Greetings;I have a Rialta; not much room to store solar panels. I figure I need about 150 watts of solar to keep my batts happy (maybe less - I don't use much power)I am not interested in a "kit", as I want to use a Bogart Engineering solar controller - which will mesh w/ my Trimetric monitor. So - I was thinking I might be better off with 2 small 80 watt(ish) panels linked in parallel to boost amps, rather than 1 140-165 watt(ish) panel. Space-wise, I think 2 small panels will be easier for me to carry around. these will not be mounted - they'll be "portable". Yes, I'll need to make a standthoughts?thanksKelly 01 Rialta FDhangin' in Quartzsite for now

yes, they will be easier to carry around, vs a single 150W 12V solar panel. I just leave my 150w panel on the bed, glass side down, to protect it. I do, however, regularly get 8.8 to 8.5 amps out of a poly crystalline panel, and I'd take a poly over mono crystalline panels, every single time... far more amps produced in lower light conditions. Worth the inconvenience to me.

There is nothing to think. You want pains of portable - go and buy then.2*80 or 2*100. 2*100W with Y-splitters. You'll need those Y-splitters too.

First, I would think through the "portable" advantages, your use, and the schlepping of panels and stand before proceeding. I'd suggest to make some cardboard cutouts the size of the panels and move them in and out of your RV into the location where you're going to store them. I know some folks camp in their special shady spot so portability is needed to get them into the sun. For most of the rest of us, mounting them on the roof with the advantages of full-time power, security, and ease of no schlepping trumps portability. I'd also suggest to compare dimensions of the various wattage panels and get the biggest you can. After installing solar, there is usually the epiphany that you now have a constant free source of power (if the sun shines). That can bring about the use of additional powered items that you discover makes your RV'ing a better thing. The Bogart controller is a PWM device. That pretty well locks you into 12V panels. I chose to use a single 235W module and a small MPPT controller. It is more power per real estate and is cheaper/watt at the module level. A good, small MPPT controller is necessary and that costs more than typical PWM controllers. The upside is that you will have more control over charge settings and mine has a computer interface. Any charge controller will work with your Bogart battery monitor. The stand: If it was me, I'd buy a length of aluminum flat stock, cut it into four pieces, drill a hole in each piece, drill a hole in the panel frame, and attach the four legs fabricated onto the modules. When you move the modules into storage, swing the legs against the module frame. Swing legs out deploy for use. I leave the foot of the legs to your own creativity but this would operate without any further modification for feet. Good luck with solar. It is the best thing I've done for the operation of my RV.

Hi, Well said.westend wrote:First, I would think through the "portable" advantages, your use, and the schlepping of panels and stand before proceeding. Good luck with solar. It is the best thing I've done for the operation of my RV.

Thanks for all the comments . . and oops! I confused watts with volts again - disregard 2 small vs 1 large and amps QI appreciate that schlepping panels around will be a bit of a pain - but I really have no choice. I don't want to park in the sun when it's hot and I don't think I'll need that much power. If I have to run the gen from time to time to boost - I'm OK with that - just so long as it become occassional or even rare as opposed to daily or even multiple times daily! Yes, will be making some type of stand - still looking into options - probably pvc - for ease of use and weight. thanks for your timeKelly

solar Q: 2 small vs 1 large | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

Almot
Explorer III
Feb 10, 2016
hondochica wrote:
See . . I don't pull much power! And if I run the gen 1 hour a day to boost some power - I"m ok with that!

I don't see much reason to boost power with a generator, given the loads that you described. My energy budget is similar to yours - zero parasitic loads except the fridge 1.8A running at 50/50 cycle on a hot day. Total energy consumption with a laptop - 30 or 45 AH a day. Get 2*80 or 2*100 solar and you won't have to run a generator at all, except for very dark and rainy days. 80W isn't that much bigger and heavier than 50W. Make cardboard templates, this will help.
westend
Explorer
Feb 10, 2016
Once again - I truly appreciate all the comments. For me - portable is mandatory - I'm not parking in the sun! I'm thinking 50 to 60 watt panels - 2 to start - would be perfect; I can always add more if needed.
IMO, this is an inefficient solar module shopping goal.

Solar Blvd has modules of all sizes and I found their customer service to be good.
hondochica
Explorer
Feb 10, 2016
Once again - I truly appreciate all the comments. For me - portable is mandatory - I'm not parking in the sun! I'm thinking 50 to 60 watt panels - 2 to start - would be perfect; I can always add more if needed.

See, my CO detector is battery operated. With nothing 'on' except the battery monitor, I'm pulling .25 watts - with the monitor - so my propane detector ain't pullin' any power either! My fridge runs on propane, and while I do have a mobile freezer (for dog food mainly) - it pulls 3 amps for a few minutes when it turns on. Lights - 1 only at night - pulls 1 amp. My computer I run off battery and recharge - with multiple back-up batteries. See . . I don't pull much power! And if I run the gen 1 hour a day to boost some power - I"m ok with that!

Now - where to find small panels that are not a "kit"????

Kelly
SkiSmuggs
Explorer
Feb 10, 2016
My first solar was the Renogy 100w suitcase and I played with it and got the solar experience. I quickly realized that setting it up was a little more inconvenient than I thought and the portability made it a security risk. And there is no solar charging while on the road and the 15' cable didn't give me enough maneuvering when parked in shade. So I figured out how I would run cables from the roof to the battery compartment, ordered a 200w Renogy kit (actually got parts separate to make my own kit), mounted the panels on the roof with a charge controller of my choosing. Now I always have solar without doing anything. My next project is to make a "Y" connector into the charge controller so I can bypass the built-in on the portable and run longer cable for those times I park in the shade.
BTW, you can order the 100w Renogy suitcase without the 10a controller and go to your preferred controller with longer cables. That is the way I would do portable now.
scrubjaysnest
Explorer
Feb 10, 2016
Since we are from FL the first rule is find the shady camp site. The second rule is where is the sunny spot for the portable solar panels. Our portables are connected to the CC via a breaker and 8 AWG wire 25 feet long. Stands are made of 3/4 pvc scraps. They ride on the couch when moving the camper. I installed handles on the portables for ease of handling. They are 39"X26", 17# each. Our original setup is here:
The "nest" and it's loads

2nd post up from bottom of page 2
RV_daytrader
Explorer
Feb 10, 2016
These guys knocking portable solar must have way better insulated RVs than mine! If its 80 degrees out and I park in the sun, it gets HOT fast inside!! It takes me 3 minutes to set up my portable solar and I can point it at the sun to get more amps out of it. But if you are one that likes to park in the sun, then rooftop is the way to go!
Tom_M1
Explorer
Feb 10, 2016
Friends of mine have a Lasharo and mounted a 205 watt panel to the side of their coach. When they get to a campsite they remove the panel and set it in the sun. The panel is mounted using aluminum angle on each side of the panel and held in place with some pins.

Two smaller panels would be much easier to handle.
westend
Explorer
Feb 10, 2016
pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Well said.

westend wrote:
First, I would think through the "portable" advantages, your use, and the schlepping of panels and stand before proceeding.

Good luck with solar. It is the best thing I've done for the operation of my RV.

Thanks, Don. I needed a slap on thew back!:)
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Feb 10, 2016
You are much better off bolting the solar panels to the roof, and it will keep your battery full while it is stored, and the battery will last much longer.

You use more power than you think. It takes 35 amp hours to run the CO and propane detectors and the refrigerator, and anything else will just add more load to it. That is about what one of my 120 watt solar panels make each day.

Check this location for a good price.

SunElec.com

Look for a 12 volt nominal panel with a aluminum frame. They had a 140 watt panel a few weeks ago for $229.

Good luck,

Fred.
Snowman9000
Explorer
Feb 09, 2016
If you get a day of full sun, 2 x 50 watts will do what you need. However you won't always have full sun. Btdt. My 2x50 portable set takes up about 26x24x4 in storage. So almost any RV can find room for that. 2x80 or 100, that's getting to be bulky for a tiny motorhome. And heavy unless you can split them for carrying.