This is not a RV application but there seems to be a lot of solar knowledge on here so I thought I would ask. I run a 12V system in my remote cabin for LED lights and RV size water pump and CD play...
I can't speak to the shade effect from experience, but I can say I have a very similar situation with an off grid cabin we hunt from. Have a single 12v battery which is normally a starting battery we removed from one of the vehicles and it has some life left. For load, all we do is pump water, though. And those old recycled batteries I use normally last several years.
I'm maintaining the battery on the cheap, just a 5w panel with no controller. This is in a sunny location.
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