affect how well your
retain their temperature and don’t have to work so hard, this
fridge works. Portable fridges are able to come down to
will reduce their power use.
roughly 40ºc below the ambient temperature and of course
the ambient outside temperature varies wildly around
Most models of fridges come with an insulating cover
Australia from state to state. The hotter it is outside, the
bag, which are great as they protect the fridge from scrape
harder your fridge has to work in order to maintain a low
sand knocks but also add another level of insulation, to help
temperature. The harder it has to work the more power it
keep the fridge as cool as possible.
will draw and if the fridge is being run off batteries, then
this factor needs to be considered.The overall power use If using one of these fridges, its best that if a day or
of a portable fridge is determined by a few different factors, two before your trip, you stock the fridge with food and
the temperature that the fridge is set to run at, the ambient good you wish to take and then run the fridge on mains
outside temperature, the type of items that are being stored power to get the temperature down and to get all the goods
in the fridge, the amount of insulation in the construction that you are taking with you at temperature as well. This
of the fridge, the type of cooling system being used in the way, once the fridge is on battery power or 12v power,
fridge and the overall size of the fridge. it will already be at temperature and won’t have to work

46 47
 so hard, saving on power usage. The type of compressor - 3-Way fridges:
used in these fridges is also an important factor. Cheaper
3-Way fridges use absorption technology and because
compressors can burn out, not get down to temperature or
of this are also known as absorption fridges. They use heat
be inefficient in their power use.
to provide the energy needed to drive the cooling system of

Danfoss compressors are the market leaders offering the fridge. This heat is generated by one of three methods;

great reliability and efficient power usage. Compressor LPG gas, 12v power or 240v power.

fridges are a well-priced option, economical to run and

They are unfortunately susceptible to high ambient
now come in a wide variety of sizes and setups to suit your
temperatures and begin to struggle to keep goods in the
needs.
fridge cool if the outside ambient temperature climbs over
30°c. Because of the absorption process used by these
fridges, they require a lot of power to run and can draw
between 120 - 200 amps per day.

This makes them hard to run of 12v systems as a

very large battery bank is required if they were to run from
batteries. These fridges are best run on gas and are more
efficient when done so, in fact it can be a problem that these
fridges ice over too much when run on gas because they are
so efficiently run off it.

Another advantage to these fridges is that they have

minimal moving parts in there assembly so there is less
chance of something going wrong with them. 3-way fridges
GIANT POWER 45L PORTABLE
were a popular technology from about the 1970’s onwards
FRIDGE/FREEZER
but are now slowly being replaced by the growingly popular
compressor fridges.

48 49
 AUSSIE BATTERIES & SOLAR

OFF GRID
SUPPLIER
B AT T E RY B A N K S
DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES
B AT T E RY B O X E S
TUBULAR GEL BATTERIES
S O L A R PA N E L S
COMPLETE SOLAR KITS

FREECALL 1800 853 315

SHOP ONLINE OR VISIT THE STORE
Website: www.aussiebatteries.com.au
Email: i n f o @ a u s s i e b a t t e r i e s . c o m . a u
Store: 8 Technology Drive, Warana QLD 4575

50 51
 AUSSIE BATTERIES & SOLAR

W hen you’re planning your next big adventure,

we’ve got you covered for all your power needs.
We stock essential camping items such as
Portable Fridges, Generators, Battery Chargers, Inverters.

For the full product range and

more information, please visit
our website for expert advice.
w w w. a u s s i e b a t t e r i e s . c o m . a u

52
Expert Advice - Australia Wide Delivery - Best Prices Guaranteed