<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_extra">Thanks all for the outstanding amount of information. I think I will try a setup like so:</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNISOLAR-PVL-136-Watt-No-PeelNstick-SOLAR-PANEL-UNI-SOLAR-PVL136-PANELS-144-128/380679951769?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D62274773925413104%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D231001584764%26" target="_blank">UNISOLAR PVL 136 Watt 24V Panel</a><br>


</div><div class="gmail_extra">-></div><div class="gmail_extra"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tracer1210RN-Solar-Charge-Controller-Regulator/dp/B008KWPGS6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1374553109&sr=8-5&keywords=solar+controller+mppt" target="_blank">MPPT Tracer1210RN Solar Charge Controller Regulator 12/24V INPUT 10A</a><br>


</div><div class="gmail_extra">-></div><div class="gmail_extra">12V lead-acid battery. Originally a small UPS battery, but hopefully getting something more serious when everything else works and the funds are there.</div>

<div class="gmail_extra">
-></div><div class="gmail_extra">Directly to a bank of 5-10 XO 1s, using a charger squid/bank that I'm putting together myself.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">If I order the charge controller in the next 3 hours I can be sure that I will get it in time for my trip. Otherwise I'll have to fall back on my 12V controller. Please let me know—does this plan with the charge controller seem like a safe bet?</div>


<div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">Thanks!</div><div class="gmail_extra">James</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 1:38 PM, Richard A. Smith <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:richard@laptop.org" target="_blank">richard@laptop.org</a>></span> wrote:<br>


<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="overflow:hidden">So long story short is that if you want to use a PV panel with a voltage that is over about 2x your battery voltage you need a MPPT controller. While the Sunforce controller might work its going to be sub-optimal and I suspect will fail prematurely.<br>


</div></blockquote></div><br><br></div></div>