Well I have been reorganising the interior of the troopy, part of it has been sorting out batteries and wiring etc – taken a while… As part of the final testing I have been measuring currents for interest as well as circuit breaker sizes and battery life, so I thought I would stick up results here for anyone interested in this type of stuff. My battery bank is now about 200A/Hr and the ability to drive the fridge for long periods is great! (measurements taken with either my clipper battery monitor or a DC clamp meter depending on what is being measured):

Okay, firstly putting power in:
- Direct sunlight, old solar panel I found details unknown: +3.5 amps
- Car on a fast idle, sterling battery to battery charger putting in +35 amps

Taking out:

- Viair compressor inflating a tyre at 30psi – 16 amps
- Rear Floodlight (CAT) – 4.3 amps
- National Luna 40L fridge (compressor running) – 2.5 amps
- 30 led strip light – 0.6 amps
- Flowjet water pump – 4.5 amps
- Amplifier driving 2 speakers and a subwoofer (normal volume) 1.5 a
- Lightforce driving lights – 9.7 amps each!!!

Next measurements will be small inverter running various gadgetry and I will get the 105LC stuck and see what the winch draws!!! Quite interesting this little clamp meter. Any of the usual things anyone wants measured? Interesting that the car idling will put in 10x what the panel does, but on the otherhand when parked up the panel is obviously going a long way to covering what the fridge takes out. Will be interesting to see results now that the West African Harmattan is kicking up all the Sahara dust - actually had the car heater on the last few days driving to work!

Can you tell me a bit about the clamp meter please? I imagine it clamps around a wire and measures the current, but where can I get one and what does it cost?

Thanks

AntC

Yes, a clamp meter just has jaws that open allowing cables to be measured. I have no recollection of where it came from, but google "DC clamp meter" and away you go! Cost about £30 IIRC. Very handy tool but not the sort that gets loads of use.
Gil