Forum Discussion
Mote
Feb 02, 2015Explorer
bka0721 wrote:
The quick answer will be no, on the solar.
But like n7bsn wrote, the moving around will keep your batteries charged up. After 42 years of working, visiting, backpacking, living in Yellowstone I never get tired of that place. If you (and anyone else) send me a PM with an email I will send you my Tip List on places to vist, eat and go in and around Yellowstone.
Here is the issue why a 50w Solar Panel and Grp 24 battery will not service your needs, well. The nights in Yellowstone are cold, almost all summer. Especially June and September, but the days are wonderful. Except for a short rainy period in August, July and August are warm and sunny. For the Rocky Mountains, brief afternoon thundershowers are common, after a period of clouds forming. For this, there is no way you would get long periods of sun harvesting all day, as an earlier poster suggested. Then, when coupled with consistent Trees/shade/shadows in campgrounds, picnic areas and road side pullouts, you will not harvest as much PVsolar sun as you would somewhere like Craters of the Moon National Monument(a must see IMHO).
So, prepare for the worse and hope for the best. Solar is a wonderful solution for extended trips and vacation, but 50 watts will be mostly maintenance for your battery bank. The best thing is you have a small battery bank to charge, which in turn limits you in how many amps (furnace/refrigerator/lights/water pump/accessories) you are able to use. The best thing would be to get a better battery/quantity of batteries and rely on the distances you drive (alternator) around to see the sights to keep your batteries up to 90% and let your solar top them off.
Have a wonderful trip and report back about your adventures!
b
PM sent for more info on Yellowstone
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