Purchasing a Jackery or something similar....need help....

Gdetrailer wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
Save your money on any of those "solar generators". Buy some more solar panels and a good inverter for the RV. It will be money well spent, far more convenient than toting something else around, and likely less expensive.

There has been a uptick in postings about these overpriced battery packs. What I have noticed is you cannot talk sense into the folks who wish to buy these overpriced batteries. They have already made up their minds to buy them and absolutely nothing posted that tells them to save their money is going to deter them.

I am pretty much done trying to persuade them that they are a bad deal and not worth the $1,000 or more for what amounts to be a battery with the same capacity of a garden tractor battery..

Amen on that one brother. Their money and foolishness.

"How many watts of portable solar panels do I need..."

Portable solar panels can develop legs and you need to set them up in the morning and bring them in at sunset unless you go to town then you set them up twice and take them down twice a day. Portables are at least twice as much as roof mounted panels too.

LarryDel wrote:
I should have been more specific of what we have and what we plan on doing. Our travel trailer is a 2022 Microlite 21FBRS. It came with a 190 watt solar panel on the roof with a 1000 watt inverter. We plan on spending January and February in Arizona and expect to do dry camping some of the time, especially at Quartzsite. My main concern is to keep my refrig running. It is a residential 12 volt rated at 11 Amps. How many watts of portable solar panels do I need in addition to the 190 Watts panel on my roof? the trailer has a solar panel plug so it it ready for additional solar panels. And I will use the stove to make my coffee so I wont need power for that. Maybe a little TV watching and interior 12 volt lights.

You need to know the duty cycle on the fridge. Or do three days of monitoring of all energy used. That may allow proper sizing of the battery bank and charging systems.

If the lights are not led--change them. It is far cheaper to conserve than to create power.

LarryDel wrote:
My main concern is to keep my refrig running. It is a residential 12 volt rated at 11 Amps. How many watts of portable solar panels do I need in addition to the 190 Watts panel on my roof?

Difficult to answer without knowing the duty cycle of the refer.

Your question implies that you want your solar to "run" things, when its main purpose is charging batteries, then the batteries are what run things. Your refer will also run at night, so that's where you need sufficient batteries.

My best answer is get all the solar you can afford and carry.

I should have been more specific of what we have and what we plan on doing. Our travel trailer is a 2022 Microlite 21FBRS. It came with a 190 watt solar panel on the roof with a 1000 watt inverter. We plan on spending January and February in Arizona and expect to do dry camping some of the time, especially at Quartzsite. My main concern is to keep my refrig running. It is a residential 12 volt rated at 11 Amps. How many watts of portable solar panels do I need in addition to the 190 Watts panel on my roof? the trailer has a solar panel plug so it it ready for additional solar panels. And I will use the stove to make my coffee so I wont need power for that. Maybe a little TV watching and interior 12 volt lights.

Two RV/marine batteries and a single 100 watt solar will for a frugal camper with a gas elec fridge give you several days of boondocking with a TT.
Adding a second solar panel would give the most added bang for the buck because it will even be charging the batteries while you are moving.
You don't mention equipment but likely you would need a new charge controller to accommodate the increased power, if so getting one which will accept higher input voltage (36 volts) should allow you to wire the new panel in series and then avoid having to run new wire from the panels to the controller.
Adding an inverter (if you don't already have one) will let you run some limited 120 volt ac items, tv, small appliances etc. Size is dependent on what you want to run.
Also as a back up to charge the trailer batteries in a pinch, you can use your tow vehicle. Simply positioning it to let you hook a set of jumper cables to the truck while idling for a half hour or so will boost them when solar isn't keeping up.

It really is hard to teach an old dog a new trick. These battery pack solar generators are simply another option.
Suggesting they are overpriced compared to solar is not really accurate.
Having a pro intall a solar package on a RV is quite expensive, I certainly would not call it cheap.
These solar generators are simple to use and set up. They are portable which adds lots of versatility. In the end they are simply another option for power.
They are a unique item on their own. Many comments try to compare them to something similar, they don't quite understand how they work or what they are used for.
Bottom line is they are a viable option for providing silent power for a weekend camping trip.

I think OP may have a residential fridge. All the more reason for more solar and battery

The Jackery is a nice little unit that is very very over-hyped by it's advertisers.

You have Two Marine/deep cycle (note the change of case there)

A pair of GC-2 REAL deep cycle might be better (NOTE: Not enough better to warrant replacement untill the existing batteries need replacement) IF that is, they fit..

LiFePO4 is better still.. though more expensive and there are a couple of other considerations if you "Cold Camp" (They do not like to be recharged below freezing.)

Frankly.. If i get another Trailer.. I'll got with LiFePO4 batteries
(Check Battle Born web site.. NOTE. there are cheaper.. There are as good (Bioenno Power) but there are none better that I've found. (I have a small Bioenno Power) You do need a proper charge controller for LIFePo4 however (I have one of those too)

It can be done by plugging in a battery charger, but these units are ridiculously over priced.

Far better (and cheaper) to get more panels and a larger battery bank.