I am looking for a couple good books on RV solar

I haven't really found any good solar books at our library, although I've looked. Some of the books they do have are pretty woefully out of date and almost all focus on residential solar systems - way more than anyone would consider for their RV.

I think one of the problems with experts writing a book is that the solar world evolves and changes fairly rapidly with regard to solar prices, efficiency, and technology, such as batteries like lithium-ion becoming more common. So while some of the basics (doing an energy audit, etc) stay the same, most people aren't interested in buying a book that doesn't have all the latest information in it, and therefore, publishers probably aren't that willing to take a chance on printing up copies that will just end up in the discount bins for lack of market.

2oldman wrote:

westend wrote:
I'd suggest to use the resources of this Forum...,Sure, you might get a different opinion or two but isn't that better than getting just one point of view and find out later that your choices are wrong because the author of a book didn't have your particular interests in mind?

I think the OP's book idea is a good one. Get some basic facts down minus all the noise on a chat board.

I've got nothing against a book being used. Can you recommend one?

As stated in my post, there is more information about solar power than one can read in a lifetime on the web and much of that is not on a Forum.

westend wrote:
I'd suggest to use the resources of this Forum...,Sure, you might get a different opinion or two but isn't that better than getting just one point of view and find out later that your choices are wrong because the author of a book didn't have your particular interests in mind?

I think the OP's book idea is a good one. Get some basic facts down minus all the noise on a chat board.

If you can figure out your daily use, the next step is to figure how many days of reserve you'll need, hence, match the battery capacity to all of that.

Recharging the batteries will depend on location and seasonal angle of the Sun, along with the amount of watts the panels are capable of producing. Additive are any chance you have to plug in at a pedestal or the amount of charge power exchanged while driving.

There are articles about RV Solar but I haven't seen a whole book about it. Perhaps, the subject can be covered in a few pages in an article.

I'd suggest to use the resources of this Forum, there are many competent solar users that will give freely of their experience and advice. Sure, you might get a different opinion or two but isn't that better than getting just one point of view and find out later that your choices are wrong because the author of a book didn't have your particular interests in mind?

State your requirements re: power consumed and most of the rest is an exercise in battery management.

Also, if Forum response belabors your Dyslexia, just choose articles that are not Forum related. There exists too much information to read about solar and how it works, none of it on a Forum.

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I'm sure you can find something on Amazon.

Things are SO MUCH EASIER these days ! Most solar distributors can advise you on what you need.

• Panels
• Charge Controller
• Batteries
• Inverter

Don't expect to get it perfectly correct the first time out of the box. Each one of those will likely have to be "fine tuned".

I would start with 2 "good" 6V batteries (Trojan T105RE or Costco/Interstate GC2). You will need >1000W (peak) pure sine wave inverter (2000W if you can afford it). The charger controller is sized to the number of panels you have.

Use "marine" grade wire. Go one wire size up on what everyone recommends. Keep the wires going to and from the batteries as short as reasonable. Heat shrink all connectors.

After 1 or 2 seasons, you will likely upgrade some components.


If you are boondocking a lot, you still need a generator and probably 4 batteries.

pianotuna wrote:
Handybob is at best dated and mostly a rant.

https://freecampsites.net/adding-solar/

Totally agree, HandyBob is a joke, avoid at all costs.

Handybob is at best dated and mostly a rant. Jacks site is good.

For my current thoughts on solar surf here:

https://freecampsites.net/adding-solar/

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