Reviewing Solar and batteries for retirement

Hi skipro3,

So how do you size the wattage needed with no data? Or the amp-hours of battery bank? (Gosh, honey, the batteries are dead and the 50 watt solar panel doesn't seem to be charging them fully)

I agree that panel failure is rare--but it does happen and did to one of our members here.

skipro3 wrote:
I've installed, maintained and repaired DC battery plants that charged off solar for part of my working career. To me, many here way over think the value of 'data'. Charge 'em, float 'em, use 'em. In ten years, replace 'em. Routine maintenance was to fill 'em. I suppose having a system designed by professional engineers using commercial grade components makes a difference, but I've found that even those parts are available to recreationalists if they care to search them out.
It's an RV after all. Supposed to free us up from the drudgery of daily work and able to just relax. My advice; buy the good stuff. I have Morningstar controller, Interstate batteries (cost effective to replace every 5 years as pre-emptive maintenance), Solarworld panels. Everything made in USA and solid warranties if there is a problem. My controller acted up and I called Morningstar. An engineer called me back. They mailed me a replacement and a return label for the one I had. Batteries purchased through SAM's or Costco will get you free replacement, no questions asked, every two years if you've the notion to. Solar panels loose efficiency over time, like 25 years or so, and I've never had one just up and fail out of the hundreds I've installed.