Running entire TT off batteries
Hi I apologize if this has been covered before. I finally managed to get my solar system connected. I tossed out the old deep cycle 12v and replaced it with (2) 6v 215ah golf cart batteries. Th...
Forum Discussion
Solar is just part of a balanced system of know your needs and wants, having the battery to provide while the sun doesn't shine, the solar to charge that battery up relatively quickly when it does and a back up means of charging when it doesn't for too long.
So using that concept, decide on what you want to run and scale the rest to fit. When your needs grow, so do the amount of solar and battery. Are you limited as to how much panel or battery you can hold? Then your expectations have to be limited to that.
You don't have to disconnect the battery from the rig, you have to turn off the converter so that you are not creating a power loop.
I wont bore you with the smaller systems but last year I decided I wanted us to be able to enjoy some A/C in the rare occasion we need it. We don't have the roof to hold the panels to run the roof air so I figured out three big panels would run a 5000 BTU window unit pulling 450w when the sun shines. Our battery bank is three huge 8-D's totaling 675 Ah and that easily runs the A/C when the sun doesn't shine. Luckily we would never need A/C over night as it is colder up there. In fact the area has already had it's first frost.
What do we do with the power the rest of the time? We cook with a electric cook top using 470w, make coffee with a auto drip, use a small bathroom heater on those cold mornings using 200w, plus use the microwave, TV/sat, hair dryer, etc.
One issue to deal with is the three panels weigh 150 pounds. The three batteries weigh 470 pounds. The inverter isn't light and the wiring weight adds up quickly. Our rig has a 3000 pound cargo capacity and we use it.
So what did you want to run again?
So using that concept, decide on what you want to run and scale the rest to fit. When your needs grow, so do the amount of solar and battery. Are you limited as to how much panel or battery you can hold? Then your expectations have to be limited to that.
You don't have to disconnect the battery from the rig, you have to turn off the converter so that you are not creating a power loop.
I wont bore you with the smaller systems but last year I decided I wanted us to be able to enjoy some A/C in the rare occasion we need it. We don't have the roof to hold the panels to run the roof air so I figured out three big panels would run a 5000 BTU window unit pulling 450w when the sun shines. Our battery bank is three huge 8-D's totaling 675 Ah and that easily runs the A/C when the sun doesn't shine. Luckily we would never need A/C over night as it is colder up there. In fact the area has already had it's first frost.
What do we do with the power the rest of the time? We cook with a electric cook top using 470w, make coffee with a auto drip, use a small bathroom heater on those cold mornings using 200w, plus use the microwave, TV/sat, hair dryer, etc.
One issue to deal with is the three panels weigh 150 pounds. The three batteries weigh 470 pounds. The inverter isn't light and the wiring weight adds up quickly. Our rig has a 3000 pound cargo capacity and we use it.
So what did you want to run again?
