Solar panel vs generator?

Hi,

I would add to the solar system myself. That might include a beefed up battery bank.

Not enough information from the original post. Post up what you have and how you use it for advice on pertinent, efficient upgrades.

Solar works well for us as we only need to charge a pair of 6 volt golfcart batteries and out west where we get plenty of sun they normally get back to fully or very near fully charged on most days.

We have converted to LED lighting throughout our rig which really cuts down on the amps we consume daily. We use an inverter to run our LED tvs, HD satellite, blu-ray & game players along with a Bose sound system.

Whether you need a generator to power higher current draw items or to occasionally charge batteries when solar isn't capable due to cloudy weather is really up to you.

We prefer camping off the grid and having a generator to power our entire coach guarantees we will be able to handle whatever situation may arise. Nothing beats the peace of mind of being 100% self-contained when camping without hookups.

We just camped a week where overnight temps were in the lower 20s and being able to occasionally run a couple of space heaters to supplement our furnace made the whole trip comfortable and effortless.

It was mostly sunny but there were a couple of days where there was significant cloud cover and solar simply couldn't muster enough amperage to sufficiently charge the batteries, running the genny allowed our Iota to quickly restore consumed amphours.

It boils down to the type of camping you do whether deciding on adding an inverter, solar, and/or a generator. Many have no need for them as they primarily camp with hookups.

We didn't think we needed them either when we purchased our first rig, but we have found that we love all types of camping under a variety of conditions and have implemented all of the above to ensure a desired comfort level while RVing.

It's not a either/or situation. You need more solar so that your system doesn't fall behind when the sun plays nice, a generator for when it doesn't.

Moved from Forum Technical Support

Hi,

I started with a $750 pair of 45 solar panels in 1994. That works out to around $7.50 per rated watt including mounts, controller, and wiring. In 1996, I got a 75 watt panel on sale for $375, or about $5 per rated watt. In 1999, I bought a pair of 120 watt for $429 or $3.50 per watt. Now you can get them for $1 per rated watt, and they are a lot easier to install than a generator and very quiet!

SunElec.com

Other places have lowered their prices to stay competitive.. SolarOnSale.com is where I bought the 120 watt panels in 1999. They also repaired my Trace inverter, as they are a factory recommended site.

Good luck, and have fun camping!

Fred.

Where? How much shade? Budget?

How many watts solar? How many batteries?

Are you seeing 14.5 volts at some point during the day? Or what is peak voltage?

In Canada you may need to tilt the panels a bit this time of year. If the furnace is running it will use a bit of battery power. Do you have LED lighting yet?

More panels please, you will love more SOLAR.

I prefer panels, myself....quieter. We spent winter with 2 145 watt (ea) solar panels in AZ and very seldom had to use generator. Our inverter was small so we used generator those few times we watched TV.