Generator or Solar Panel

Solar is nice,, quiet, no fuel etc but it need to be done correctly as in not a camping world most times..

I would recommend checking out HandyBobs site.. He has a lot of good info on solar panels, wiring size, type of charge controllers etc.

https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/welcome-to-handybob-solar/

spend some good time to read and learn. He get a lot of flack for his views on installers and equipment but until you have walked the walk like he has I say read and learn.

In reality you are comparing apples and oranges.You will need the genny for high demand needs,the solar panel to maintain the batteries fully charged when Hi demand is not required.I have both,and for me that's the way it works.In real life for the style camping I do, the panel is a waste, but it came with the TT.

christopherglenn wrote:
I am looking at solar for my trailer, the 2 panels I am looking at are 62x32 190 watt panel and 65x39 255 watt panel. Both are under a buck a watt.

If you are headed south at all you can get 65 cents per watt in Norco CA and save shipping. solarblvd.com

rjxj wrote:
Start with this question first....will you ever want to run your air conditioner?

I agree. Depending on your needs and areas that you camp or RV under, why not use both if it fits in your budget?

Rudy

I am looking at solar for my trailer, the 2 panels I am looking at are 62x32 190 watt panel and 65x39 255 watt panel. Both are under a buck a watt.
For smaller -30 amp output or less- which is between 400 and 450 watts A Kid charge controller. For bigger systems A Classic Lite 150 charge controller. up to 96 amp output, max about 1.4kw.
Current prices on the panels are $190 and $241, the controllers are $280 and $499. Both controllers can be paralleled (with another of the same) for more output. So if you start with the kit, and exceed 30 amps you can add another one off the same array and run up to 800-900 watts, or two of the classics and run out of roof space.

I am going to start with 2 of the 255's and a classic. Other then the electric water heater, space heaters, and ac's that should cover my electric loads.



Found a (maybe) good starter solar setup, HERE $140 for a 160 watt panel and charge controller - 88 bucks in shipping isn't THAT bad. Still under $230.

There are many ways to do this. There are many different ways that people camp. It all depends. Generators are not bad and solar isn't good just because it's silent. They are both good and both bad depending on how, where and when you use them. If you went out for a weekend only and never use the ac or hair dryer or micro, you may be able to get by with 4 six volt deep cycles. If you have led bulbs and manage your energy you may even do it on the 2 six volts you now have. People do it but it obviously depends on how you manage and how you camp.

let's bump it up one notch and say that you want to watch tv and run laptops etc. Now you may need to supplement charge and you could do that with solar or a small quiet generator. Some small tv's are 12 volt and the laptop can have a 12 volt cigarette style adapter cord to power it. So far we can accomplish this with solar. Now lets say you want a larger tv, hair dryer, micro wave and run the rv converter for higher charge rates. Now you will need a 2000 or so watt generator.

OR, you dont have to use a generator for those same things BUT you need to use an inverter. Now you get into the good and bad of inverters. Some are good and some are junk. Both use some power by simply being turned on. They will run all those items but many on here suggest a minimum of 4 six volt deep. Now the solar system needs to be larger. I'm not into solar yet but some suggest something like watt to watt with battery size. Others on here know EVERYTHING about solar so there is endless reading.

Now I will go back to the first comment I made up above. IF you EVER want to run your ac you wont do it with solar. Yes, it can be done but you aren't. So what does it take to run your ac? Short answer? About a 3000 genny. Some can run their ac on 2000 watt generators some cant. Some can install a hard start kit on the ac and do fine, some ac wont work with it.

Another issue comes up when using a generator to charge your batteries and that is how EFFECTIVELY are you charging? Is your CONVERTER only going to 13.6 volts and going to take 2 or 3 days to fully charge. Especially when you have gone from the standard group 24 or 27 battery and now trying to refill 2 or 4 six volts. So you may have to up grade the convert to get to 14.4 volts and that doesn't even get into equalize charging.

I use a remote start Honda 3000 generator right now along with 4 gc2 Sam club batteries and a Progressive Dynamics converter and primarily charge with a Quick Charge 50 amp battery charger. I invert to run a 42 led tv and various lap top phone accessories. For ac, hair dryer, micro wave and charging we use the key fob to remote start the Honda which is in a sound dampened, power ventilated metal enclosure in the truck bed. I can get by with an hour or so of run time per day and a heavy charge of about 6 hours every two weeks or so.

I dont want to listen to a generator or any other noise but it is an effective way to be able to cover all the bases. As I keep learning I will add solar so the run time can be reduced even more. I will most likely never get rid of the large generator as it answers the number one question, which is will I ever want to run the ac.

The generator also gets used at home and can power the well and everything else. Just not central ac.

Again, solar, generators, inverters, converters, marine/deep, true deep are all good or bad depending on how they are used.

It's all clear now? Right? :)

It depends on your camping style..If it is hunting/fishing/atv's or anything outdoor related..It's almost a must to come back and use the microwave for quick grits or even thawing things out for dinner...

If you never leave the camper and watch TV all day and don't mind camping in the sun,then maybe solar might work for you but as I said earlier,I can't get the grip on replacing the battery bank every 4-5 years..That's spendy for watching TV.

A gen does both and it is nice even high up in the mountains to take the heat down inside the camper running the air before bed.

To each his own but my batteries stay fully charged with minor generator use with the use of a battery charger when the battery is heavily used which is not that often..

The purpose of camping for us is getting out and enjoying,not hanging out in the RV all day.

We get sun here, well at least half of the day. It's usually cloudy by noon as the weather compresses over the mountain tops. Even with that my solar keeps my batteries much happier than when we were using the generator every day. Our rest voltage the morning after using a fully charged battery would be 12.5v, after one day of charging for a few hours with a generator it would be 12.4v resting the morning after. The solar will get the battery to the point that the generator could early in the morning and keep it in float all day by covering our loads. It is as close to 100% as possible by the time the sun goes down. try that with a generator.

For Idaho camping North of Boise/Meridian a generator will fill your needs much more than solar.I have spent my whole life camping in that area and solar has never been a consideration while a generator serves many needs.

I just can't get the feel of replacing the battery pack(spendy) every so many years,something you don't have to do with a quality generator.

We have both and leave the generator at home unless we know there will be a reason to use it. Since getting the solar two seasons ago, we haven't needed the generator so it stays at home.

Currently our solar is portable on 50 ft cables. That allows us the ability to have shade on the trailer and keep the panels not only in the sun but also tracking it for maximum power all day. It's not a small amount at over 700w but it allows for the use of anything in the trailer but the roof op air. That is covered with a small window AC.

Now even with all of that, if I were to go on the road I wouldn't leave the generator home. Solar is part of a balanced system and a back up means of charging is critical when Mr sun doesn't feel like playing for too long.

So before you buy or decide on anything, I'd like to suggest that you read up and get a general feel for solar, your needs and conditions to see if it's worth the effort. A generator is a must for most unless you get big solar or like us can cherry pick the best weather to camp in.