Thinking about solar

I would go with 300 watts.

Depends on what your power use is going to be. Inverter?

$800 for an extra 100 watts just seems like a lot.
What is the total option price?

Do you have any inclination to install solar yourself or shop an aftermarket installer?

Yes a general rule of thumb would be 300 to 500 watts solar for a 400 a/h battery. Depends on use also. Are you going to be off grid a lot? Winter in the shade will still be tough with 300... summer in the south west may only need the 200.

Do you have solar now? If so how is that working?

Looking at the Trek website...

200w Solar Package $2,730
300W Solar Package $3,510

You might get better value for your money by doing the battery upgrade to lithium and then buying a 3rd party 400w solar kit for ~$800

Their solar option is over priced. Also the battery is really a 180 Ah. Took a lot of digging to find that. The 400 number must be Cold Cranking Amps. Haven't seen the Zion yet but over all it may be a better choice then the Travato 59K we test drove the other day. Price is about the same.
I'd go with 300 to 360 watts of solar and DIY.

You can't have too much solar, regardless of battery size. Any properly designed system will have a charge controller that will prevent over charging the battery. It won't matter if you've got 100 watts or 1,000 watts.
Solar panels only cost about $1 - $2 per watt. A 300 watt panel shouldn't be much more than $350. A really good high end charge controller would be about $500. If the prices Krumm posted are true they are charging way too much for this option.

Check this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Grape-Solar-400-Watt-Off-Grid-Solar-Panel-Kit-GS-400-KIT/203505963 At the Home Depot site. $1400 for 400w kit, less $ for less wattage. You can also look on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77lLYVBFA0o) for some how to videos. This is the way I intend to go after I finally decide on whether to go 5th wheel or motorhome. Pretty slick and easy, just need to take your time. Fortunately, I have friends who are contractors and licensed electricians that will advise and even assist for a six pack.

Time to go back to school. Preforming a Web Search


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I think the more basic question is would we really be happy in a Class B?

Not heavy use.

If we use an inverter, it will only be for television and DVD player. We do like to boondock a lot, but will change to LED lighting.

I agree that the pricing is very high, but I am unsure of self-installation. I am less concerned about sealing the holes I make in the roof as being sure I have a secure attachment. I would hate for the wind to rip them off the roof at 60mph on the interstate.

As far as the lithium battery option, with all of the hoopla about lithium batteries catching fire, I am leery of them.