Solar Panels

Am I missing something by not considering solar power? I always have my generators, and figured if I run once a day, if necessary, to charge my batteries, that's enough. Should I be looking into solar?

If you cover your RV a 50 watt solar battery maintainer should keep your batteries topped off provided you flip a disconnect switch. If you don't cover your RV I'd install a solar system of at least one solar watt per battery amp hour. Good for storage and camping.

I take it you are running the fridge on propane as opposed to 12 volts and have a single 12 volt group 24 battery. If so and you can go 5 days before the battery is dead you are using somewhere between 10 and 20 amps a day, depending on what dead means to you. About the same as me.

If it were me I'd add a 2nd battery and go with a 160 watt panel on the roof permanently installed and a 30 amp controller permanently installed. Which is what I have.

You could get away with 120-160 watt portable suitcase that has the controller on the back, but I'd still consider a 2nd battery. Directly connect the panel to the battery/s via the clamps. Roughly 30 foot of cable. The 160 suitcase my brother is bulky and heavy, so much so he doesn't want to lug it around, something like 40 lbs. Just something to be aware of when you're shopping.

Keeping the controller close to the batteries is more efficient, which is why you may want to at least look into having a permanently mounted controller.

Bob Vaughn wrote:
I do not have a residential refrigerator. That being said, when I disconnect my rv from the power grid within a week or so my batteries will be dead. I am thinking of getting a solar panel with battery clips to just keep the battery charged. I found a small portable panel and the reviewers comments make me want to get one.. I just wonder what the minimum requirements are that I would need should I decide to boon dock for a while just to keep the batteries charged....No controller or inverter involved....

Bob, "If" you're "only" trying to keep the batterie(s) charged while in storage, then you really need the minimum....unless you have a "large parasitic draw ( which could be eliminated by turning the "master switch" off)! I use a small panel ( approx 8"x 9") through a charge regulator to keep the battery at full charge on my Hydraulic Dump trailer. Granted it's only one battery. But, even with multiple batteries and you have a good southern exposure for the panel.... it will not require much!

Between 60 and 150 watts per 100 amp-hours of battery bank.

This series of articles may help. https://freecampsites.net/adding-solar/

100 watts for each 100 amp hours of storage capacity is the accepted rule of thumb. It is always best to have a controller with 100 watts or more.

100w per battery. You will need a controller.

Solar basics
Why solar? 2016