Small Solar - Inexpensive
I have a small (20 ft) TT and plan on doing some boondocking with it in Colorado this summer. The TT came with a small deep cycle battery for lights and pump. I'd like to be able to recharge it ...
Forum Discussion
The Ebay 100W kit for $170 comes with free shipping, what do you need "local" supplier for?
You can get same 100W panel and controller locally and/or separately, but I doubt it will come much cheaper. Now, if you want MORE watts, then you can save. Larger panels cost cheaper per watt, and/or you can find local deals like in Salvo link - I like it, btw. 140W is a lot better than 100W. Controller like the one in Ebay kit you can get for $20-40, with the total cost same $170 and more watts. Alright, with 2 panels you will need MC4 cable too.
That Ebay kit only includes the panel, controller, and MC4 cable (which I have no idea what they meant for). MC4 is normally used to connect few panels together, you don't need it with one panel. But you still need a long cable of proper gauge from panel to controller and from controller to battery, and brackets for roof mounting (this is something that you can make). And some switch/fuse/connector between the controller and battery.
Now that you mentioned traveling with your wife, I really doubt that 100W panel will provide enough comfort. Women use hairdriers, and sometimes they want to use vacuum cleaners, no matter if this is in the middle of nowhere, they just want and that's it. And it's not always easy to convince/explain that you can't run the fan and TV set and all the lights at the same time after a cloudy day, for example, with only one battery and meager 100W panel. Don't want to scary you. I traveled with a tent and a handful of flashlight batteries, this is doable, yes, but this is not for everybody. Carrying a solar that is "almost enough", but not quite enough, so you still have to run a generator every morning, - doesn't sound good to me.
Edit- PS: if buying locally, don't buy used. They are aging, 20 years old panel is 20% less efficient.
You can get same 100W panel and controller locally and/or separately, but I doubt it will come much cheaper. Now, if you want MORE watts, then you can save. Larger panels cost cheaper per watt, and/or you can find local deals like in Salvo link - I like it, btw. 140W is a lot better than 100W. Controller like the one in Ebay kit you can get for $20-40, with the total cost same $170 and more watts. Alright, with 2 panels you will need MC4 cable too.
That Ebay kit only includes the panel, controller, and MC4 cable (which I have no idea what they meant for). MC4 is normally used to connect few panels together, you don't need it with one panel. But you still need a long cable of proper gauge from panel to controller and from controller to battery, and brackets for roof mounting (this is something that you can make). And some switch/fuse/connector between the controller and battery.
Now that you mentioned traveling with your wife, I really doubt that 100W panel will provide enough comfort. Women use hairdriers, and sometimes they want to use vacuum cleaners, no matter if this is in the middle of nowhere, they just want and that's it. And it's not always easy to convince/explain that you can't run the fan and TV set and all the lights at the same time after a cloudy day, for example, with only one battery and meager 100W panel. Don't want to scary you. I traveled with a tent and a handful of flashlight batteries, this is doable, yes, but this is not for everybody. Carrying a solar that is "almost enough", but not quite enough, so you still have to run a generator every morning, - doesn't sound good to me.
Edit- PS: if buying locally, don't buy used. They are aging, 20 years old panel is 20% less efficient.
