GMRS Repeater - Solar Powered

[JeepZJ]

We are in need of communications between our hunting cabin (0ff Grid) and our hunting grounds. They are 2-10 miles away from each other with a significant hill between them and lots of other hills in the area. This is a very heavily forested area far from civilization.

I want to put a repeater at the top of our hill, which is part of our property.

I'm considering the following equipment for the repeater site:
(2) 25 Watt  UHF radios
Celwave 633-6A Duplexer
Comet CA-712EFC Antenna
Renogy 50 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Panel
PowerStar 12V 35AH U1 Deep Cycle AGM Solar Battery
Genasun GV-5-Pb-12V, 5A MPPT solar controller with LVD
1/2" Heliax Hardline Cable

What I'm not sure about is the need of a repeater controller. They seem to offer lots of bells and whistles, but do I need one with modern radios?

[Logan5]

MPPT Equalization mode is not the same as pulse desulflation or even similar to the devices that claim to pulse desulflate.

[JeepZJ]

I was starting to think he was talking about the equalization mode.  My Morningstar MPPT Controller on the Cabin has that feature.  So does the charger that runs off the generator.  I'm going on 6 years with my Trojan L-16 batteries and they are still going strong.  The Bogart TriMetric is located in the living room and helps me keep an eye on what is going on with the solar system. The lowest my batteries have ever been is 80%.  What I use when the sun goes down is usually replenished by noon the next day.  Only in the deep of winter do I fire up the generator.

 

The repeater is going to be in a better location for sun than the cabin.  Only enemy will be snow covering the panels.

[Logan5]

I was starting to think he was talking about the equalization mode.  My Morningstar MPPT Controller on the Cabin has that feature.  So does the charger that runs off the generator.  I'm going on 6 years with my Trojan L-16 batteries and they are still going strong.  The Bogart TriMetric is located in the living room and helps me keep an eye on what is going on with the solar system. The lowest my batteries have ever been is 80%.  What I use when the sun goes down is usually replenished by noon the next day.  Only in the deep of winter do I fire up the generator.

 

The repeater is going to be in a better location for sun than the cabin.  Only enemy will be snow covering the panels.

with a nice steep angle optimized for winter sun, snow should less of an issue. Congratulations on 6yr batteries. My first set only lasted 4.5yrs. I was lackadaisical with maintenance and paid for it. I have a set of 8XT105's @48 volts now, they are nice batteries but I would have preferred L-16's, by the time I need new ones, I expect lithium batteries like Tesla to be much more reasonable.

[cdesigns]

MPPT Equalization mode is not the same as pulse desulflation or even similar to the devices that claim to pulse desulflate.

 

LOL, the point is that you need to give the battery some jolt once in a while to reduce the crystallization on the battery plates, expensive charges like the outback uses a controlled over charging method , and the desulfator is for those with cheaper charge controllers that don't have that equalization stage. Not the same methods, but at the end of the day it will jolt the battery to reduce crystallization. I have used it before on my cheap solar setups when I started doing solar and when I tried a desulfator the battery lasted longer 1.5 years more than my other setups, that were the same. This is for people who are using cheap solar chargers, if the OP decides to use a good charger then he doesn't need this.

 

 When the budget is low, I always recommend this MPPT charger, I have 2 running for 3 years now and they squeeze all the power from my solar cells and work excellent at least for the price, I have used them in solar powered pedal boats and electric wheelchairs lol

 http://www.eco-worthy.com/catalog/worthy-mppt-solar-charge-controller-12v24v-p-182.html

 

 

[cdesigns]

double post

 

 

 

[JeepZJ]

I designed everything around 12 volts.  Lighting, water pressure pump, TV/DVD, Electronics on the frig, Furnace, Fan over the Stove, Fans over the upstairs beds, bathroom fan.  We have a small sine wave inverter in the living room and a larger one at the battery bank that we rarely use.  I have been religious when it comes to adding distilled water to the batteries.

 

My panels for the repeater shack will be on a 12/12  pitch roof which is pretty close to the optimum angle for our locale. Even then the snow has a tendency not to slide off unless it warms up well above freezing.  I wont be using the repeater much in the winter so it wont be an issue.

 

 

By the way I have already researched the MPPT controllers and had decided on the ECO-Worthy 20A after deciding I needed more power for the radios I ended up with.

[Logan5]

My system is based on a 48 volt battery bank, makes running distance, voltage drop free over AWG10 wire. If the end load is 12v I use a 48 to 12v step down at the end of the run. It the load is 110v, I use a 48volt to 110v inverter at the batteries and run the distance 110v, higher voltages run longer distance with less voltage drop and loss. 12v is a very inefficient voltage for off grid living. 12v is is for automobiles, C class RV's and trailers. 24v is where off grid living becomes reasonable and 48v is most ideal for real off grid power.

[cdesigns]

I designed everything around 12 volts.  Lighting, water pressure pump, TV/DVD, Electronics on the frig, Furnace, Fan over the Stove, Fans over the upstairs beds, bathroom fan.  We have a small sine wave inverter in the living room and a larger one at the battery bank that we rarely use.  I have been religious when it comes to adding distilled water to the batteries.

 

My panels for the repeater shack will be on a 12/12  pitch roof which is pretty close to the optimum angle for our locale. Even then the snow has a tendency not to slide off unless it warms up well above freezing.  I wont be using the repeater much in the winter so it wont be an issue.

 

 

By the way I have already researched the MPPT controllers and had decided on the ECO-Worthy 20A after deciding I needed more power for the radios I ended up with.

 

I love the Eco-worthy 20amp MPPT charger, is cheap and it works great, here is one that I made for campings, it gives me the option to charge the car battery and add more solar panels, underneath the charger I have (2) 12ah SLA batteries. They power a brushless fan, LEDS and ipads etc on my campings or out on the field adventures

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-mKA2k4EN8