Solar or Generator for Boondocking
This is for a truck camper, no a/c. This would be to keep batteries charged. I was putting together a solar kit (on paper, for purchase at a later date) and started thinking about a generator and wh...
Forum Discussion
Salvo wrote:
Not sure you need that much solar. I've been using 130W for 8 years. It's adequate for us. The 2 x 6Vs (220Ah) are in absorption by 1 pm.
It's important to have a balanced system. 400W solar and 220AH battery capacity is not balanced. There will be a lot of wasted solar energy. You'll need 440 AH.
I disagree. If you live near the equator or somewhere like sunny California that may be true but with panels mounted flat on the roof and living more north where we don't get as much sun you'd need more watts on the roof. Better to have too much up there than not enough.
I'd get a generator first, a Honda 2000 and make sure your converter is working well, the WFCO in mine was a POC so I installed a PD-9280. You won't be able to drive that converter with a 100 watt generator.
I had a 100 watt panel years ago, used it as a portable for a few seasons, it was a waste of time, even chasing the sun around all day it just didn't put out enough, and that was before we had a tv etc. That was a long time ago though, it was a Siemans panel, maybe panels are better now. I just put 360 watts of panels on, will be heading out in a couple weeks, anxious to see how it works.
Like others have said, changing all the lights to LED's really helps.
