FYI Basic Solar Kit from Costco

polycrystalline panels are ok, but you would be better with monocrystalline panels.

Hi Carb,

It appears that polycrystalline may work better in partial shade than monocrystalline.

Mono panels are smaller in foot print than Poly panels are. Both my mono panels (220w and 245w) are smaller than my 230w poly. I haven't tested the 245w panels in low light but I do know the 230w poly will continue to produce in much lower light than the 220w mono.

That said, at that low of light output is very low and without a battery bank to sustain you, a few cloudy days will have you on a generator which ever panel you get.

Possible of interest. SolarBlvd sent me a email that they have their 230w panels on sale for $149. Pretty soon I wont need to shop craigslist, just buy new.

westend wrote:
A 2000W inverter may not be overkill for an RV'er that wants to run a refrigerator...

Yes. But 400W solar is not enough to run a 120V refrigerator in less than perfect weather. Or if you only stay a few days at a time (then you simply let your SOC drop slowly).

pianotuna wrote:
It appears that polycrystalline may work better in partial shade than monocrystalline.

I would rather say "in low light" - when the entire panel is illuminated but not very well.

OTH, when it's a dense shade on a part of the panel area (like tree, building etc), and the rest of the panel is in bright sun, then it's a matter if number of diodes per panel and whether the panels are in series or parallel. The losses caused by insufficient number of diodes and series wiring are so huge that it doesn't matter anymore whether it's poly or mono.

Our fridge has been running from a Tripp lite pvc1250, for almost three years
Run power is approx 100w
Surge is approx 900w
This inverter will even power out MW, 1100 cooking watts...1650 input watts

westend wrote:
FYI, solar hot water heating is now required by code on Oahu, HI. The electric rates are unbelievable.

A 2000W inverter may not be overkill for an RV'er that wants to run a refrigerator, you have to have enough power to get past the lock rotor draw. It would be in the range of occasional microwave use, too. The Xantrex Prowatt 1800W inverter draws .8 amps at idle. A Prowatt 900W draws .6 amps.