solar from two sources

Hi Lynn0527,

$800 is a gouging price. So is $680. Don't allow this "nice" company to take advantage of you.

12 volts is almost impossible for you to hurt yourself from, so stop being afraid. You would have to lick the wires with your tongue.

Lynn0527 wrote:
I am a woman and afraid of electricity and batteries so I don't think I would attempt it myself. They will charge me $800.00 for the install which to me was an OK price. Thanks for your advice though.

lynn

BFL13 wrote:

Padlin wrote:
Just as a fer instance. I bought my trailer in June, if I had bought the factory installed roof flat mounted 160w panel which comes with a 30A Go Power controller, the price is/was $850. They were doing 95W panels till 6 months ago, for the same price. Lynn's price doesn't sound out of whack to me, for a manufacturers install. She did say Pleasureway was doing the job.

Your other option is get a price from a 3rd party installer if there are any in your area.

No. Her other option is to get a 100w panel from a "real" solar dealer for less than $200 and tack it onto her existing portable in parallel. If the controller she has now is not "big" enough, she can get another or use two.

I just looked and my controller is only 10 amps so I would need larger but I think it would be worthwhile to see if anyone in town can add to my portable.

Padlin wrote:
Just as a fer instance. I bought my trailer in June, if I had bought the factory installed roof flat mounted 160w panel which comes with a 30A Go Power controller, the price is/was $850. They were doing 95W panels till 6 months ago, for the same price. Lynn's price doesn't sound out of whack to me, for a manufacturers install. She did say Pleasureway was doing the job.

Your other option is get a price from a 3rd party installer if there are any in your area.

The other thing I should mentions $800 Canadian dollars which is $680 US and then I get 10% off for being in their membership club. So let's say 625$ US.

Padlin wrote:
Just as a fer instance. I bought my trailer in June, if I had bought the factory installed roof flat mounted 160w panel which comes with a 30A Go Power controller, the price is/was $850. They were doing 95W panels till 6 months ago, for the same price. Lynn's price doesn't sound out of whack to me, for a manufacturers install. She did say Pleasureway was doing the job.

Your other option is get a price from a 3rd party installer if there are any in your area.

No. Her other option is to get a 100w panel from a "real" solar dealer for less than $200 and tack it onto her existing portable in parallel. If the controller she has now is not "big" enough, she can get another or use two.

Just as a fer instance. I bought my trailer in June, if I had bought the factory installed roof flat mounted 160w panel which comes with a 30A Go Power controller, the price is/was $850. They were doing 95W panels till 6 months ago, for the same price. Lynn's price doesn't sound out of whack to me, for a manufacturers install. She did say Pleasureway was doing the job.

Your other option is get a price from a 3rd party installer if there are any in your area.

CA Traveler, doesn't make it any less of a rip off. $800 is WAY too much for 100W. I build computers for people on the side for this very reason.

BFL13,

Take it easy. It's a turn key operation, drive in, have some coffee and popcorn, drive out. $800 may well be a ballpark cost. Sure it's not what you and I would pay but...

$800. Yipes! A 100w panel is less than $200 and a controller for it is about $20.. Some wire maybe $50 if you go crazy.

Yes, you can have more of a portable set up and not have to mount any on the roof at great expense. There are limits as to what each size of controller can handle so you might need two at $20each or just one bigger one at $40.

Note you can buy a 30 amp PWM controller such as the Solar30 for $35 free shipping if you will wait three weeks snail mail from Hong Kong.

It "depends". The main thing is that a regular solar dealer will want about or less than $2/watt for a "12v" panel, while Can Tire and similar places are asking $5/watt. Don't be a sucker!!!

(Also DW reminds me from time to time as required, that being a woman is not necessarily a sign of helplessness, unless she is "playing that card" ! :) )

BFL13 wrote:
You can indeed have two solar controllers on one battery bank. They will add their amps if of similar voltages.

Or you can add more solar panels to the same controller if it is "big" enough and get the same added amps.

It "depends", so need lots more picky details. If your Stealer (Dealer) will do this, then you can expect to be hosed for bug bucks compared with doing it yourself, which is not all that complicated.

So.-- If you are the least bit "handy" save your money, and ask more questions here! :)

I just read again your advice, did you mean that I could get another 100 watt panel and use my portable controller? That ai probably could do, just don't want to be on top of roof installing panels.

Lynn

BFL13 wrote:
You can indeed have two solar controllers on one battery bank. They will add their amps if of similar voltages.

Or you can add more solar panels to the same controller if it is "big" enough and get the same added amps.

It "depends", so need lots more picky details. If your Stealer (Dealer) will do this, then you can expect to be hosed for bug bucks compared with doing it yourself, which is not all that complicated.

So.-- If you are the least bit "handy" save your money, and ask more questions here! :)

I am a woman and afraid of electricity and batteries so I don't think I would attempt it myself. They will charge me $800.00 for the install which to me was an OK price. Thanks for your advice though.

lynn