Going Solar!
Hi, new to this forum. I am a many years of experience Travel Trailer type RV-er. We do most of our camping "dry" with out hook ups. My wife and I are getting ready to buy a new trailer that will c...
Forum Discussion
I'm installing a very modest system, 280w/12v, and that will not meet my needs in winter, with heating and extra lighting and such. You are looking at 400w bare minimum, and that solar-ready wiring is the lynch pin. Find out what gauge they plan to install... probably 16-12ga... and ask for a minimum of 10ga, like someone here suggested.
Here's the deal. The higher the voltage, the lower the amperage. Watts = Volts x Amps... so if you double the volts, you halve the amps, and vice versa. (I'm running 6ga for my 12v system, for example, because of the lower volts and thus higher amps). There is a thing called line loss, or voltage drop. This needs to be minimized, and is done so by using large enough wire. With 10ga wiring, you'll likely be best to go with 24v/mppt. And you don't need to spend a small fortune on a controller, but you certainly can if you like.
Your loads will be rather significant... furnace blower and cpap being the biggest power hogs, but don't forget about the fridge controls, and propane detector and such. These things really add up, seeing as they are a constant 24/7 drain on the battery bank. And you may be surprised to know many here use their microwave and TV while boondocking... I know I do.
I prefer 6v batteries, but many here have 12v, and are happy with them. Many times, it's simply a matter of space limitations (two 6v take up more room than one 12v, for example) and there are height issues as well. Either way, it's good to go bigger, i.e; more Amp Hours, rather than smaller, in most cases.
X2 on Handy Bob's Blog... no BS, just straight forward, sound advice.
Here's the deal. The higher the voltage, the lower the amperage. Watts = Volts x Amps... so if you double the volts, you halve the amps, and vice versa. (I'm running 6ga for my 12v system, for example, because of the lower volts and thus higher amps). There is a thing called line loss, or voltage drop. This needs to be minimized, and is done so by using large enough wire. With 10ga wiring, you'll likely be best to go with 24v/mppt. And you don't need to spend a small fortune on a controller, but you certainly can if you like.
Your loads will be rather significant... furnace blower and cpap being the biggest power hogs, but don't forget about the fridge controls, and propane detector and such. These things really add up, seeing as they are a constant 24/7 drain on the battery bank. And you may be surprised to know many here use their microwave and TV while boondocking... I know I do.
I prefer 6v batteries, but many here have 12v, and are happy with them. Many times, it's simply a matter of space limitations (two 6v take up more room than one 12v, for example) and there are height issues as well. Either way, it's good to go bigger, i.e; more Amp Hours, rather than smaller, in most cases.
X2 on Handy Bob's Blog... no BS, just straight forward, sound advice.
