We did the jumper cable trick our first trip to the boonies. It used more gas than I had hoped but kept us going for a week. When we got a generator it used less gas and the solar uses none and the battery issues are none existent. We don't worry or even try to conserve. The furnace is set to 74f, the rig is lit from end to end at night, DVD, TV, music, fans...who cares. If it has a button, push it. We are not running out of power.
Someday I hope to have both a mounted and portable system. The mounted is a hassle in the beginning but after it's pretty much forget about it. The portable has to be stored and handled but on the ground tracking the sun will collect twice what it would on the roof.