Reputable Solar Installers?
Not sure if this is the right board in which to post this, but I was wondering if people could remind me of the really good solar outfitters in the RV community. I know I've seen a couple names...mayb...
Forum Discussion
CJW8 wrote:
Don,
400 watts of PV for two batteries? Even you have always said about 100 watts per battery is sufficient and he only has two.
The question was to Don - but, yes, I would maximize panel size up to the limit of the roof if the goal is to go "mostly solar". If they have 2*6V GC, this is 225 AH. I have 490W and 300 AH, and when flat mounted, they are not too much, even in Mexico. Up to 450-480W I would get Rogue 3048, there is no better controller for this wattage, considering features and price.
Getting batts to full early is not only function of panel wattage, but also of usage. Use a lot and they will never be full even with 3 times larger panel. When batts are full before noon, there is nothing wrong with that - you can then charge laptop, vacuum, run fans if it's hot and not worry about batts not getting to 99% by the evening. On a dark day a large array, while not getting batts to full, may still collect enough to avoid running a generator, so it makes sense.
About that #2 option - learn and do it yourself - here is what I would do if it's DIY is not possible - learn enough to do it yourself, and then hire somebody to do it by your design and from components that you choose. What Smkettner said: make sure you know right answers to most questions before asking installer.
my system would end up sized around the max battery bank more so than the anticipated loads. I recognize this is backwards, but I don't live in the RV and I don't really feel the need for lots of electronics while camping (but would like to shower sometimes, run furnace/fridge, charge phone/tablet, maybe run tank heat pads on occasion).
I hear you about battery bank limits, but again - there is no such thing as "too much panel", as long as the controller can handle that much current. On a dark day it will work as 10 times smaller array, so this is when it becomes handy.
There is only one REAL danger of oversizing the solar - most batteries have a maximum current that they can accept, so keep this in mind.
About your usage/loads: you should read more. Shower heater will run on propane, solar is not practical for this purpose. Water pump consumes very, very little. Electronics is one of the last thing that you have to worry about, especially if it's only a tablet. Furnace does take some current, but not too much and you can replace it later with catalytic if this becomes a problem, though I'm sure that with 400W panel it won't be a problem. What IS a problem (while on solar) is 120V kitchen devices like microwave, toaster, coffee maker etc.
