There is a need for a "Solar" sub-forum. Members either have to wade through the "Tech Issues" sub-forum or the "Technology Corner" sub-forum. I doubt I'm the only one who has this issue using the Good Sam Open Roads Forum.If others would contact RV.net perhaps we could get a "Solar" sub-forum.Thanks,Perry

I agree. The other forums I'm on implemented "Solar and Generator" subforums a long time ago.Rob

Solar, generator and BATTERY subforum.

TurnThePage wrote:Solar, generator and BATTERY subforum.Where do we post when it involves all three?

TurnThePage wrote:Solar, generator and BATTERY subforum.Sure, anything more specific is better than wading through the "Tech Issues" forum.Who is the moderator, site administrator that can add that sub-forum?Thanks,Perry

I'm not opposed to the idea, but it needs more thought.This Tech Issues forums doesn't have any other sub-forums (or "categories", as they're technically called). You can't really have a Category A though without having Categories B through X. The way the forum software works, any of the forums that allow categories don't just allow them, they actually require them. This also means there's an extra step to creating a new post, because you would need to create the topic title, pick a category, and then write the post.So at its most basic level, to create a Solar category, we would have to have this minimum organization:1. Solar2. Not-Solar (or "Everything Else")That's obviously a lame solution and wouldn't be workable. It's a bad solution just to add a Solar sub-forum.This means that to add a Solar category, we'll need to figure out what the rest of the categories should be, which is a ball of yarn I'm not looking forward to.The more I think about this, the more I'm going to drag my feet. Not that I'm opposed to categories in principle, but my experience shows that nobody really uses them.In the Toy Hauler forum where I got my start as a moderator, we've had six different categories for the past 10-15 years (I can't recall when we started them). The categories were kind of popular for a year or so, and then people quit using them and went back to browsing the "Show All" version and ignored the categories.Think about how you'll browse Tech Issues and ask yourself which type of visitor you'll be:"Man oh man do I love me some Solar posts. I love Solar and hate everything else, so I'll only look at the Solar sub-forum.""Man oh man do I hate me some Solar posts. I hate Solar and love everything else, so I'll click through each of the other sub-forums to read those posts and skip Solar.""Don't care. Seriously don't care. I'll never click into any of the sub-forums because it's a waste of my time. It's easy enough to look at the 'Show All' list and see which threads seem interesting enough for me to open and read."You get the picture. The value of the sub-forums/categories, in my opinion, is negligible and they're actually more trouble than they're worth.But by all means, please keep the conversation going. If there's enough demand for it and if y'all can propose enough meaningful Category topics, then we'll make the change.The only other caveat is that this forum software is so old and busted that there's no guarantee that we'll even be able to make this particular dream come true. But please share your thoughts. Even though I'm personally biased against it, I'm still all ears.

"Solar" Sub-Forum | Good Sam Community

joshuajim
Explorer II
Oct 27, 2021
Try this in Google. “Site:RV.net solar (battery etc)” and it will give you a list of every “solar, battery etc.” title in RV.net. Substitute full URL for confused face.

Use for any site search.
dedmiston
Moderator
Oct 27, 2021
joshuajim wrote:
Try this in Google. “Site:RV.net solar (battery etc)” and it will give you a list of every “solar, battery etc.” title in RV.net. Substitute full URL for confused face.

Use for any site search.

The confused smily makes me giggle.

Here's a link to the search that joshuajim suggested:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Arv.net+solar
dedmiston
Moderator
Oct 27, 2021
Hey Perry - I don't see any other "Yes" votes yet. That doesn't mean it's a "no", but I don't see enough support for the idea yet.

Did you check out Class A and browse through the categories yet? What did you think? Did the format make sense for you? Do you think the benefit is worth the extra work?

I'm eager to hear your feedback.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Oct 27, 2021
time2roll wrote:
TurnThePage wrote:
Solar, generator and BATTERY subforum.
Where do we post when it involves all three?

I meant a forum that covers all three. They are very inter-related and go together.
RambleOnNW
Explorer II
Oct 27, 2021
I like the idea of a Solar/Battery/Generator sub-forum. This could easily be created using 3 sub-forums:
All
General Topics
Solar/Battery/Generator/Electrical

I added electrical to cover 12V and 120V, surge protectors, converters, inverters

Other topics could be separated into sub-forums as needed.
memilanuk
Explorer II
Oct 27, 2021
dedmiston wrote:

Here's a link to the search that joshuajim suggested:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Arv.net+solar

Just out of curiosity... is there a way to get that search to return something other than the 'print' version of the site pages?
Bobbo
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2021
I, for one, have never found the sub-categories useful in any of the forums that have them. The Travel Trailer forum requires a category when posting, so I have to select one (always General Q&A), but I have never utilized the categories when reading. When reading, I don't want to limit myself to only Vintage, or only Small TT, or any other single category.
NamMedevac_70
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2021
The technology and Tech forums are just fine. There is enough forums already so I vote NO for more forums or sub forums. Sorry about that and I know how to do proper quick search of the forums.

I also view other RV forums such as IRV2 for even more great information. Cheers
StirCrazy
Moderator
Oct 28, 2021
dedmiston wrote:
Hey Perry - I don't see any other "Yes" votes yet. That doesn't mean it's a "no", but I don't see enough support for the idea yet.

Did you check out Class A and browse through the categories yet? What did you think? Did the format make sense for you? Do you think the benefit is worth the extra work?

I'm eager to hear your feedback.

only because the other mods posts made it seam like it was such a extream effort to do that it was a non started from the get go. I would love to see solar and battery topics have there own section. I wouldnt even make it a subform of the tech, I would just add it as another forum under the resorses tab.

Steve
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2021
I am for one,tech issues sounds like don't post unless you have an issue while a solar etc could be showing new systems/batteries etc without issues...Just related talk like you would travel trailers etc.

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