Solar or generator for older camper?

One more vote for a portable generator.

Here is a low cost high quality and quiet solution. This is what I would opt for if I were in your shoes.

bka0721 wrote:

~DJ~ wrote:
I have both. If I had to choose just one it would be the genny. As said before, rain or shine, night or day, heavy timber, etc.

I have the Honda 2000. It was overkill for battery maintenance but I knew I would be adding 5000 BTU AC and it runs it just fine.

It will be less expensive to get adequate power now vs trying to trade up later.

Count me AGREEING here too, with DJ.

Get the Generator first.

I would add, that cold weather/winter season will impact your batteries and limit your solar harvesting immensely. Without proper sizing for this season (more solar/batteries) you will need to cut/limit your daily power demand 60-70%.

b

Put me in agreement with these guys.

I have a 1988 Bigfoot TC. I purchased it used in 2004. It had no battery, solar, generator, A/C, and a converter (no charger). I was confronted with the same situation as the OP. Over time, I added everything in that list. My point is, I have personal experience on this subject.

There are a couple of things you need to consider.

1 When you say you are going tom add a battery, will it be AGM or flooded wet cell. It definitely makes a difference solar or generator.

2 In 1989, most TCs had converters, not charger converters. If you have the converter only (as I did) you will be burning batteries up when plugged into shore power. There are a couple of workarounds for this, I think I tried them all.

3 When people tell you what solar cost, typically they just count the panels and controller. Most leave out the cost of wire and hardwire required. If you add solar now, and remove it when you get a newer TC, what are you going to do about the holes in your TC?

4 With a small child, the weather conditions could be such that with a tear running down your cheek, you need to run a generator. Most people will lead you to believe with solar, you never will need generator. I say this is only true if you spend a lot more than $500, a lot more. I will say, someone on Arizona would need less solar than someone in Washington state. I will also point opt, the generator works in both places, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

5 Although it is easy for me to spend your money, I think anything less than a Honda 2000 is a must. It makes no sense to me to go borderline. I would consider a Yamaha of the same size. We can argue if a smaller generator will get you by, but is that your objective, just get by. To me it makes more sense to buy something you can carry forward, and use for future TC and other uses.

I have added enough solar, and solar related stuff, I rarely use my Honda 2000. I typically use it for my microwave, or on occasion the A/C. It is there if I need or want it. If I had to give up my solar or Honda, I would keep the Honda 2000.

As a side note, I suggest the board L.E.D.s, for your fixtures. Much cheaper than pucks or bulb style leds.

I still have my 1988 Bigfoot. I paid $1000 for it in 2004, and since then spent another 7 to 8 thousand adding feature I want. I have never made enough money to support all of my hobbies if I bought my toys new. I really have no interest in a new TC or truck. My truck is 1996 Dodge 2500 Dsl I bought in 2001.

Please feel free to question/challenge anything I have posted here. Sometimes clarification is needed.

Wayne

~DJ~ wrote:
I have both. If I had to choose just one it would be the genny. As said before, rain or shine, night or day, heavy timber, etc.

I have the Honda 2000. It was overkill for battery maintenance but I knew I would be adding 5000 BTU AC and it runs it just fine.

It will be less expensive to get adequate power now vs trying to trade up later.

Count me AGREEING here too, with DJ.

Get the Generator first.

I would add, that cold weather/winter season will impact your batteries and limit your solar harvesting immensely. Without proper sizing for this season (more solar/batteries) you will need to cut/limit your daily power demand 60-70%.

b

I have both. If I had to choose just one it would be the genny. As said before, rain or shine, night or day, heavy timber, etc.

I have the Honda 2000. It was overkill for battery maintenance but I knew I would be adding 5000 BTU AC and it runs it just fine.

It will be less expensive to get adequate power now vs trying to trade up later.

To some extent it will depend where you are in Oregon. We are in Washington and between the forest camp sites and the overcast skies in western Washington our solar does little for 9 months of the year. Get out on the east side of the state and the story is very different.

Generator , I vote for that first . I added solar also but over time. I found a used Yamaha 1000 inverter on Craigslist for a good buy. It does all I need . any Inverter type generators seem to be OK. Read the reviews .

A word of caution, your group 24 battery is approx. 75amp.

Take a multi-meter with you & check voltage of your battery upon arriving at your destination.

It's not good to let the battery get below 50% SOC, which means you only have about 35-40 amps to use before re-charging. That's not much.

pcoplin wrote:
I have an 89 Lance camper and plan on dry camping with my wife and toddler daughter.

I'd like to know people's opinions on adding solar versus plopping the dough on a Honda Generator. I'd ultimately like to add solar, but this is really just a starter camper to make sure it's for us as a family. Maybe only have it 2 or 3 years before i get one in the 2000s.

Looks like it will be 500 or so for the stiff to add solar. $1000 for a 2000w generator, even if I need one that big.

What are your thoughts? Pros versus cons? Thanks all for your time.

I think a lot of it will depend on how and where you will use your camper. If it gets quite cold and you want to be able to run the furnace and or a space heater then a portable generator might be up your alley. I am a big advocate of a generator over solar if you must decide between the two. If you want to run certain things like a microwave then you are ready out of the box with a generator. If you want to rely on solar then you will need a very large battery bank and a powerful inverter to make the 12V DV into 120V AC. - an expense probably not worth it in my opinion.

If you are going to be dry camping a lot in remote places (boondocks) then maybe consider one of theChampion portable generators. I think they are only around 300.00 or so. They are a little bit louder than the Honda or Yamaha types BUT it doesn't really matter if no one else is around you and you're ok with the noise. It's not too bad though...

You could buy a Champion generator and a portable solar unit as well to have the best of both worlds. You would still be only around $500 for both!

The Champion generator will get you by for pretty much anything you throw at it while dry camping and at around 300 dollars or so it's a very cheap but reliable way to go to ensure you always have power if you need it. Handy around the house too if power goes out. You could spend a 1000 each for a Yamaha or Honda 2000w but for just starting out the Champion is a beast!

Now as far as solar is concerned - there are a lot of variables that would go into play if you are going to "rely" on pure solar to recharge the batteries every day. A lot of that will be dependent on how much battery you use, how much capacity you have etc...

Thanks all for the input. I'm not sure this camper is worth the time adding a solar system, but we also may use it quite often and would ultimately be worth it. Especially if I were able to remove it before resell.

I don't have a microwave, coffee maker, or AC. Single 24 deep cycle for now. I put in 1156 LED bulbs in the 'first stage' of the main lights. Also have a clicker LED lamp over the dinette with it's own battery I can use. Put LED click lights in the large cupboards too.

I'm wondering if there's room behind the battery compartment to add or modify the box so it's deeper? Adding a second battery may be all I need for a little while, until I nail down usage?

I'm borrowing a friend's Honda 650 generator this weekend to get a feel for it. Will get down to the low 30s.

Elk hunting and snow. solar would not cut it, generator would.