Solar pros and cons?
I'm interested in boondocking techniques, and would appreciate any links to threads concerning the best way to use solar panels to recharge batteries, where to mount them, how to stow them for travel,...
Forum Discussion
MEXICOWANDERER We spent the last three winters on beach north of Tulum. We had 700 W at 12 V with glass mat batteries. This was sufficient with that rig. The trick is to be sure panels are in the sun the major portion of the day.
As noted, we now have six x 235 W panels. These do provide shade of a sorts to the roof, or at least a panel for cooling, which is both good for the roof and good for maintainig the temperature of the PV. A major problem with stick on panels is that they can get hot enough that efficiency decreases dramatically since they can get hotter than 130 F.
To be noted, Elaine and I are weight police. We weigh rig on CAT scales at irregular intervals and this is done with full 81 gallons of fresh water, all 4 20 pound propane full, 35 gallons of diesel in regular tank, 50 gallons of diesel in Transfer Flow auxilliary tank, 36 gallons of fresh water in 6 gallon Jerry Cans etc. We are 900 pounds under 5th wheel axle loading, 800 pounds under for pick up rear axle and just about 100 pounds under front axle. We would have been way over loading with PbS batteries, which would have probably collapsed the front baggage compartment anyway. This compartment is designed to carry the Onan 5.6 kW generator and Open Range says it could hold up to 400 pounds and we have it loaded with about 200 pounds.
Our son designed the system to be 100 per cent redudant in batteries. A
A Class C could probably handle 2 or even 3 x 235 Watt modern panels and 5 kW of LFP batteries, aka 360 amp hours at 12 V would weigh 80 pounds and occupy the space of a normal 100 amp hour battery while providing six times the effective energy storage.
As noted, we now have six x 235 W panels. These do provide shade of a sorts to the roof, or at least a panel for cooling, which is both good for the roof and good for maintainig the temperature of the PV. A major problem with stick on panels is that they can get hot enough that efficiency decreases dramatically since they can get hotter than 130 F.
To be noted, Elaine and I are weight police. We weigh rig on CAT scales at irregular intervals and this is done with full 81 gallons of fresh water, all 4 20 pound propane full, 35 gallons of diesel in regular tank, 50 gallons of diesel in Transfer Flow auxilliary tank, 36 gallons of fresh water in 6 gallon Jerry Cans etc. We are 900 pounds under 5th wheel axle loading, 800 pounds under for pick up rear axle and just about 100 pounds under front axle. We would have been way over loading with PbS batteries, which would have probably collapsed the front baggage compartment anyway. This compartment is designed to carry the Onan 5.6 kW generator and Open Range says it could hold up to 400 pounds and we have it loaded with about 200 pounds.
Our son designed the system to be 100 per cent redudant in batteries. A
A Class C could probably handle 2 or even 3 x 235 Watt modern panels and 5 kW of LFP batteries, aka 360 amp hours at 12 V would weigh 80 pounds and occupy the space of a normal 100 amp hour battery while providing six times the effective energy storage.
