Need solar help!
Have 30’ 5r, one WM group 27 DC battery, & 100 watt solar panel. We have had days of great sunshine but readings almost always show low battery. But the lights work, water pump works & we haven’t gone...
Forum Discussion
100 W can be fine, but requires that you make a concerted effort to reduce energy usage.
Do you have LED lighting? That can reduce energy used for lighting by 2/3, and is the largest drain for many. Cheap fans can draw more power than you think. Use a TV much? Is it DC, or AC with an inverter? Turn off the antenna amp when not used. List and add up what you do use - when off-grid, you need to know what draws what, and consciously limit your use (family needs to turn stuff off when not needed, all the time).
And, a single group 27 battery isn't much, especially for what a 30 footer could be expected to use. If you're running out with lots of sunshine, what are you going to do when it's cloudy?
Do you have LED lighting? That can reduce energy used for lighting by 2/3, and is the largest drain for many. Cheap fans can draw more power than you think. Use a TV much? Is it DC, or AC with an inverter? Turn off the antenna amp when not used. List and add up what you do use - when off-grid, you need to know what draws what, and consciously limit your use (family needs to turn stuff off when not needed, all the time).
And, a single group 27 battery isn't much, especially for what a 30 footer could be expected to use. If you're running out with lots of sunshine, what are you going to do when it's cloudy?
