Solar or Generator for Boondocking

ktmrfs wrote:

pnichols wrote:

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Prepare for the worst...

I agree 100%.

What this means with regards to electrical power for an RV when not on hookups is:

1) If you cannot afford both initially, or don't want to mess with a permanent solar setup initially ... begin with a good battery and generator setup for your RV. If you have the relatively small amount of extra money required, add plug-and-play portable solar right after a good battery and generator setup.

2) When you have a larger amount of money plus personal knowledge and time, or plus access to a competent RV solar installer ... add permanent solar after doing 1), above.

IMHO, having solar only ... whether with or without a good battery setup .... is non-hookup RV'ing on borrowed time. Eventually you're going to get caught with both your batteries' energy and the sun's energy too low. Our RV has three (3) non-solar ways of keeping it's 230 amp hour battery bank charged up rain or shine, day or night.

P.S. Of course a lot of folks borrow a lot of time. ;)

couldn't have said it better.

Agreed with pnichols, and this is the path I took, quite by accident, only because I had the generator before the TT, and the plug and play solar panel made sense initially, until I got a proper sized battery pack with enough Amp hours, found out about adjustable charge controllers, got a bigger more amp hour battery set up, and got a bigger panel to balance and match the battery pack, as well as getting a Mega Watt and RC battery charger gauge/display. You live, you travel, you dry camp, you gain experience, and hopefully you fine tune as you go. But this is a good start as suggested above.

Above all, it's been fun learning, measuring, experimenting, observing, and in general being fascinated by electrical energy in a jar.