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6pac's avatar
6pac
Explorer
Sep 03, 2014

Going solar

Am considering installing two extra batterys an a 100 watt solar panel a top our Lance 881 . What type of controller an monitor would be needed? Any suggestations on the size an make of the inverter needed to power a microwave, TV , hot plate & diretv dvd? All suggestions would be appreciated.
After reading the responses of most we have discovered that it's not only possible but many have showed us how they've done their mods! Most use the ref vent to gain access to the inside of the cabin . Our Lance 881 doesn't have a ref vent, our ref is located on our slideout. We have a 55 watt located on the forward part of the roof , considering a 100 watt to be located toward the rear of the passanger side. To be mounted on the unistrut attached directly to the Maggie rack which will place the panel very close to the roof.( 11/2" above the surface. Also to readdress the location of the new two batteries ...they will be located on the driver side opposite the generator with wiring running across to the generator thus connecting all batteries together. The major problem we've found is how to gain access to the cabin. We're working on it!
Truck Campers

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  • Jfet's avatar
    Jfet
    Explorer
    Sep 05, 2014
    reed cundiff wrote:
    There have been half a dozen references to using solar/battery bank to obtain spot usage of a/c. Thread in Grey Nomads forum stated they are getting a/c equivalent to a DOMETIC which uses over 1.5 kW with a Fujitsu split/level which costs $700 and uses 750 W.

    As far as costing big bucks just consider spending $0 for 90% of 365 days of boondocking. Further, do not buy an ATV, motorcycle or Waverunner and you have
    Paid for a first rate system. Or buy a used pickup instead of a new one and get two first rate solar/LFP battery pack
    Reed and Elaine


    Our small window unit uses about 600 watts and cools the camper 20 degrees below outside in about an hour.
  • Jfet's avatar
    Jfet
    Explorer
    Sep 05, 2014
    I just ran the microwave on our 4000 watt Magnum inverter for 2 minutes which heated up a cup of water to boiling (actual bubbles popping).

    Specs:

    2x125AH 12V Lifeline AGM
    4000 watt 24V input MSH4024M inverter

    Microwave panel spec (input 1050 watts, output 700 watts)

    While running, the Magnum panel said the voltage it was seeing was 24.2V and the current from the batteries was 58 amps. So total of 1400 watts. Hmmm, not super efficient if the microwave is really only drawing 1050 watts but maybe that is suspect. Efficiency would be 75%.

    Anyway, at 58 amps the 125 amp-hour batteries would be down to 50% capacity in less than an hour (would have to figure from the Peukert plots), probably something like 30 min to 50%.

    So for a small 2 battery system (but big inverter!) probably should limit the microwave to shore power or only use during the day when 1000 watts of solar is dumping into the battery system.
  • reed_cundiff's avatar
    reed_cundiff
    Explorer
    Sep 05, 2014
    There have been half a dozen references to using solar/battery bank to obtain spot usage of a/c. Thread in Grey Nomads forum stated they are getting a/c equivalent to a DOMETIC which uses over 1.5 kW with a Fujitsu split/level which costs $700 and uses 750 W.

    As far as costing big bucks just consider spending $0 for 90% of 365 days of boondocking. Further, do not buy an ATV, motorcycle or Waverunner and you have
    Paid for a first rate system. Or buy a used pickup instead of a new one and get two first rate solar/LFP battery pack
    Reed and Elaine
  • joeshmoe's avatar
    joeshmoe
    Explorer
    Sep 04, 2014
    pianotuna wrote:
    When it is hot, I'll run the air conditioner from solar


    You will? That'll be interesting.
  • sabconsulting's avatar
    sabconsulting
    Explorer
    Sep 04, 2014
    reed cundiff wrote:
    "...Do you really need that 120v appliance or can you do it with propane instead? (cooking, heating, making coffee, etc.).."

    "If you have the solar and batteries, then why not. Elaine figures that it costs nothing (now that it is paid for) to use the m/w to make a cup of tea, defrost, cook and it doesn't heat up the place."


    Exactly - if you have it. Quite a number of the repliers have impressive solar / battery installations that cost a lot more than the OP's. My point is it is easy to be wowed by other people's solar installations and assume you need the same (and that you need to spend $$$$ achieving that). That might be the case, but it might not. What I am saying is that before you spend thousands upgrading your solar then it is worth asking yourself first whether you do truly need that level of solar power. Many times I have been on the verge of spending a lot of money on something but on questioning my assumptions have realised that I could do without the thing in question for very little loss of function.

    Steve.
  • pjay9's avatar
    pjay9
    Explorer
    Sep 04, 2014
    Isn't what we do to our units mostly for our own satisfaction! The costs of doing these sorts of things probably doesn't wash, except in the very long run MAYBE!! It is so we can do stuff where we want to do stuff. Can't you just start the truck and let it change the battery in the TC...all the solar and extra controls and batteries sure can buy a lot of fuel to run your motor if you have to.

    I did that for a while once...the best investment was the remote start I installed when putting in the alarm...whole lot cheaper than other alternatives. Admit it we like doing Stuff for the fun of it and bragging rights!!!! NO???

    Justifing only makes us feel good about spending the $'s!
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Sep 04, 2014
    Hi,

    I've burned about 20 gallons of propane in the last year. Mainly for running the fridge as I don't have enough solar to do that for days on end.

    I'm hoping to do a large upgrade to my solar farm next summer. If I do, then I'll be running the fridge mainly from solar. When it is hot, I'll run the air conditioner from solar and the fridge from propane.

    It makes financial sense as soon as I factor in the cost of RV parks.
  • reed_cundiff's avatar
    reed_cundiff
    Explorer
    Sep 04, 2014
    "...Do you really need that 120v appliance or can you do it with propane instead? (cooking, heating, making coffee, etc.).."

    If you have the solar and batteries, then why not. Elaine figures that it costs nothing (now that it is paid for) to use the m/w to make a cup of tea, defrost, cook and it doesn't heat up the place. The same is true for running the fridge and a/c. If we are camped in heavy shadow or stuck with 8" of snow on the roof, then we change energy strategy. If we run the fridge on ac overnight, we wake up with a -3000 to 4000 Wh deficit. Charging at up to 1300 W (900 is more likely with cloud cover, solar angle etc), we are fully charged by noon. We are probably running 6000 to 7000 Wh daily under these circumstance, more if we use a/c.
    Reed and Elaine

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