Solar power deserves its own section on SEVA Forum, even if this is Seattle

[StorminN]

I think solar PV's should be filed under "Misc. parts", or perhaps somewhere under "charging systems".

I believe the best place for PV panels is either the roof of your house, or on a pole in your yard, with a tracker on top... and of course, in both cases, grid connected. But, I also understand that they can provide a incremental charge if mounted on the vehicle.

It sounds like you've got panels on your truck. Perhaps a PV MPPT charge controller like the Outback MX60 could be rewired or reprogrammed to have an algorithm for charging 120V battery packs. In your case, this would eliminate some of the equipment, (SLA battery, inverter, five chargers) and increase the efficiency... the MX60's run at 96%+. The standard MX60's will take up to 140VDC input and output to battery packs from 12V to 60V. Perhaps if the output is pulsed (I've never scoped it) it could be as simple as a 1:2 step-up transformer... this would be a question for the guys in Arlington.

Of course, you could always go with those small single-panel charge controllers, and have a panel for each battery in your vehicle... hmmm...

-Norm.