Solar Panel question
We will be ordering a new 33' fifth wheel. We want a solar panel with 2-6 volt batteries. We own a small Honda generator. Basically we just want to charge the batteries and run some lights, charge c...
Forum Discussion
With a trailer I would want 4 6-volt batteries and for each 100 AH at 12 volts I would want 75 Watts of solar panel installed.
Useful to think more in terms of amps of output than Watts. A panel that provides 6 amps of current will provide 24 amps of charging easily regardless of the weather. A 100 AH battery can be discharged 50% safely and that 50 AH of current can be replaced in 8 hours with the 6 amps of panel output.
A very good investment is a Trimetric charge metering device. Cost is under $200 and it will tell you exactly how much charge is available in your batteries and how much charge is going in or out at any given point in time.
If you plan to camp in areas where there is not going to be AC power, i.e. boondocking, the advantages of a trailer are more tank capacity for fresh water, grey water, and black water, and more roof space for solar panels. If you plan to boondock I would put in as much battery capacity as will fit and get someone other than the dealer to install the necessary number of solar panels to keep the batteries charged.
The great thing about solar is that once the system is in place you can forget about it as it runs itself and requires no maintenance.
Useful to think more in terms of amps of output than Watts. A panel that provides 6 amps of current will provide 24 amps of charging easily regardless of the weather. A 100 AH battery can be discharged 50% safely and that 50 AH of current can be replaced in 8 hours with the 6 amps of panel output.
A very good investment is a Trimetric charge metering device. Cost is under $200 and it will tell you exactly how much charge is available in your batteries and how much charge is going in or out at any given point in time.
If you plan to camp in areas where there is not going to be AC power, i.e. boondocking, the advantages of a trailer are more tank capacity for fresh water, grey water, and black water, and more roof space for solar panels. If you plan to boondock I would put in as much battery capacity as will fit and get someone other than the dealer to install the necessary number of solar panels to keep the batteries charged.
The great thing about solar is that once the system is in place you can forget about it as it runs itself and requires no maintenance.
