Solar Panels

Well, you've asked all the 'hot button' questions. Please reply this isn't a troll.

Go to the Tech Issues forum and search 'solar'.

this is helpful.

Fridge and air conditioning? 3kW and a Powerwall lithium battery.

Or run the fridge on propane and skip the air and you need 300 to 600+ watts of solar. Maybe $2 to $3 per watt self install. Then you need more battery and an inverter for another $1,000 to $3,000 depending on size.

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Your solar panels will charge the batteries. The batteries will power up your outlets, fridge etc. I have two 100 watt panels on the roof. I used to have one 100 panel, but my DC powered cooler draws a whopping 4amps, so I am in need of much power. If you do not have such a power-hungry appliance, then one 100 watt solar panel might be enough.
If it rains every day or you are in the shade, then go with 200 watts.
With one 100 watt solar panel and two deep cycle batteries and while in sunny CA I can park 3 days and run my 4 amp cooler and other minimal draw lights/pumps/outlets before I need to get a recharge from the tow vehicle or a generator.
Without the 4 amp cooler, then the panel is more than enough to recharge my batteries during the day, runs the minimal appliances and have enough to make it to the next day with power left over.
With the two 100 watt panels now, and in CT and it raining and the days shorter and still using my 4amp cooler this is not enough. I need sun, or to get rid of the cooler to boondock in the north in the clouds.
Chose one or two 100 watt panels and get a good quality solar charge controller so your batteries are at max efficiency. Your needs dictate your purchase.
If you only camp overnight, and not days on end, then the charge you arrive with (powered by your tow vehicles alternator charging system) will be enough.
I strongly recommend having two batteries. I use two 6-volt golf cart batteries run in series to provide my 12 volts. There is a reason for this, and is better than two 12 volt batteries run parallel.
Amazon.com for solar panels, Cost about $1 per watt.

marininn wrote:
The batteries will power up your outlets.......

If you tie in an inverter to the outlets it will.

If you truly wish to power the roof air from solar move to a 48 volt battery consisting of 300 to 400 amp-hours of LI battery bank, mated to a 48 volt inverter/charger and add 2000 watts of solar panels to the roof.

Or moderate your desires and install about 600 watts of panels with a 500 amp-hour 12 volt battery bank with a 3000 watt inverter/charger to eliminate generator use except for running the roof air conditioner.

Solar, like horsepower, gas mileage etc. tends to get quite over rated as to output/capability. It's great in that it's quiet, convenient when the sun shines, and requires virtually no maintenance other that what you would already doing with your batteries, and of course cleaning the panels occasionally. It's not necessarily cheap however, doesn't work when parked in a nice shady spot, rainy or cloudy days etc so you will still need a generator, or other source of power in most of the sort of areas I like to camp.

Since you appear to be new to RV's, first you'll need to figure out how much power you'll need to do the sort of stuff you like doing. Reading books by LED light, minimal power usage. Watching 46 inch flatscreen tv with propane refrigerator running, couple lights etc. and my 5er is drawing 10 to 12 amps. Add in it's cold outside and the furnace is running a fair bit while the days are short, and tend to be cloudy and you'll need a lot of solar on the roof to have a chance of keeping your batteries up. Determine need, or detailed desires first and we can provide much better situation based advise. Include activities, type of RV, and locations where you plan to be, stuff like that will help a lot.

Running the roof A/C isn't practical with solar / inverter / batteries.
It can be done, but it's going to take far more solar than you will be willing to spend the money on.

Are you dry camping, you said buy a camper to save money, I really don't see that happening. We have 3 12 volt batteries. We can go 7 days without recharging. By then we have to dump. So once a week stay in a full hookup campground, dump and recharge your batteries.

Yeah, camping is not a way to save money, unless you're going to live in it full time. Campers are closer to a money pit that a money tree. Almost as bad as boats.

Save money? Just spend $500 on a Champion generator. The ROI is too long on a solar system.

How much money do you spend on hotels per year?

What kind of tow vehicle do you have?