PSW wrote:
Believe me: all 200 watts of solar will do is keep your batteries topped out assuming you use good battery management techniques. It won't be enough to really run anything.
I think 200W is more than one needs for maintaining 2*6V in a parked rig with everything off. 50W panel would do just fine.
OTH, for living, 200W is just barely enough. On a bright day it would supply the charge lost on a few lights, pumps, an hour or two of laptop or a TV, and hour or two of furnace (intermittent cycling), and parasitic loads - DC circuit of fridge, sensors etc. Many people wouldn't need anything else. As long as you avoid running high-power 110V devices like microwave, toaster, hair drier etc, and the weather is not terribly bad - it is possible to live off 200W solar. Energy conservation and battery monitor is a must, in this case.
