Solar generators in the car – cool box for fishing and camping
Solar generators are portable devices that can convert solar energy into electrical energy and store it. They are an ideal solution for having energy available outdoors, especially when there is no conventional power source nearby. However, before I go into more detail on how solar generators can be used specifically for fishing, spearfishing and camping, let me first explain their benefits in general.
- Sustainable energy source: Solar generators harness the limitless power of the sun to produce electricity. This eliminates the reliance on fossil fuels and the pollution of the environment with harmful emissions.
Portability: Solar generators are typically compact and lightweight, which makes them perfect for outdoor activities. They can be easily transported in a car and quickly set up when needed.
Easy operation: Most solar generators are user-friendly and do not require extensive installation. Typically, all you need to do is place them in a sunny spot and activate them to start generating power.
When operating compressor coolers without an energy buffer, there is a risk of the cooler deep-discharging the car battery. This can lead to significant problems as a deeply discharged battery may lose its ability to start the vehicle. Nobody wants to be in a situation where the car won’t start anymore. Therefore, it is advisable to use an energy buffer such as a solar generator to avoid putting a strain on the car battery. Furthermore, cyclic discharges, as they can occur when using compressor coolers without an energy buffer, are also detrimental to car batteries. Repeated deep discharges and subsequent recharges can significantly shorten the battery’s lifespan and impair its performance. By using a solar generator as an energy buffer, you can preserve the car battery and ensure that sufficient power is available for the cooler and other electrical devices.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- 1 Solar generators for fishing, spearfishing, and camping
- 2 Solar generators – Recommendation – my setup – Jackery 2000 Pro
- 3 Solar generator capacity, what size?
- 4 Solar Panel Solar for Solar Generators -Jackery Solar Saga 100
- 5 Compressor freezer box – advantages of a compressor cool box – recommendation
Solar generators for fishing, spearfishing, and camping
- Fishing: When fishing, it is often necessary to store fresh bait and caught fish in a cooled environment. This is where compressor coolers come into play. By connecting such a cooler to a solar generator, one can ensure that the cooler remains cool over an extended period of time without the need for a conventional power source. This is particularly practical when fishing far away from civilization.
- Spearfishing: Mobility is crucial when spearfishing. One wants to keep the fish cool while moving from spot to spot. With a solar generator, one can operate a compressor cooler in the car, thus ensuring that the catch remains fresh even during longer trips.
- Camping: Reliable power sources for lighting, charging electronic devices, and operating cooling appliances are often needed when camping. Here, a solar generator offers a practical solution. By utilizing solar energy, one can generate power independently of camping sites or external power sources, enabling a comfortable camping experience.
Finally, it can be said that solar generators in cars serve as excellent energy storage solutions for fishing, spearfishing, and camping. They provide sustainable and reliable energy, are portable, and easy to use. With them, you can keep food fresh and cool, power electronic devices, and ensure a pleasant outdoor experience without any restrictions due to a lack of electricity. I hope this article has helped you better understand the benefits of solar generators in cars for your outdoor activities. In the future, you will certainly enjoy the freedom and convenience they offer. Enjoy fishing, spearfishing, and camping!
Solar generators – Recommendation – my setup – Jackery 2000 Pro
I spent several days researching and looking for a suitable solar generator. The main question that came to my mind was how long I can operate the freezer autonomously with the solar generator. When I searched the all-knowing internet, the question was almost impossible to answer. There are countless providers of solar generators in the market. In the end, Jackery stood out, even though it has the highest price. Why? The Jackery Box is well-designed and simple, it doesn’t have additional features such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Why is that good? Simply put, everything consumes additional power. The box is clearly structured and excellently crafted, just as one would expect from former Apple designers. The box has a capacity of 2160 Wh, which is the actual capacity. It does not include the 10% discharge protection of the LiFePo battery.
The following aspects should and Solargenerator have for my usage:
- Being able to stand autonomously for 1 week with normal travel times (charging times) of 1-3 hours per day. The compressor refrigerator should be able to operate at least at -7° during the mentioned time.
- The solar panel should only need to be used intermittently while stationary, it is not permanently installed or similar.
- With the box, you should be able to operate typical devices such as flashlights, laptops, cell phones, and the vacuum sealer.
The box meets all these requirements and much more. I now use them to drill in the basement without electricity, for video projectors + consoles, outdoor tournaments and much more.
Solar generator capacity, what size?
The capacity of a solar generator refers to the amount of electrical energy it can store and later release. It is measured in watt-hours (Wh) and indicates how many watts can be used for one hour.
High capacity means the solar generator can operate for a longer time before needing to be recharged. With a higher capacity, larger or more energy-intensive devices can be operated for extended periods.
The capacity of a solar generator can vary significantly depending on the model and manufacturer. Small portable solar generators may have capacities of a few hundred watt-hours, while larger stationary ones can have capacities of several thousand watt-hours.
The capacity in watt-hours indicates the total amount of energy the solar generator can deliver. The larger the capacity, the more energy is available to power or charge devices. It is important to match the capacity of a solar generator with the energy requirements of the devices being operated to ensure sufficient power supply.
When selecting a solar generator, it is advisable to analyze your own energy needs and determine the number and types of devices to be powered. This will help determine the appropriate capacity to ensure an adequate supply of electrical energy.
It is important to note that the actual runtime of a solar generator depends on various factors such as sunlight intensity, the generator’s efficiency, and the energy requirements of connected devices. It is recommended to consult the manufacturer’s specifications to estimate the realistic runtime.
Calculations of running times and power consumption
I measured my compressor cool box completely to be able to estimate the power consumption. In the following I give you some example values to be able to calculate what size you need.
There are two charging sources during self-sufficient camping: the on-board current of the car and the charging current of the solar panel.
To calculate the number of watt hours (Wh) that can be charged in a solar generator with 12V and 8 ampere charging current (normal car electrical system from charging through the cigarette lighter) per hour of driving time, multiply the voltage (12V) by the current (8A) to get the power in watts (P = U x I). In this case, the power is 96 watts (12V x 8A = 96W). Since the charge is to be calculated per hour, the number of watt-hours (Wh) is also 96 Wh.
The power consumption of a compressor cool box depends on both the outside temperature and the desired cooling temperature. In general, when the outside temperature is higher and the cooling temperature is lower, more energy is required to maintain the desired cold
When the outside temperature is low, the cool box requires less energy because the environment is already colder and less cooling capacity is therefore required. This means that the compressor has to work less and therefore consumes less electricity.
However, at higher outside temperatures, the compressor has to work harder to maintain the desired cooling temperature. This leads to increased power consumption as compressor efficiency decreases and power consumption increases.
The same applies to the desired cooling temperature. The lower the cooling temperature is set, the more energy is required to reach and maintain that lower temperature. It is therefore advisable not to set the cooling temperature lower than absolutely necessary in order to reduce power consumption.
The most important to note that these are general guidelines and power consumption will depend on various factors such as cooler efficiency, insulation, loading and the use of additional cooling aids such as ice packs. Therefor it can make sense to measure the power consumption of your own compressor cool box in different situations in order to get a better understanding of your individual energy requirements.
| Capacity Jackery 2000 Pro 2160 Wh | 2160 Wh |
| Verbraucher Pro Tag | kwh |
| Cool box MCF 40 power consumption at -5° and approx. 20° ambient temperature | 22,59 W/h * 24 h = 542 W/Tag |
| Cool box MCF 40 power consumption at -10° and approx. 20° ambient temperature | 29,9 W/h * 24 h = 717 W/Tag |
| MacBook (100 W) | 100 Wh |
| Vacuume machine 400 W | 400W * (5 Minuten/60) = 33 Wh |
| Iphone (5 W) | 5 Wh |
| GoPro (5 W) | 5 Wh |
| Solar generator charging cigarette lighter: 96 Wh per hour driving time | 3h Fahrt * 96Wh = ca 270 Wh |
| Solar generator charging solar panel 100 W 5 hours | 5h *100W * 70% = 350 Wh |
In the following picture you can see the real measured values of the consumption values of the MCF 40 Mobicool freezer, the freezer was loaded onto the Jackery 2000 Pro at an ambient temperature of 20° with 5 l of uncooled water and cooled down once to -5°. The minutes and the battery status of the jackety were then applied. The same was repeated for -10°.
The average consumption of the compressor cooler fluctuates considerably depending on the set minimum temperature (see Figure 2).
Solar Panel Solar for Solar Generators -Jackery Solar Saga 100
The charging of the solar generator, e.g. B. the Jackery Solar Saga 100, by a solar panel depends on various factors. The electricity yield mainly depends on the solar radiation, the orientation of the solar panel to the sun, the angle and efficiency of the panel and the ambient temperature. A high quality solar panel like the Jackery Solar Saga 100 can deliver a maximum output of 100 watts. However, the actual power output may vary and is usually quoted in watt hours (Wh) per day. The exact current yield is therefore highly dependent on the above factors and can vary from day to day.
Suppose you have the Jackery Solar Saga 100 solar panel with a nominal output of 100 watts and you want to charge the solar generator for 5 hours. With slightly changing clouds, the solar radiation varies during this time.
For a rough example calculation, we assume that the average current yield is 70% of the nominal power, i.e. around 70 watts. To calculate watt-hours (Wh), we multiply average power (in watts) by time (in hours):
70 watts * 5 hours = 350 watt hours (Wh)
Please note that this is a simplified calculation and the actual power output may vary depending on the factors above. With changing clouds, the actual power yield may be slightly lower or higher.
I received the Solar Saga used on Ebay classifieds, but you can also find it on Amazon, it is available in 100 and 200 watt versions. The 200 watt version was too big for me personally!
Compressor freezer box – advantages of a compressor cool box – recommendation
The big advantage of a compressor cool box is that, in contrast to normal Peltier element cool boxes, it is able to freeze the chilled goods. This is essential, especially for longer spearguns and fishing trips, to get the fish home fresh.
I use the following cool box myself, the MFC 40 is a very good compromise between performance and price, cool boxes from Engel or Domestic are able to cool down to -20°, but eat up significantly more electricity accordingly. The Mobicool manages -10°. Although it is said that the quicker the fish is frozen, the less ice crystals form and therefore the quality of the fish is higher when it is thawed, but I personally have not been able to detect any differences in taste. The consumption values of the freezer can be found in the article above.
The blog article below provides tips and recommendations for transporting fish. Various ways of keeping fish cool are presented, depending on the time spent in the car. Various types of coolers are discussed, including regular coolers, electric coolers, and styrofoam boxes. The use of cold packs and vacuum sealed bags is also mentioned. In addition, gas and electricity-powered coolers that are able to freeze the fish will be presented. Finally, information on the shelf life of frozen fish in the freezer is given. Factors such as the freshness of the fish, the speed of freezing, the fat content of the fish, and the packaging are discussed. A table gives orientation values for the shelf life of different types of fish in the freezer.