solar panal

No

Check out this website too.

SunElec.com

You basically want a solar panel with a 'frame' and in the 12 volt 'nominal' voltage rating (actual voltage should be 20-22 'open circuit volts'. )

12 volt solar panels range from $1.25 to $2 per rated watt at this site. You would also need a simple PWM controller (about $20 - $35 for a 20 amp model) and can install a 200 watt system for about $300 including the regulator, mounts, and wiring.

Wire is from Home Depot, UV rated #10 grey wire. I think they sell it in 25' and 50' rolls, or by the foot for a little more money per foot. Each 'run' can handle about 15 amps (though rated at 30 amps, the voltage loss becomes excessive above about 18 amps).

For mounts, I cut 6" long 2" angle aluminum (also Home Depot) and drill three holes 3/16" for #10 screws into the roof, and a 5/16" hole for a 1/4-20 bolt into the panel frame.

I wanted my panels about 1" above the roof surface, so that air can get under it to keep it cool as possible. Also the panels act to shade the RV roof a little bit too!

I ran my #10 wire down the back of my refrigerator, using the vent to go through the roof, and to the controller, then to the battery. It works great, and will silently charge my batteries.

I started with a 90 watt system, and installed a 75 watt panel. When I got a satellite dish, I also installed a pair of 120 watt panels and upgraded to a 50 amp controller.

Your RV will consume about 35 amp hours daily, not including any lights or other loads. That is about what one of my 120 watt panels will produce in one day.

Also don't order 300 watt panels, they are to large! Measure the space up there, and try to locate the panels away from any shade, so about 4" from the A/C unit, and away from the TV antenna too!

Have fun camping!

Fred.

This is a good panel size as a maintainer for your car battery in storage. To prevent it from self-discharging during long absence. But you will have to cover the controller block from rain. Small kits are more expensive per watt than big panels, so this comparison doesn't work here. As a car battery maintainer "kit", with cables and all, this is reasonable price.

For anything else it would be useless. Camping-size solar should be at least 60W for a tent-style living.

joe0508 wrote:
would it be smart to get this?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LR9IOG

Well over $5 per rated watt, that is not any kind of a deal. And 10 watts will barely charge anything. Your RV will consume between 50 and 75 amp hours if you are VERY conservative with the lights, and other loads. I have seen a RV with a CPAP and it used more than the owner could put back with 4 each 100 watt solar panels!

10 watts is under 'ideal' conditions, and is basically less than 0.5 amps per hour, and you get about 5 'real' hours per day. So if the panel is rated at 7.5 amps per hour, you can expect about 37.5 amp hours daily. You will have about 7.5 amps flow from noon to 1 pm, and it will taper up to that amperage until 1 pm, then taper to less amperage after 1 pm until sunset.

Fred.

Good luck!

Fred.

For what purpose?

Here is a simple flow chart.

Budget-->Energy Audit-->Battery bank size-->number of watts-->PWM or MPPT. What ever type of controller is chosen, make sure it has adjustable set points and a temperature probe that is on the battery.

One rule of thumb is between 60 and 150 watts of panels per 100 amp-hours of storage. The smaller the battery bank the higher the wattage needed (per 100 amp-hours). Here is a link to the rather special spreadsheet which includes an energy audit, that N8GS has created to help size solar battery charging systems!

Solar Spread Sheet by N8GS

For a nice explanation of solar, try this link:

Golden rules of solar

It might charge a cell phone, but not much else.