Ready to get my feet wet with Solar power

bka0721 wrote:

lc0338 wrote:

That is the thing, with the Rover concept I am sharing, you don't have to modify anything. You are using your shore power drop cord (whether from your 5th Wheel or Travel Trailer (TT)) and plugging into your Rover (via an inverter). Yes, you can leave your converter on, but it will be charging back your House batteries and Rover's batteries, in a loop of never ending return. Break the loop and it won't happen.

You can use your House batteries in your 5th Wheel and or Travel Trailer, to supply the DC portion of your needs for those campers. I was just proposing you use the batteries on your Rover, instead. The only problem with this, is you will eventually need to charge these House batteries too, either by turning your convertor back on (very inefficient for your the Rover batteries) or using your alternator while driving.

My camper is not modified and if I would wish to sell it, I would just put two batteries in the battery compartment, hook the cables that are hanging there (now with Anderson Connectors) to the batteries. I have two AGM batteries inside a cabinet inside the Camper, to keep them warmer in the Winter months and my other Solar Panels are now charging them every day. I can simply move them back to the Factory installed location, but cold weather saps their capacity. But we are complicating the project you have at hand.

Again, what I am proposing is no modifications, just rolling cart with batteries on the bottom and solar panels on the top, oriented like a table top that you use like a moveable Shore Power Pedestal that simply is not left behind at a campground, when you leave. It goes with you.

Good luck, need to go get my Kayak wet today and have some fun!

Fulltiming is a lot of work!

b

Ok Brian, I mis-understood. From previous input on this forum I realize using the converter on the RV to charge my RV battery bank is not a the best utilization of rover power plus the converter never really gets those batteries charged completely, I thought that I once parked I would hook up an AC battery charger so when the rover inverter is on the RV battery bank will be charged by the battery charger rather than the rv converter. Probably get a battery charger that has the capability to equalize.

Also, on the cost side. I do mention cost a lot so I want to explain what I mean. Several years ago I put in a geothermal (inground loop) for my heating and cooling needs of my home. I had previously had an air to air heat pump. The geothermal system was expensive but I knew that over the years it would reduce my monthly "cash flow" loss. Same with solar. I have the finances to pay for the solar system needed as long as there is some reduction of my "cash flow" payout. If it is a 5 or 10 year payback, no problem. $5.00 a day for generator fuel is never paid back.