Nova Kool R3800 AC/DC Refrigerator

[BillsPaseo]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

SO..... it's pretty quiet...... you can't hear too much at night.....

And, it's even possible to freeze an ice cream bar....???

Yes, very quiet, and yes, you can easily freeze an ice cream bar. We take ice cream with us when traveling with the grandkids.

And if you turn the thermostat too cold, it will freeze the milk in the fridge as well...

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by booster

None of that stuff tells you if your batteries are reallyfull, you really only know that with a monitor. This has been the point all along, as you have been assuming you have full 224ah of battery capacity when it is highly likely you don't because nothing you have can tell you accurately. If you do get to a true full, from then on you will be overcharging and not know it, especially when driving.

My Zamp Solar Panel system has a controller to prevent overcharging....I'm not concerned about that....do you think I'm stupid????? Really?

By the way.. it's fully charged now after being in the sun....

I paid a lot of money for this system... it's easier for you to be critical...why do you think I took these photos for you...

You don't think that the meters are accurate? What in the world do you think they are for?

Amazing... really don't appreciate your characterization.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

My Zamp Solar Panel system has a controller to prevent overcharging....I'm not concerned about that....do you think I'm stupid????? Really?

I paid a lot of money for this system... it's easier for you to be critical...why do you think I took these photos for you...

You don't think that the meters are accurate? What in the world do you think they are for?

Amazing... really don't appreciate your characterization.

OK, you know all about it, tell us how the unit controls charging to know when the batteries are totally full and to stop charging right then so no overcharge? Also explain what keeps your engine alternator and shore charger from doing the same. The last time I checked, Zamp does nothing that would be very accurate in charge control. How much you pain for it has nothing to do with it at all. And, because Zamp told me it does isn't what we are looking for.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

My Zamp Solar Panel system has a controller to prevent overcharging....I'm not concerned about that....do you think I'm stupid????? Really?

By the way.. it's fully charged now after being in the sun....

I paid a lot of money for this system... it's easier for you to be critical...why do you think I took these photos for you...

You don't think that the meters are accurate? What in the world do you think they are for?

Amazing... really don't appreciate your characterization.

I suggest you take a breath and open your mind to the technical basics that you clearly do not yet grasp. This list is a very good place to acquire such basic knowledge, but only for those who are receptive.

It doesn't matter how much money you spent on your system. Without a shunt-based battery monitor, you really have no idea what is going on in your battery. It is simply not possible.

For starters, do you know what a shunt is?

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

My Zamp Solar is a pretty sophisticated integrated system with my rig ....I have a battery isolator and the charge controller will stop adding additional amps to the batteries when they reach full capacity....

Here's some pictures of this.....

If you look closely at the picture showing 0.0...in small print it says 100 percent....

Again, I don't know what others have done.... my system was professionally installed and the solar panel is mounted right on the roof.....SO...in full sunlight it gets the maximum amount of power.... and Stops to prevent "overcharging"....

See pictures..... all lights are green...full charge and fantastic fan is still running. .. never had to turn on the engine... batteries are doing well at full capacity...

I don't think you appreciate how much money, time and effort I put into this.... unfortunate.

Maybe you have a better system??? I don't know.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

My Zamp Solar is a pretty sophisticated integrated system with my rig ....I have a battery isolator and the charge controller will stop adding additional amps to the batteries when they reach full capacity....

Here's some pictures of this.....

Again, I don't know what others have done.... my system was professionally installed and the solar panel is mounted right on the roof.....SO...in full sunlight it gets the maximum amount of power.... and Stops to prevent "overcharging"....

See pictures..... all lights are green...full charge and fantastic fan is still running. .. never had to turn on the engine... batteries are doing well at full capacity...

I don't think you appreciate how much money, time and effort I put into this.... unfortunate.

Maybe you have a better system??? I don't know.

There are very, very, very few shore charges that use shunts to control charging as Avanti has mentioned is the only way to be accurate. There are a few more solar chargers that use shunts to control, and AFAIK Zamp isn't one them. Nobody makes a shunt controlled engine charging control unless it is through something like the mega sophisticated, centrally controlled Victron system. Those of us that control engine charging by shunt readings are doing it manually or through a battery monitor.


They call the indicator lights "idiot lights" for good reason, as they really tell you very little.


You didn't answer Avanti's question. Do you know what a shunt is and how it works?


And yes, our system, that I put together and installed myself, has all three charging systems shunt data controlled so no under or over charging.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by booster

There are very, very, very few shore charges that use shunts to control charging as Avanti has mentioned is the only way to be accurate. There are a few more solar chargers that use shunts to control, and AFAIK Zamp isn't one them. Nobody makes a shunt controlled engine charging control unless it is through something like the mega sophisticated, centrally controlled Victron system. Those of us that control engine charging by shunt readings are doing it manually or through a battery monitor.


They call the indicator lights "idiot lights" for good reason, as they really tell you very little.


You didn't answer Avanti's question. Do you know what a shunt is and how it works?


And yes, our system, that I put together and installed myself, has all three charging systems shunt data controlled so no under or over charging.

https://www.zampsolar.com/30amp

https://www.zampsolar.com/faqs

[RossWilliams]

"My Zamp Solar Panel system has a controller to prevent overcharging....I'm not concerned about that....do you think I'm stupid????? Really? "

Yes, if you get into debates with people whose only goal is to demonstrate how much smarter they are. Is that really helping you figure out how to keep your food cold?

[booster]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

https://www.zampsolar.com/30amp

Here is the manual with spec chart


https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...UserManual.pdf


That is a $135 PWM 30 amp controller, so certainly not high end or expensive. If you have panels that are over 14 volts PWM will be substantially less efficient than an MPPT controller.



Like most controllers of this style, it measures current internally, probably with a loop inductive sensor and says it does the transition to float at 1 amp to .1 amp but didn't show if that is really setable. Either way, the internal amp readings I have seen, are not very accurate compared to a shunt measured reading. I know because both my solar and shore chargers have both reading available and the internal measurements are poor at best, and these are high end chargers. 1 amp is also not going to be right for most systems. It will be a bit high for single AGM, maybe a bit low for most wet cell systems and too low for multiple AGMs depending on the brand and condition. This is important because the controller will never go to float if it never gets to the 1 amp of charging until it times out and can be overcharging for the full 4 hour max timer on it. That same timer limits your charging to only 4 hours per day, so will limit your solar havesting by going to float early if the batteries aren't full yet, which likely with only 160 watts of panel and a PWM controller.


Also, when the amps are measured internally like this anything in the van that is using power, like the .4 amps to detectors, the separator, a couple of lights, etc will count toward the 1 amp transition even though the power isn't going to the batteries and likely keep the controller from switching even when it should.


Bottom line is that is a a run of mill basic PWM controller with relatively poor control of charging, IMO.

[booster]

Originally Posted by RossWilliams

"My Zamp Solar Panel system has a controller to prevent overcharging....I'm not concerned about that....do you think I'm stupid????? Really? "

Yes, if you get into debates with people whose only goal is to demonstrate how much smarter they are. Is that really helping you figure out how to keep your food cold?

No Ross, the goal is to try to help in make a decent decision, like most of us on this forum have done for many years. Secondarily, the incorrect technical statements need to be answered so others can see both sides if they look at this discussion later. Bad information will choke the life out this forum, which has been known as probably the best place to find answers to problems and get answers to questions people may come here to ask. If it gets full of garbage "facts" we might a well just make it Facebook site.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by RossWilliams

"My Zamp Solar Panel system has a controller to prevent overcharging....I'm not concerned about that....do you think I'm stupid????? Really? "

Yes, if you get into debates with people whose only goal is to demonstrate how much smarter they are. Is that really helping you figure out how to keep your food cold?

Ross, I just finished reading that the general rule of thumb is a 100 watt solar panel system will generate 30 amps of power....

Using this formula. 1/3 or .33 times 160 is 52.8 amps...voilla...

And, I have a generator...... As for knowing every single level of detail....I don't have to do that...

That's why I hired a professional to build the integrated system for me ....all I have to know is that it works.. ..

All of this fear mongering about my system overcharging is drivel.... I'm not going to pay any more attention to it. Ridiculous.

You know...the Zamp Solar guys told me that I actually don't need an additional solar panel....all that would do is charge my batteries faster.... well, they charged up fully before 4 PM today in full sun.....

As long as I have power....sun, generator, engine etc... I have the ability to get a fairly full charge before the sun sets.....

I looked at the spread sheet for my batteries and the reserve capacity of the Centennial AGM batteries say that over a 20 hours period the discharge rate is for 485 minutes at 25 Amps and 118 minutes at 75 amps..... That's assuming I had 25 amps per hour running continuously for the whole 485 minutes.....

The Nova Kool R3800 draws 2.2 amps per hour whenever the compressor is running..... again... over 24 hours... that's 52.8 amps in 24 hours....

I seriously don't think I'll be using the 25 Amps continuously over an 8 hours period..... even if I did...it would bring my batteries to 50 percent....

Now that I found this.... maybe it will squelch the racket from the gallery.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

Ross, I just finished reading that the general rule of thumb is a 100 watt solar panel system will generate 30 amps of power....

Using this formula. 1/3 or .33 times 160 is 52.8 amps...voilla...

And, I have a generator...... As for knowing every single level of detail....I don't have to do that...

That's why I hired a professional to build the integrated system for me ....all I have to know is that it works.. ..

All of this fear mongering about my system overcharging is drivel.... I'm not going to pay any more attention to it. Ridiculous.

You know...the Zamp Solar guys told me that I actually don't need an additional solar panel....all that would do is charge my batteries faster.... well, they charged up fully before 4 PM today in full sun.....

As long as I have power....sun, generator, engine etc... I have the ability to get a fairly full charge before the sun sets.....

I looked at the spread sheet for my batteries and the reserve capacity of the Centennial AGM batteries say that over a 20 hours period the discharge rate is for 485 minutes at 25 Amps and 118 minutes at 75 amps..... That's assuming I had 25 amps per hour running continuously for the whole 485 minutes.....

The Nova Kool R3800 draws 2.2 amps per hour whenever the compressor is running..... again... over 24 hours... that's 52.8 amps in 24 hours....

I seriously don't think I'll be using the 25 Amps continuously over an 8 hours period..... even if I did...it would bring my batteries to 50 percent....

Now that I found this.... maybe it will squelch the racket from the gallery.

Glad your happy! Of course you were told of the 30ah per 100 watts a long time ago, and that has no affect on quality of charge, but it certainly is your choice.


The point is that when there are claims things are false or "drivel" without any facts, testing, data, or references it still stays here forever just like substantiated information, so it can't just be let stand alone.


Nobody is saying you can't do whatever you want, but it really, really gets tiresome when you come on here asking for help and opinions and the endlessly argue that the opinions and answers aren't good enough because you had already decided what you wanted before ever asking.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

That's why I hired a professional to build the integrated system for me ....all I have to know is that it works.. ..

How do you know it works?

(You know, the old saying that "You get what you pay for" really doesn't mean that. You DON'T always get what you pay for. The correct statement is "You pay for what you get". )

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

I see you skipped right over this information... below....


I looked at the spread sheet for my batteries and the reserve capacity of the Centennial AGM batteries say that over a 20 hours period the discharge rate is for 485 minutes at 25 Amps and 118 minutes at 75 amps..... That's assuming I had 25 amps per hour running continuously for the whole 485 minutes.....

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

I see you skipped right over this information... below....


I looked at the spread sheet for my batteries and the reserve capacity of the Centennial AGM batteries say that over a 20 hours period the discharge rate is for 485 minutes at 25 Amps and 118 minutes at 75 amps..... That's assuming I had 25 amps per hour running continuously for the whole 485 minutes.....

That is not the issue. The issue is whether your batteries are being properly charged. From the information you have provided, they are probably not, which will greatly reduce their lifetimes and may also reduce the capacity relative to the spec.

Maybe you don't care. But if you do, you need a shunt-based battery monitor. Your expensive "professional" should have provided one.

We can gladly walk you through installing one, if you are interested.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by avanti

That is not the issue. The issue is whether your batteries are being properly charged. From the information you have provided, they are probably not, which will greatly reduce their lifetimes and may also reduce the capacity relative to the spec.

Maybe you don't care. But if you do, you need a shunt-based battery monitor. Your expensive "professional" should have provided one.

We can gladly walk you through installing one, if you are interested.

OK.... I'll ask my RV shop about it.... we'll see what they say...of how necessary it is . .

In the meantime.... you still believe that I'm not charging my system properly??

And, why did you decline to answer the question about the reserve capacity? I'd like to know.....

As I have pointed out time and again... I don't work on my cars, RV or any other mechanical devices.... I have a professional do it...... that way I have a single point of contact to hold them responsible.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

OK.... I'll ask my RV shop about it.... we'll see what they say...of how necessary it is . .

In the meantime.... you still believe that I'm not charging my system properly??

And, why did you decline to answer the question about the reserve capacity? I'd like to know.....

As I have pointed out time and again... I don't work on my cars, RV or any other mechanical devices.... I have a professional do it...... that way I have a single point of contact to hold them responsible.

Rated capacity and reserve capacity are only valid if you know that your batteries are 100% fully charged and that they haven't lost capacity from poor charging over time and can't be brought back to full capacity. You have no idea how good the charging, if the batteries are getting full, or if they have lost capacity because you don't have any way to check it and find out.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

OK.... I'll ask my RV shop about it.... we'll see what they say...of how necessary it is . .

But, he or she will simply say "its fine". You won't know any more than you know now. Ask them if you have a shunt.

In the meantime.... you still believe that I'm not charging my system properly??

I believe it is quite possible. I know for sure that the "full" light on the picture you posted is no evidence that the battery is actually full.

And, why did you decline to answer the question about the reserve capacity? I'd like to know.....

Because I never said that your battery wasn't adequate. It probably is if your other needs are modest and the battery is being properly charged.

As I have pointed out time and again... I don't work on my cars, RV or any other mechanical devices.... I have a professional do it...... that way I have a single point of contact to hold them responsible.

And, as I have pointed out time and again... A large invoice is not evidence of competence.

[RossWilliams]

Now that I found this.... maybe it will squelch the racket from the gallery.

Not likely.

[hbn7hj]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

In the meantime.... you still believe that I'm not charging my system properly??
.

Probably, also I'm not as nice and patient as Booster and Avanti. I'll tell it to you straight. You don't know what you don't know and it is a lot. There is a lot of literature you could read.

Install your system and then tell us how well it works.

Bottom line is you need a shunt based monitor and that is just a starting point.