Is solar the way to go?

[campgrl]

Looking for some input from those of you that use solar to charge your battery. What are good kits to buy that are affordable and portable? How long does it take you to charge in all conditions? Is solar a better option than a genny? Thanks everyone!

[reed_cundiff]

Currently at Elephant Butte Lake (near Truth or Consequence, NM) for a Mothers'
Day weekend with family and friends. Running the fridge on ac, wife using the the heating pad on back, running micro-wave and DVD/large panel screen, charging batteries on three jet skis etc and we are still at float by 1 pm. Harvested 5900 W-hrs yesterday. And if anything goes wrong, had son and three solar fabricators (with degrees in EE and ME camped nearby. Now if we just don't get stuck in the sand getting back to the highway tomorrow, it will have been perfect.

[reed_cundiff]

Lexicon7 wrote:
I could not imagine not using solar! I was full time for a while last year in a Lance TC and my single house battery was always full. That's a good thing! At one point I decided to try running my AC and picked up a Honda gen. The Honda was great but I quickly got very tired of the stink and the noise even though it is very quiet for the industry. I have serious allergies and it seemed that no matter where I positioned it, the wind would eventually change and the exhaust fumes would find me again. I soon sold it. For a big A Class where it is built in and away from the "living area" gens would be ok but for me in a TC, not so good.. The sun keeps giving and if our idiot politicians don't screw that up too... should stay free!

I think we are on the same page.

We are currently "camped" on shore of Elephant Butte Reservoir (near Truth or Consequences Nm). Have family and friends tenting about and everyone is happy with indoor plumbing. We run the Dometic fridge on AC during the day but the solar keeps ahead of the fridge. We "harvested" 5500 W-hrs today but were on absorb past noon. It has been cool and did not have to use A/C. Winds were way up and to much for sailing but OK for the wind-surfers.

Worry not, they (the idiot politicians) are busy working to make solar expensive. El Paso Electric (southern NM and west Texas) actively supports solar, quite unlike Arizona, most of Texas and all of OK.

We can run a/c on combination of solar and LFP batteries but choose to avoid the high temperatures. Our attitude is to be "Goldilockders" as in "not to hot and not to cold, just right!" So we go North or higher in elevation to get where it is cool. Three years ago we were in Fort Collins, CO to visit younger son and family. It was 103 in town so we drove 50 miles to Long Draw Reservoir (withdrawn from Rocky Mountain National Park in 1930s to be a reservoir for Denver). The elevation was 10,400' or so, it got down to 38 F at night and low 70s in day. The spot was a "dispersed camping" spot. No one camped for several miles in any direction and the site was free. It was about 30 meters from the gravel road but very little traffic during the week. The official CG was packed. Had 15 species of bird near trailer (3 types of hummers), Moose and Elk within 50 to 75 meters, Coyote wandered through and Elaine managed to frighten enough trout.

Reed and Elaine

[Lexicon7]

I could not imagine not using solar! I was full time for a while last year in a Lance TC and my single house battery was always full. That's a good thing! At one point I decided to try running my AC and picked up a Honda gen. The Honda was great but I quickly got very tired of the stink and the noise even though it is very quiet for the industry. I have serious allergies and it seemed that no matter where I positioned it, the wind would eventually change and the exhaust fumes would find me again. I soon sold it. For a big A Class where it is built in and away from the "living area" gens would be ok but for me in a TC, not so good.. The sun keeps giving and if our idiot politicians don't screw that up too... should stay free!

[reed_cundiff]

Dan

Will be reading your blog

[reed_cundiff]

profdant139 wrote:
Wait a minute -- reed, you just got back from Ecuador and now you are off to Labrador?? Wow! Do you have a blog, by any chance? (Not to hijack the thread, but that is some kind of traveling!!)

We flew down to Ecuador/Peru and left rig in daughter's backyard in Las Cruces, NM. Machu Pichu, Galapagos, Amazonia, Nazca Lines were on our bucket list (we will be 75 in August) and figured we had best do them now. We met a Brit couple of 85 traveling about (12th time to Peru and were finishing up 25,000 km of travel in South America). Saw 250 new birds. Galapagos was the best: 8 days on a great boat, great crew, chef, licensed naturalist, and 14 other great passengers. Two snorkels and two walks a day. Snorkeling is flying to Elaine and it is "not drowning" to me.

The Trans-Labrador Highway has been open for about 4 or 5 years. Talked with Newfoundland/Labrador Tourism Board and they strongly suggested not taking the 600 km of gravel highway to Red Bay and then the ferry from Blanc Sablon to Newfoundland until July since it takes that long to redo the gravel from winter. Need to find a way to protect windshield from flying gravel. The RCMP will issue you a satellite phone for emergency service on that road. We have two sets of brand new spare Michellin tires (on rims) for 5th wheel. You can always get good tires for pickup almost anywhere but tires for 5th wheel are a bit more difficult to find outside of big cities and probably not at all in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala where we hope to spend the winter (if Mexican Insurance and customs every work out cancelling the Temporary Import License for the totaled pickup and trailer near Puebla, Mexico of three years ago.

We were told by tourism board that there are lots of places to boondock along the Trans-Labrador (probably no RV parks between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Cartwright or Red Bay. Plan to take the official mailboat up the coast of Labrador (5 days out to Inuit village of Nain and back) and tourism bureau said there is a place to safely leave the rig. The gal from tourism bureau said she takes the trip almost every year since it is so much fun. Private cabin will run us about $1K.

We did have a blog once and may do it again. Trying to figure out how to do a personal message to you so I can give you information on our travels without boring and annoying everyone else - having hijacked this thread sufficiently.

[profdant139]

Wait a minute -- reed, you just got back from Ecuador and now you are off to Labrador?? Wow! Do you have a blog, by any chance? (Not to hijack the thread, but that is some kind of traveling!!)

[bka0721]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi profdant139,

The back of my rv gets pretty dirty--much less so after I installed air tabs. I'd still be concerned about installing solar panels on the back.

I suspect that someone might need to learn how to clean solar panels. Let's see, setting up and taking down, then storing these panels or cleaning one or two solar panels. You decide how much work one or the other take.

b

[reed_cundiff]

We are primarily National Forest/BLM boondockers and solar autonomy is important. We have had Bull Moose fighting (at least they were sparring for 45 minutes) within 25 meters of rig, Coyotes, Deer, Elk, etc walk right past or under (Coyotes). This would probably not occur with a generator running. So we try to figure where we can get solar in morning (rig headed north so the awning shades in morning) and shade in the afternoon. We have gotten 1320 W charging in mid-summer so half a day of solar is sufficient.

With solar, as several have noted, you have to be sure that you are not in shade much of the day. We were on Olympic Peninsula and I called the Mora CG in the NP about an open spot for solar and was mildly chided "Sir, this is a rain forest, your panels will not do you much good!" So a backup small generator is a good idea. We have a 1 kW generator which we have only used to make sure it is running over the last two years. We did last six days in the rain forest with 9.6 kW-hrs of LFP and were down by about 50% (-5 kW-hrs) so we were good for another 3 days. We were still "harvesting" around 500 W-hrs a day through the 150' tall trees. We do have 1.4 kW of solar, 9.6 kW-hr of LFP and a 4 kW Magnum PSW inverter. Ran the fridge on AC yesterday (we just returned from 3 months in Ecuador/Peru and are checking out the rig before leaving tomorrow to see family and hopefully make it to Labrador/Newfoundland this summer) and harvested 5500 W-hr.

We know a guy who does have hinged panels on his pickup/camper and motorcycle carrying (BMW) trailer. I think he will have a total of around 2 kW on the combination. This is sufficient for the air conditioner on his pickup/camper. We have run a/c on our rig for 3.5 hours as combination of solar/batteries. We have discussed putting another 470 to 700 W on the 5th wheel for full a/c power but figure we would just rather go north or up in elevation to avoid the heat.

[vermilye]

I use an average of 25 amp hours per day, although if I'm doing a lot of photo editing & make a pot of coffee, can go as high as 50 amp hours. 2 - 6V 232 amp hour batteries.

I started with a 95 watt GoPower package (supplied by the trailer manufacturer) & during full summer sun, and no shade, had no problems dry camping for 2 weeks. (I don't carry a generator). Low angle winter sun or shade requires limiting usage, so I added a a 160 watt portable folding panel from Solar Blvd.

While the folding panel adds enough to keep up even in the winter or shade (as long as I move the portable into the sun), I decided to add a 100 watt roof panel for convenience, as well as not having to worry about a portable panel while I'm away from the trailer. I'll still carry the portable in case I'm parked in the shade...

[tonymull]

You can use whatever aluminum stock thickness you want. Mine is less than 3" thick folded, deployed, sorry I stated the wrong dimensions (been a long winter I guess) it's about 42X42 (42X21 folded) for 200W. They also make a 50W panel you can use for a 100W suitcase.

[profdant139]

Tony, how thick is the suitcase when folded? And how big is the panel when deployed? Thanks for the info!

[tonymull]

I made my own solar suitcase panels (check out the solar suitcase at renogy.com) I used the flexible panels over an aluminum frame I constructed from stock at HD. 200W is more than enough for us and it folds to 23"X17" and weighs 6 pounds. Easy to move, easy to store, needs an anchor of very windy days. I can put it on top when we are out of camp if I'm concerned about theft, or just restore it under the camper. Sun moves, it moves, easy to expand if we ever want to and easy, easy on the back. Oh and there's no glass to break or crack.

[mrw8i]

I've got (2) 100W panels on my 17'. One is in the right rear, one center forward. None, ideal because of vents and AC. They are spread far enough apart that if one or other is in the shade or partial shade hopefully the other is in the sun supplying power. I've got room for a third panel in the left rear, but after 4+ years of this - it's worked well and have not needed a third panel.

[JiminDenver]

All of my systems have been portable so far. It takes mere minutes to set the panel out, fold out the legs and connect the wires. Adjusting through out the day takes seconds if I even do that. You can also leave them tilted south or lay it flat like it was mounted.

We generally camp pretty isolated but we have spent a weekend in a small busy dry campground right next to a road that sees traffic. No one touched the solar or the EU3000 next door.

One trip I strapped the 230w panel to the rack of the truck. Mounting one up there and running a set of wires to the controller, short for travel, and a longer set for when unhitch would be easier than a roof mount, allow charging on the road, allow you to put the trailer in the shade and the solar in the sun AND be more secure. It would also be easier to tilt or be used as a portable if you wanted, just build it into the mount.

This was my plan until we decided to upgrade. It didn't provide charging in storage but I remove the battery there so that it isn't stolen anyways. They will be inside after I mount the panels.

Different panels act differently to changing light and shading issues. I have a Canadian solar 220w that drops like a rock in leafy shade or cloud cover. In bright sun you can stick your hand in front of it with no loss. My 230w poly drops more according to how much cloud cover but stick your hand in front and it loses 25%. I don't camp in the shade much, not much to be had up there but I do deal with clouds. I want to test the new system in both series and parallel in hopes of getting it to provide at least the basics in most any situation.

Several members here use Uni-solar panels that do the best in lower light. The downside is they have a larger foot print per watt. They can get something even in the rain.

[pianotuna]

Hi profdant139,

The back of my rv gets pretty dirty--much less so after I installed air tabs. I'd still be concerned about installing solar panels on the back.