RV NET solar install?
Ricently purchased a new to us 07 Discovery with a full slide. Looking to full time in the NEAR future. Would like to start planning my solar install. I have a large 8x9 foof area over the bedroom th...
Forum Discussion
CA Traveler - don't think we would put more than the 1.42 kW of solar we have already. We could but have yet to find a requirement except on rainy days.
Pianotuna - We (son Cary with me looking on as gopher) trialed the system by running the micro-wave and air-conditioner (the normal energy hog Dometic 15,000 BTU) simultaneously and we were drawing 3 kW from the solar/battery bank ensemble. LFP (and LiCo) are used by the electric vehicle community since they can have extremely high power rates.
A 48 V battery bank is easily achievable by putting 4 x 12V batteries in series. Someone posted on IRV2 forum that there is a 48V air conditioner system designed for truckers/RVs that is supposed to be far more efficient than the Dometic and we are looking into it. It supposedly only draws 750 W. This is half of what the Dometic draws and would remove the definitive loss of efficiency going through the inverter. The manufacturer sells the ensemble with panels, 48V battery, controller and air conditioner.
Mchero - tilting panels does increase power dramatically (cos of angle basically) in fall and winter). Son noted that panels are cheap (50 cents a watt) and it is safer (we are 74) to just put on more panels than spend time climbing on the roof). There are sizeable debates about going parallel or series:
Series gives greater voltage to controller and thus lower amperage and power loss. However, it has the disadvantage of losing almost all power if a portion of any panel is in shade.
Parallel has the advantage of only losing power from that panel that is partially shaded.
It all depends on your requirements and interest in developing system. We fortunately have son and grandson to handle this. We work only as "gophers" in fabrication.
Reed and Elaine
Pianotuna - We (son Cary with me looking on as gopher) trialed the system by running the micro-wave and air-conditioner (the normal energy hog Dometic 15,000 BTU) simultaneously and we were drawing 3 kW from the solar/battery bank ensemble. LFP (and LiCo) are used by the electric vehicle community since they can have extremely high power rates.
A 48 V battery bank is easily achievable by putting 4 x 12V batteries in series. Someone posted on IRV2 forum that there is a 48V air conditioner system designed for truckers/RVs that is supposed to be far more efficient than the Dometic and we are looking into it. It supposedly only draws 750 W. This is half of what the Dometic draws and would remove the definitive loss of efficiency going through the inverter. The manufacturer sells the ensemble with panels, 48V battery, controller and air conditioner.
Mchero - tilting panels does increase power dramatically (cos of angle basically) in fall and winter). Son noted that panels are cheap (50 cents a watt) and it is safer (we are 74) to just put on more panels than spend time climbing on the roof). There are sizeable debates about going parallel or series:
Series gives greater voltage to controller and thus lower amperage and power loss. However, it has the disadvantage of losing almost all power if a portion of any panel is in shade.
Parallel has the advantage of only losing power from that panel that is partially shaded.
It all depends on your requirements and interest in developing system. We fortunately have son and grandson to handle this. We work only as "gophers" in fabrication.
Reed and Elaine
