What about solar panels?
I am thinking of getting a solar panel to trickle charge the 12V batteries of our TT. I would connect it when we're stopped and set up and disconeccted from the tow vehicle. What's a good one to get?
Forum Discussion
eichacsj wrote:
It is a 150w panel and trying to keep it facing the sun and it could not get the bats charged up before I needed them at night. We camp mostly in the winter so the furnace runs a lot, I also use a CPAP. The effort of getting everything out, setting it up chasing the sun with little value, is more a "pain in the ass" didn't know I could say it fully in the forum.
So I can last 3 nights on bats, fighting to keep them fully charged wasn't worth it. Now if they get to run down I get the gen out and give them a boost. 1 item, 1 pull and done.
As long as you have everything to enable the solar charging system, why not mount the panel on the roof and at least get the harvest that it can produce? At the least, it will shorten your generator run time and keep your batteries in top shape when your trailer is in storage.
If a single module is not enough, an additional module could be added to meet your power needs.
The only reason the above wouldn't work is if you always park in full shade and your trailer is stored indoors. Maybe you could post your conditions? At least the OP could then avoid those situations when he starts to use solar charging.
FWIW, I use a single 235W module and have 300AH of battery capacity. I run a small fridge and all of my entertainment gear with an inverter. Solar charging also takes care of the rest of the 12V system. I don't have any parasitic loads so don't use a disconnect switch. In storage, the module is tilted in Winter and keeps all of the batteries charged to the maximum.
