I've done some homework on this topic regarding boondocking / power conservation but want to ask some questions to those who have done this, as I've become a bit confused. Am looking to go with some LED lights and a dual battery w/ master shutoff sw, with genset as a charger/backup vs. solar set up. Some of you will ask "why" and the answer is "simplicity" vs setting up solar (I'm no electrician...not sure if I'm comfy with setting up solar unless convinced otherwise). What are the pros/cons of each? Appreciate honest discussion.

I wanted the ability to be somewhat self sufficient, off the grid, if necessary.Toward that end, I added (2) additional group 24 batteries for a total of (4) in a custom vented battery box.I added (2) 135 watt solar panels and 30 amp charge controller.I also replaced all the interior lights with LEDs.I longer plug the fifth wheel in at home and the solar keeps the batteries topped off.We have not had the opportunity to dry camp yet.I think it was well worth the effort and expense.Hope this info will be helpful.Bill

Pros, Top of the list Silence Once installed it does not require gas/diesel so ROI is dependent on how long you will keep your RV. Potentially it will keep batteries fully charged and they will last longer. Negative, cost, not so much if you do it your self. Solar panels have come down price to below a dollar per watt. They will not power AC but with conservation most everything else. It is not that hard to do it yourself and to get it right with good quality components. There are decisions to make i.e. a high voltage system, panels meant for grid tie system mine puts out 50V and required an MPPT converter but puts out usable current in shade and on cloudy days.

Pro for solar: I don't have to stick around the campground while the generator runs for hours. I can go to town, hike, sleep, whatever catches my fancy as the panels do all the work.Pro for solar: my system is set to equalize my batteries once per month. I don't have to think about it, I don't have to remember, and I don't have to run the generator for hours to do it.Pro for solar: I don't have to buy gas and carry extra gas when camping.pro for solar: My panels charge up my batteries faster than my generator does. It takes about 3 hours of a good sunny day to get to 100%. A generator will take you to 90% fairly well but after that...con for solar: I have to exercise my generator once per month to keep it working.Honestly, once it is installed, there is nothing simpler than solar power.It just keeps on giving. I'm considering having it installed on a house, if we ever get one.

What dahkota said. Another con for solar is the need to park in the sun. For OP, typically we boondockers do the LED lights, multiple batteries, AND solar/charging method of choice. Solar charges batteries, it doesn't really run anything.

LED and dual batteries vs solar | Good Sam Community

JiminDenver
Explorer II
May 06, 2014
Solar is wonderful IF it works for you. As for the items you mention, we have all of them. We even went out and replaced our old generator with a new one that like the old one, will rarely if ever be needed. Still you have to have it in case.

Because people think in terms of large loads and small solar systems, the concept that they only charge batteries is realistic. That said I can connect a small inverter to my portable solar set up , start a load and disconnect the battery. The load will continue as long as the sun shines. So a solar system is a PV generator That doesn't need batteries but they sure are nice when it gets dark. Same with a gas generator that can run stuff without the battery but if you don't have one outside of generator hour it's lights out.
doughere
Explorer
May 06, 2014
My progression:

Got trailer, single #24 battery. Was able to run a day at a time.

Got pair of GC's, much better; could go two days at a time.

Got LED lights, can now go 4 / 5 days with good charge. Now found that fresh water and gray water storage was a problem.

Got 800 watt 2 cycle gen, NOT A NICE THING. Changed to a PD90245 converter for better charging.

I hereby apologize to all I bothered and offended with the noise and smell of that POS. Such things should be banned.

Added fresh water tanks, and grey water storage, got 2000 watt Honda, and a PD9260, can now go week to 10 days (water and grey storage are now limit). Need gen every few days when using furnace (biggest draw).

Added 2 60 watt solar panels to roof, and have a 100 watt portable panel that can be used when site is shaded.

Can now go almost indefinitely without gen. A couple of campgrounds we have stayed at were so shaded, that even with 150 feet of wire I couldn't get portable panel in sun, and had to use gen.

If I were to do again, I'd change all lights to LED, get 2 GC's, Get 200 - 250 watts of solar, get PD9245 and a 1000 Honda.

If I could swap the 2000 for a 1000, I'd change back to the PD9245 converter now. My ole back could use the relief. The extra charging from the 9260 verses the 9245 isn't enough to make it worthwhile.

Good Luck,
Doug
mleekamp
Explorer
May 06, 2014
great experiences & info....thanks. I'm looking deeper into solar. I've got time this year to explore and decide before our trip out west next year.

We are going to Colorado this July, but at parks with electric.
12thgenusa
Explorer
May 06, 2014
ewarnerusa wrote:
12thgenusa wrote:
Well I don't believe it's interpretation. If your system is wired correctly, the solar output is wired in parallel with the batteries.

By system wired parallel with the batteries do you mean your 12V main power panel is also wired into your charge controller output?
The controller output, battery I/O, TV alternator charge wire and converter are all wired to the same common point.
12thgenusa wrote:
Because of the lower resistance of the solar portion as compared to the batteries, any 12-volt draw will pull from solar before the batteries.

Solar will power anything up to its capacity. The batteries only kick in when solar max power is reached. In my case, 25+ amps will power a lot of things. I have many times seen the solar putting out 17 or more amps with only 2 amps going to charge the batteries.

On high draw items beyond the capacity of solar only, it still contributes up to its limit.

I agree, although my panels' output is routed through a controller and then to the batteries. So draws are pulled from the battery at the same time the panels are pushing into the battery. The Morningstar charge controller regulates the flow.

Of course the solar power is routed through a controller first, Rogue in this case. You need to study battery theory a little further. It is physically impossible for a battery to be charged and discharged simultaneously.
2oldman
Explorer II
May 06, 2014
12thgenusa wrote:
Well I don't believe it's interpretation. If your system is wired correctly, the solar output is wired in parallel with the batteries. Because of the lower resistance of the solar portion as compared to the batteries, any 12-volt draw will pull from solar before the batteries..
I agree, but try saying that the next time you're asked 'what does your solar run'?

Anyone who asks that has almost zero understanding of solar in the first place, and a complicated answer will not help.
12thgenusa
Explorer
May 06, 2014
Well IMHO a simple incorrect answer is not preferable to a correct one. In the short several years I've had my system I've had people come up and ask what it can do. I'm only too happy to tell.
ewarnerusa
Nomad
May 06, 2014
12thgenusa wrote:
Of course the solar power is routed through a controller first, Rogue in this case. You need to study battery theory a little further. It is physically impossible for a battery to be charged and discharged simultaneously.

OK, I see from an academic point of view that your logic is correct. The battery posts are where all the wiring connections originate/terminate. I'm of the same view point as 2oldman, though!
packnrat
Explorer
May 09, 2014
i have thought about all this solar stuff.

but at the cost i can buy a lot of gasoline for my generator. for a good three years...even at the cost of fuel at today's prices.
no need to worry about roof leaks. panels getting ripped off the roof by the wind or a tree branch. and the wiring.....
right now i would just be happy to get my heater to work right.
Sgeorge
Explorer
May 16, 2014
I for one went to solar just so I don't have to hear a genset run all day. Why would I drive 500 miles to a awesome campsite to hear a generator.

My story is pretty much the same as others. Started with two group 24 and a generator. Sometimes it took all day to get the batts back up.

We now have 280 watts of solar and I have not started my generator in two years of camping. I never have to worry about my batts being ready to go camping, hookup and drive. I check the water often of course. We usually camp is a fairly forested area, not completely in trees, but they do cast shadows on the panels. I still will have 100% charge at the end of the day.

Solar = The best modification an owner can make to their RV.

Forgot to mention, 100% LED.
wintersun
Explorer II
May 16, 2014
It depends on how you travel and where you stay. If you only need to go a couple days out in the boondocks and on the third day be at a place with hookups then you can get by without solar. If you want to not have electrical needs affect when you need to hookup to shore power than you need either a generator or solar panels.

Regardless of our evenings usage with two solar panels my batteries are back at 100% before noon. The panels once installed are something I never need to think about or touch. I added about 50 lbs. to the RV but that is it as far as impact. Nothing to start or stop or refuel or fix as with a generator.

Now our only constraint is our holding tanks.

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