Solar Install: what would you change

I started with two 160 watt solar panels, a 30 amp MPPT controller and two 6 volt GC batteries. A few years latter I now have three 160 watt panels, four 6 volt GC batteries, and a 2000 watt PSW inverter and wish that I had installed a bigger charge controller and bigger wire.

I agree. “I wish I didn’t have so many solar panels” said nobody ever.

Batteries do you no good if they are not charged.

Another option is adding a 1000W Champion into the mix to cover you for three days of cloudy days.

A few hours a day will fix you up.

As a one who has relied on solar power for a long time, my first response is add more panel capacity than you think you need. (I hear that little monsters get really cranky without their DVD's!)

Those handy little 'capacity calculators' often don't account for extended cloudy days, tree-shaded campsites, sun on the fridge side of the rig, etc. but extra solar panel capacity can help get you over those humps. Even on cloudy days a solar panel will output some power and if you have extra panels that might just be enough. Even shaded campsites may get a few hours of sun and, again, if you have enough panels that may allow you to leave the rig in place and go hiking or swiming instead of moving your house to a sunnier spot.

As I'm sure you've found, panels can be expensive, rivaling the cost of the batteries, but with a little planning up front, adding additional panels later can be relatively simple, especially if the wire from roof to charge controller is over-sized during the initial installation and a charge controller with enough capacity for additional panels is chosen right from the get-go.

As a final comment, power from a solar source, unless grossly over-sized, needs to be managed and that requires some sort of monitor such as the Xantrex LinkPRO

I’d install a fourth panel at the very rear of my TT for those rare times the three in front are partly or fully shaded or there is low light. Will do so this spring. I don’t agree about wiring in series.