Using a residential PV panel on RV
Hi everyone, Newly registered to the forum here, I've been reading a lot of helpful information here over the past year while doing my conversion though. I haven't been able to find a straight ans...
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Boonhauler, thanks, I love it here on the central coast but I'm feeling some nomadic tendencies at the moment :) And pianotuna, thanks for the input!
I'm certainly haven't locked myself into a 12 volt system at the moment. As I've mentioned before, my wife and I are going pretty minimalist with this arrangement. No microwave, no tv, (no inverter), no electric coffee maker - just a few small fans, a shurflo water pump, and some LED lights. I'm contemplating building my own 12-volt chest type refrigerator, and from my reading it sounds like those are much more efficient than the usual vertical type. This however is further down the road - for the next 6-12 mos, it'll be a cooler with ice.
So for the existing system (no 12 volt refrigerator), I've estimated a consumption of ~20-30 amp hours per day. My current 12 volt system is rated for 230 ah.
So, if my estimate of daily consumption is accurate... does my current system still seem undersized for my needs, for full-time living in a (normally) sunny area? And would a ~200 watt PV system be undersized?
Even if I continue with the 12-volt system at the moment, I should be able to easily upgrade to a 24 volt system later on down the line if my only load is lights/pump/fans, correct? I probably just need to ensure I get a solar charge controller that can do 12 or 24 volts..?
Thanks for the help!
I'm certainly haven't locked myself into a 12 volt system at the moment. As I've mentioned before, my wife and I are going pretty minimalist with this arrangement. No microwave, no tv, (no inverter), no electric coffee maker - just a few small fans, a shurflo water pump, and some LED lights. I'm contemplating building my own 12-volt chest type refrigerator, and from my reading it sounds like those are much more efficient than the usual vertical type. This however is further down the road - for the next 6-12 mos, it'll be a cooler with ice.
So for the existing system (no 12 volt refrigerator), I've estimated a consumption of ~20-30 amp hours per day. My current 12 volt system is rated for 230 ah.
So, if my estimate of daily consumption is accurate... does my current system still seem undersized for my needs, for full-time living in a (normally) sunny area? And would a ~200 watt PV system be undersized?
Even if I continue with the 12-volt system at the moment, I should be able to easily upgrade to a 24 volt system later on down the line if my only load is lights/pump/fans, correct? I probably just need to ensure I get a solar charge controller that can do 12 or 24 volts..?
Thanks for the help!
