Hi RJ,
It is good to have some real numbers on fuel consumption instead of estimates.
For weekend and week at a time travel, running the RV as an "electric" coach, I was self sufficient with 256 watts of solar, because I had a medium size battery bank. Now that I am full time this is not the case.
I hope to find a way to add 800 more watts. What would be ideal would be an awning that was a solar panel. I am hoping I'll be able to run the air conditioner via solar/battery bank/inverter and stay "even" on the battery charging.
Current weather conditions are -13.9 c (7 f) and I'm using about 3600 watts to keep at 20 c (68 f). At -31 c (-24 f) I need up to about 5000 watts to heat 100% electrically. If I were heating with propane I'd have to refill every three days (one day cushion, to keep from running out). It would cost about $15 per day.
It would be impossible to do 3600 watts of solar on my class c, and the Yamaha generator only does 2800 watts continuous. Filling it every five hours costs about $28.00.
These numbers make campground prices look extremely attractive, when they include power.
RJsfishin wrote:
I'm happy w/ my small 200 watt solar, but it dawned on me the other day that if the sun hangs in here as long as I do (here in QZS) I will have saved a whole $60 of gasoline I usually burn in my Honda 1000 in a couple months. Not a terrible return on a $300+ solar investment, I thought.
But when I found myself going after my 2nd tank of propane @ 50 bucks a trip, I realized something about this self sufficient solar ain't workin quite right.
Just curious, how many are running their electric heates on some of these chilly nites,.....meaning how many more watts of solar do I need ? :)
Or maybe a better question,...how many solarers are still buyin propane. Maybe we don't have this solar all figured out yet ??
