100 watt solar panel
Northwood RV wants $1,100 to park a 100w solar panel on top of it's RVs. I'll be RVing full time next year; so, please, convince me that that solar panel is worth the money.
Forum Discussion
Comparison of prices for installed system with just the solar panel are informative but unfair. It may cost $1100 to buy the panel, controller, wiring, etc and have it installed. It probably includes 3 or 4 hours of labour and shop at $200 per hour. I think it is worthwhile even at that price when eliminating the need for a generator for many years. But I ordered the Renogy 100 W kit for $250 (Amazon Canada) and will have a go at installing it myself. Probably will add more collector next year.
This reminds me so much of my experience adding a sun room onto our house this year. I hired an electric company to do the wiring, though it is the trade I know most about. Cost was $1100, that's $70/hr for the man plus $20/hr for tools. After I closed up the walls I took over installing the lights and plugins myself. I should have done the whole job, just lacked confidence and worried about displeasing the inspector. Then a friend told me he wired his garage and got nothing but praise from the inspector. And this friend called me over to install a phone jack for him! You can do it if you are interested and have a source of advice like this forum.
Whoever said get dealer to prewire and finish it yourself later was right on.
You could manage without solar for a while. We can boondock without solar or generator for 4 days. No TV or microwave. Led lights.
This reminds me so much of my experience adding a sun room onto our house this year. I hired an electric company to do the wiring, though it is the trade I know most about. Cost was $1100, that's $70/hr for the man plus $20/hr for tools. After I closed up the walls I took over installing the lights and plugins myself. I should have done the whole job, just lacked confidence and worried about displeasing the inspector. Then a friend told me he wired his garage and got nothing but praise from the inspector. And this friend called me over to install a phone jack for him! You can do it if you are interested and have a source of advice like this forum.
Whoever said get dealer to prewire and finish it yourself later was right on.
You could manage without solar for a while. We can boondock without solar or generator for 4 days. No TV or microwave. Led lights.
