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

PerryB67
Explorer
Oct 28, 2021
dedmiston wrote:
If there's truly a demand for a category (and yes, that's what the sub-forums are called in the UI), then we need to come up with a workable list of other categories that aren't just "everything else".
Yes I now see that Open Roads considers Categories to be sub-forums. I'll try and reverse my thinking.

dedmiston wrote:
The current consensus seems to be to create one category for Solar, Generators, Batteries, etc. and then another category for everything else. I definitely couldn't support this
I couldn't support what you just said either.

You would leave the categories in Technical Resources as is, and add another category "Solar, Generators, and Batteries" or add three categories: "Solar", "Generators", and "Batteries". I don't see the reason for three new categories and would prefer "Solar, Generators, and Batteries", as TurnThePage implied.

Enjoy,

Perry
dedmiston
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.

I should have been more clear. I meant that I hadn't seen any new Yes votes.

The current consensus seems to be to create one category for Solar, Generators, Batteries, etc. and then another category for everything else. I definitely couldn't support this.

If there's truly a demand for a category (and yes, that's what the sub-forums are called in the UI), then we need to come up with a workable list of other categories that aren't just "everything else".
PerryB67
Explorer
Oct 28, 2021
I've been dealing with a terminal family member, but have the time to post now.

For clarity, I've been a moderator on a very busy bicycle hyperactive bicycle forum and have been on forums (bulletin boards?) and since they started in the 80's and have done my share of moderation.

GoodSamClub.com is the Main Forum called Open Roads Forum.

Inside the Open Roads Forum are Categories:
Dear Marcus, Recreational Vehicles, Camping, General Forums, Technical Resources, Locations, and Other Discussions. Categories are used to separate forums and can't be posted into. Each Category has numerous sub-forums. I'm currently posting in the Tech Issues sub-forum.
____________________________________________

Solar is real and not going away! More and more RV's are having solar installed. When not on the road 5-6 months a year our RV is parked in a seasonal site in the 250 Campground next to Lanesboro, Minnesota. We have a .8 mile walk from our condo to our seasonal site. We are the first seasonal site in our campground area, all to the east, but to the west are daily rentals.

Two years ago I had perhaps one discussion about our solar. Last year there might have been 2-4 discussions. This year I've easily had 20 or more discussions.

I'm proposing to add the sub-forum "Solar" or "Solar, Generators, and Batteries" and to go under the Technical Resources category. It would NOT be under any existing sub-forum, but a new addition to the Technical Resources category.

I hope this clarifies my first post.

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.
You stated, "I don't see any other "Yes" votes yet." In post #2, before you posted the above, Second Chance stated "I agree".

In post #3, TurnThePage stated, "Solar, generator and BATTERY subforum".

Since you posted you saw no "Yes" votes, RambleOnNW said,"I like the idea of a Solar/Battery/Generator sub-forum."

And StirCrazy stated, "I would just add it as another forum under the resorses tab."

For those who enjoy playing the search game what I propose is worthless, but there are others who prefer the clarity of a separate sub-forum, such as "Solar, Generators, and Batteries".

Enjoy,

Perry
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.
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
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
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.
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?
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.
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.